What Is National Wellness Month?

Launched to promote the importance of self-care and holistic health, National Wellness Month is dedicated to encouraging people to take proactive steps toward improving their physical and mental well-being.

It's not just about diet or exercise—National Wellness Month is a reminder to slow down, prioritize yourself, and incorporate daily practices that prevent burnout and improve your overall quality of life.

The 8 Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a dynamic blend of physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, financial, and occupational factors that complement each other and impact your quality of life.

Here’s how the eight dimensions of wellness contribute to overall well-being.

1. Physical Wellness

Often the first thing people think of when they hear “wellness,” but physical wellness goes far beyond exercise. Physical wellness includes movement, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and routine health checkups. It’s about treating your body with respect and giving it what it needs to function well.

Lack of physical wellness causes numerous health problems. But even more so, neglecting physical health creates a negative cycle, contributing to mental health challenges. This negative feedback loop makes it more difficult to start and maintain healthy habits.

Focus on healthy habits to build physical wellness:

• Commit to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
• Eat a nutrient-dense diet filled with a variety of whole foods.
• Get 7–9 hours of sleep each night.
• Schedule an annual physical with your primary care physician.

2. Emotional Wellness

Humans are wired for connection. Poor social wellness contributes to loneliness, isolation, and a lack of meaningful connections—potentially impacting relationships and overall well-being.

And social isolation can be detrimental to your long-term health. Social isolation impacts your health as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to a 2023 study published in PLOS Medicine.

Social wellness and healthy habits are about quality, not quantity:

• Attend social events.
• Communicate openly and honestly.
• Connect regularly with a friend or family member.
• Cultivate strong relationships.
• Join a group fitness class.
• Practice active listening.
• Volunteer in your community.

3. Social Wellness

Humans are wired for connection. Poor social wellness contributes to loneliness, isolation, and a lack of meaningful connections—potentially impacting relationships and overall well-being.

And social isolation can be detrimental to your long-term health. Social isolation impacts your health as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to a 2023 study published in  PLOS Medicine  .

Social wellness and healthy habits are about quality, not quantity:

• Attend social events.
• Communicate openly and honestly.
• Connect regularly with a friend or family member.
• Cultivate strong relationships.
• Join a group fitness class.
• Practice active listening.
• Volunteer in your community.

4. Intellectual Wellness

The intellectual wellness dimension encourages curiosity, learning, and mental stimulation. Keeping your mind active and curious is like exercising your brain. This mental workout builds a strong cognitive reserve.

Cognitive reserve is your brain's built-in backup system. It's what allows your brain to stay sharp and function normally even as it experiences age-related cognitivedamage or diseases like Alzheimer's.

Think of it like this: If one road is closed due to construction, your brain, with a high cognitive reserve, quickly finds a different route to get to its destination. This "backup route" allows you to continue performing tasks and thinking clearly without any noticeable problems, even though parts of your brain are compromised.

Build intellectual wellness to keep your brain sharp and resilient:

• Do a daily puzzle, brain game, or read a nonfiction book.
• Enroll in a continuing education course.
• Listen to a podcast on a topic outside your usual interests.

5. Spiritual Wellness

The human spirit is often neglected—a state known as spiritual distress or spiritual imbalance. This can manifest in various ways, impacting mental, emotional, and potentially even physical health.

Spirituality can involve religious practice, but spirituality also includes nurturing your purpose, values, and a sense of connection to something greater than yourself.

Spirituality is deeply personal, so find activities that work for you:

• Allow yourself time alone.
• Explore spiritual texts, music, or traditions that inspire you.
• Practice mindfulness.
• Pray or meditate.
• Reflect on your values and life goals.
• Spend time in nature.

6. Environmental Wellness

Environmental wellness focuses on the relationship between you and your surroundings. Your surroundings influence your mood, productivity, and well-being. Factors like noise, pollution, temperature, and access to nature can significantly influence the body's stress response. Consider how noise hinders your concentration, or harsh lighting makes it difficult to focus.

The stress response causes hormonal imbalances like increased cortisol (stress hormone), disrupting various bodily functions. Chronic stress contributes to prolonged elevated cortisol levels, triggering a cascade of negative effects. The negative effects vary, but may include weight gain, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Create calm, welcoming spaces to improve environmental wellness:

• Add a plant to your workspace.
• Declutter one space in your home.
• Engage different senses to balance your mood.
• Increase the amount of light in your space.
• Paint your space a brighter color.

