Wellness

Wellness is being in good physical and mental health. Because mental health and physical health are linked, problems in one area can impact the other. At the same time, improving a person’s physical health can also benefit their mental health, and vice versa. It is important to make healthy choices for both physical and mental well-being. Remember that wellness is not just the absence of illness or stress. A person can still strive for wellness even if they are experiencing these challenges in their life.

Personal wellness means being physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy. A healthy lifestyle helps balance all these aspects to achieve wellness. A person’s decisions and choices will impact both their short-term and long-term wellness. It is important to take into account your overall personal wellness in order to increase the potential for academic success in your educational program and get the greatest benefit out of it. In this section, you will learn about some of the various aspects affecting your wellness, such as nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle choices.

Physical Health

There are many lifestyle choices that we make that impact our personal wellness in both negative and positive ways. The negative choices can become vices and cause addictions that can impede wellness for a few hours or be lifelong challenges. Positive choices can promote health and help form healthy habits. Some of the most rudimentary lifestyle choices are choosing to nurture and protect your body.

• Get enough sleep every night and try to be consistent about your sleeping routine. Studies show this helps your brain function more effectively.
• Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid soda, alcohol, and sugary drinks.
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Good nutritious food and a well-balanced diet will fuel your body. Avoid junk food and processed food.
• Exercise regularly and stay fit.
• Keep alcohol intake reasonable. Over-consumption of alcohol reduces the ability to function efficiently or think clearly.
• Do not smoke. Smoking can cause lung cancer, emphysema, chronic cough, shortness of breath, and dull skin.
• Follow safety rules. Buckle up. Wear your helmet. Use ladders carefully. Wear safety goggles, gloves, and other protective equipment when required. These choices will help prevent unnecessary accidents that can have serious long-term effects.
• Spend time outdoors and get fresh air and sunshine. Fresh air and sunshine help give the body vitality and vitamin D, which provides numerous benefits.
• Stay active. Keep moving. Go for walks. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride your bike.
• Stay home when you are sick. Rest. It allows your body to fight and recover from illness and keeps others safe.

Emotional Health

As well as looking after your physical health, it’s also important to look after your emotional health. Emotional health keeps your heart in check and helps you to keep your emotions reasonable. Here are some ways to stay emotionally healthy.

• Don’t hold onto grudges.
• Do things that bring you peace. Maybe that’s going for a nature walk or a hike in the forest.
• Visit family and friends. Get together with people you care about.
• Join a team. You can meet new people while you learn a new skill and keep active.
• Have some downtime. Sometimes it just feels good to let things go and watch a good movie. Rest, relax, cry, laugh, and enjoy.
• Be aware of your feelings and attitudes.
• Develop your self-esteem. Pursue things that matter to you.

Social Well-being

Interaction with patients, families, and colleagues is constant. However, the quality of these interactions and the relationships outside of work are what constitute an MRT’s social well-being. Feeling connected, supported, and part of a community fosters resilience. Engaging with friends, and family, and even finding connections with colleagues outside of work can nourish this aspect of well-being. These connections serve as a network of support, uplifting and strengthening the MRT both in their personal life and in their profession.

Spiritual Well-being

Spiritual well-being is often the most personal and sometimes elusive aspect of an MRT’s overall health. It’s about alignment, a sense of purpose, and a connection to something greater than oneself. Whether through religious faith, personal beliefs, or a defined set of values, finding meaning and purpose in one’s work is central to spiritual well-being. Practices such as meditation, prayer, or engaging in community service can deepen this connection, allowing MRTs to align their daily tasks with their deeper values.

The journey of self-assessment and identification of needs within the imaging profession is an ongoing and ever-changing process. Emotions, physical health, social connections, and spiritual alignment are not isolated aspects but interwoven threads that create the fabric of an MRT’s well-being. Continuous reflection and adaptation in these areas are not merely acts of self-preservation but integral to providing compassionate and competent care.

Through this holistic lens, MRTs can appreciate their profession not just as a job but as a fulfilling vocation that aligns with their whole selves. Embracing this broader perspective of self-care encourages a lifelong journey of growth, resilience, and fulfillment both in the personal and professional domains of life.