Health Psychology

Written By Colēgia

There are many different forms of psychology with each of them contributing in different ways to our lives. Health psychology offers a fresh perspective on how we view this as it is directly related to our well-being. Today we want to do a deep dive into what this is, along with some helpful ways to integrate it into our lives.

A Holistic Approach

Health psychology delves into the relationship that social, psychological, and biological factors affect decisions related to our health. All three of these contribute to our choices in varying ways and when properly understood can help us greatly. One of the best examples is our eating habits. Whether we are by ourselves or in a group, the social aspect determines what kind of food we will eat. Sometimes we may be more inclined to try something new when we are in a group versus by ourselves. The psychological aspect of this carries over into whether or not we can afford food if we do something such as eating out. Lastly, when we eat and what we prefer is determined by our biology. With all of these in mind, the once simple act of eating now has a lot more components to it. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, being able to understand this can empower you to make better choices.

“Health psychology delves into the relationship that social, psychological, and biological factors affect decisions related to our health.”

How to Apply it

Motivation is a key part of all of these factors and accurately determining how it works is what can help us make the most out of this practice. When we consider something such as sleep, we need to ask ourselves how it affects us. If we find that our sleep habits are irregular, we need to step back to determine which factors impact them. If we find ourselves staying up late in an effort to spend time with friends we need to weigh how much this affects our health. In many instances, we may need to say no in order to get enough rest or to catch up on sleep. If we feel that we can't sleep because of a high sugar diet, then it could be a good sign to switch things up. If we are anxious before bed, we may need to take time to decompress and prioritize our health. Small steps toward being mindful can pay off in ways that help us in our daily lives.

“Motivation is a key part of all of these factors and accurately determining how it works is what can help us make the most out of this practice.”

The Benefits

While sleeping and eating are two of the most common forms of health psychology, the benefits from this sort of mindful action translate to many different areas. Self-awareness is one of the biggest benefits to this as it can accurately help you see what areas need improvement in your life. This mindset can be applied to both physical and mental health and can help foster important life skills such as self-efficacy and personal effectiveness. Health psychology requires being able to see things from another perspective and this can give you a better means of reviewing different elements that factor into your overall health.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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