7. Financial Wellness

Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward money impact your financial and behavioral state. A 2023 study published in the  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  said a person's feelings about a decline in income matter to their emotional well-being 20 times more than the actual financial change itself.

Financial stress causes chronic stress. Like chronic stress from other misaligned dimensions of wellness, financial stress negatively affects your physical health. Additionally, financial stress often triggers unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating or substance abuse.

Gain confidence in your financial decisions and promote financial wellness:

• Attend financial workshops and courses.
• Consult with a financial professional.
• Pay off debt.
• Read books on financial literacy.
• Save a percentage of your income, no matter how small.
• Set a weekly or monthly budget and track your spending.

8. Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness is the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure in a way that promotes health. Happiness can be fleeting and tied to external circumstances (like buying a new item or enjoying a treat), but fulfillment is deeper. Fulfillment is an enduring state of being connected to a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

A person who feels fulfilled—whether it’s a full-time job, caregiving, or volunteerism—and has a sense of satisfaction is more likely to have a healthy state of occupational wellness.

Focus on fulfillment to spark more sustainable and profound occupational wellness:

• Engage in motivating and interesting work.
• Invest in career development with a new certification or mentorship opportunity.
• Reflect on what energizes you professionally.
• Set a boundary to protect your work-life balance (like turning off email notifications after hours).

Sustainable Holistic Health Changes for Big Impact

Improving your wellness doesn’t require an all-or-nothing overhaul. The most effective changes are often the smallest—and the most likely to be maintained.

Brianna Wiest, author of The Mountain is You, said, “Instead of aiming for sudden, dramatic breakthroughs, build healthy habits through tiny adjustments (microshifts). Over time, these microshifts promote substantial and lasting change in behavior, mindset, and overall well-being.”

The secret to microshift mindset success is consistency. Over time, your choices compound, catalyzing noticeable improvements in your holistic health.

Integrate self-care strategies into your daily routine with a microshift mindset:

• Breathe deeply. Use mindful breathing to reduce stress in just minutes.
• Hydrate consistently. Set reminders to drink water throughout the day.
• Ingredient prep. Instead of cooking complete meals, prepare the building blocks of various meals in advance (like chopping vegetables or marinating proteins).
• Move your body every day. Even a 10-minute walk improves your mood and circulation.
• Practice gratitude. Write three things you're grateful for each morning or evening.
• Prioritize sleep. Set a consistent bedtime and create a calming nighttime ritual.
• Unplug intentionally. Set boundaries around screen time and social media.

The Role of Fitness and Wellness Professionals

Fitness and wellness professionals have long played a key role in supporting clients' physical goals, but today’s health-conscious consumer wants more. Clients are increasingly looking for guidance that improves their eight dimensions of well-being and all aspects of their well-being.

As a NASM wellness coach, you’re uniquely positioned to offer more than just workouts. By adopting a whole-person coaching approach, you help clients develop sustainable routines, navigate stress, build healthy habits, and reconnect with their “why.”

Make a profound impact with the NASM Certified Wellness Coach program. Learn how to integrate mindset, behavior change, and lifestyle guidance into your existing healthy habits.

NASM Resources to Support Fitness and Wellness

NASM’s science-backed certifications and practical tools equip you to support clients with confidence, stand out in a crowded field, and grow a meaningful career in fitness and wellness:

• NASM Blog & Resources Hub: Instant access to science-backed articles on fitness and wellness topics, written by experts.
• NASM Certified Nutrition Coach: Deliver sustainable change and help clients navigate realistic diet challenges, like food labels, portion control, and fad diets.
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer : Launch your career as a highly respected fitness professional.
• NASM Certified Wellness Coach: Coach holistically, incorporating stress management, habit building, and emotional intelligence.
• Wellness & Recovery Continuing Education Courses: Boost your coaching toolbox with self-care strategies, sleep science, and more.

Your Turn: Set a Wellness Goal During National Wellness Month

This National Wellness Month, challenge yourself to set one wellness goal—something small but meaningful that supports your overall health. Maybe you’ll commit to walking 20 minutes a day, trying a new recipe each week, or finally registering for that wellness coaching certification.

Whatever you choose, share your journey on social media using the hashtag #WellnessWithNASM Let your clients, peers, and community know that wellness is a lifelong journey—and it starts with small, intentional steps.