Experts define well-being differently. But most agree that well-being refers to being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. It’s okay to be healthier in some wellness areas than others. They interact with each other. If you’re struggling in one area, the others can support your overall well-being. These dimensions, or pillars, of well-being include:

• Emotional wellness: This is about being aware of and okay with your feelings. How you handle stress and how well you bounce back from hard times are also parts of emotional wellness.

• Spiritual well-being: Having meaningful connections to yourself, others, and to what you experience as greater. You feel empowered, hopeful, valued, and have a sense of self-worth. You are able to feel gratitude, to trust, and to give and receive love. You can feel wonder and engage in restorative spiritual practices.

• Physical wellness: As you might expect, this refers to things like physical activity, healthy eating, and sleep.

• Connection: Having healthy connections means maintaining positive, healthy relationships with friends and family or others. Considering new ideas is also part of this pillar.

• Environmental wellness: This is having your basic needs met—clean air, healthy food, and water. Personal safety and security are also key.

• Intellectual wellness: This includes engaging your mind by learning something new, like a language or a skill. Or it could mean teaching something you know well. Discussing and debating differing views are also parts of this area.

• Occupational wellness: This means being fulfilled by your daily work. Having a healthy work/life balance is also important.

Better Choices, Better Health® is a free group workshop for adults who live with or support someone with a chronic health condition. Choose between one of two workshops:

– Better Choices, Better Health® – Chronic Disease: for those with conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, arthritis, gastrointestinal (GI), depression, long COVID-19 and others.

– Better Choices, Better Health® – Chronic Pain: for those with conditions like fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, persistent pain, migraines, arthritis and others.

These workshops can help improve your confidence by learning new self-management skills and to enjoy a better quality of life.

Visit https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/services/bcbh.aspx to register for a workshop and find further information on self management for chronic pain.

The flu vaccine protects you by:

• helping prevent serious flu-related complications

• reducing your chances of getting the flu at the same time as other respiratory illnesses, which could make you very sick

• protecting the health care system from becoming overwhelmed during respiratory illness season

Everyone is at risk of influenza. You should get the influenza vaccine if you are 6 months or older.

Influenza can make you very sick and lead to other health problems, especially if:

• You have heart or lung conditions, diabetes, a weak immune system, a lot of extra weight, or other health problems.

• You live in a care facility, like a continuing care home.

• You are under age 5 years.

• You are age 65 years or older.

• You are pregnant.

• You are an Indigenous person.

It is important to get the influenza vaccine each year, especially if:

• You have a high risk of getting very sick from influenza.

• You have close contact with someone who is at high risk of getting very sick from influenza, such as family members and caregivers.

• You provide an essential community service, such as you work in healthcare, education, or public safety.

Where to get the flu vaccine:

Pharmacists can give the influenza vaccine to anyone age 5 years and older.

Public health clinics

The influenza vaccine is available at public health clinics for:

• children younger than age 5 years and their families

• people who have had CAR T-cell therapy

• people who have had a stem cell transplant

• people who have had or will have an organ transplant

Public health clinics are open from mid to late October to the end of March.

Tips for Daylight Saving Time

Gradually Adjust Your Schedule – The timing of other daily activities, such as meals and exercise, can also be gradually adjusted.

Sleep Well Beforehand – An important step in preparing for daylight saving time is getting quality sleep beforehand.

Consider Relaxation Techniques – At any time of year, relaxation methods, ranging from basic deep breathing to mindfulness meditation, can bring calm to your mind and body and make it easier to smoothly transition into sleep.

Set Your Clocks Before Bed – This helps you hit the ground running and avoid any timing mishaps on Sunday.

Prioritize Daylight Exposure – Natural light – even on a cloudy day, natural light has a dramatically larger effect on circadian rhythm than artificial indoor lighting.

Take Precautions in Case of Sleep Disruption – Try not to overload your schedule on the Sunday or Monday after the time shift in case you’re suffering from daytime sleepiness.

Upgrade Your Sleep Hygiene – It’s much easier to get consistent sleep if you have healthy habits and a bedroom environment that is conducive to sleep

Eat a Healthy Diet – Eating well is vital for overall health, and proper nutrition is tied to sleep as well.

Strategic Napping – Keeping a nap under 20 minutes can boost your alertness without causing grogginess after you wake up.

Many people feel refreshed and more alert thanks to this extra hour of sleep.

However, those who are chronically sleep-deprived cannot erase their total sleep debt after one night.

Instead, the end of DST can be an opportunity to improve your sleep habits and get an adequate amount of rest each night.

Interested in learning about solid foods for your baby?

Join this FREE online class for parents & caregivers of 2-12 month olds in Alberta, led by Registered Dietitians.

You will learn about what foods to start with, food allergies, baby-led weaning, making food for your baby, and more!

Two class options available:

Wednesday November 5, 2025 10:00-11:30 am

Thursday December 4, 2025 10:00-11:30 am

Click here to register: https://redcap.albertahealthservices.ca/surveys/…

This session will be held on Zoom. Join us on a computer, tablet, or smart phone.

Not familiar with Zoom? A link for the class and user instructions will be emailed to you prior to the class.