Wellness at Northwestern - Northwestern University

Wellness is an ongoing process and a life-long journey, not a one-time event. Northwestern encourages and supports our students in taking action on all eight interconnected dimensions of wellness in order to build everyday habits, which improve quality of life. It may also help individuals live longer, manage current health conditions, and support recovery from illness, injury, and addiction.

Explore the Eight Dimensions

Physical

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Physical

recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep, as well as preventing illness and injury or managing chronic health conditions. • Physical Activity • Diet/Nutrition • Sleep • Disease Prevention

Emotional

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Emotional

coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships. • Coping effectively • Relationships • Stress management

Social

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Social

developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system. • Communication skills • Connections & Belonging • Support systems

Intellectual

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Intellectual

recognizing one's creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills. • Expanding knowledge & skills • Valuing & nurturing creativity, curiosity, lifelong learning

About the 8 Dimensions

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About the 8 Dimensions

Wellness means overall well-being. It is an ongoing process and a life-long journey, not a one-time event. Health Promotion and Wellness, along with many other campus offices, encourages and supports Northwestern students in taking action on all eight interconnected dimensions of wellness in order to build everyday habits, which improve quality of life. It may also help individuals live longer, manage current health conditions, and support recovery from illness, injury, and addiction.

Environmental

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Environmental

occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being. • Pleasant & stimulating social, living, working, study environments • Sustainability

Spiritual

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Spiritual

expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life, including one's morals and ethics. It may or may not involve religious activities. • Values & Beliefs • Meaning & purpose in life • Can include Religion

Vocational

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Vocational

gaining personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work, whether that be academic work while in college or a job after graduation. • Academics • Internships • Job/Career

Financial

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Financial

satisfaction with current and future financial situations. • Satisfaction with current and future financial situations • Budgeting, money management skills

Wellness Feature

A Deep Dive on NU’s Religious & Spiritual Life Department

A collage of Alice Millar Chapel's stained glass windows, lit candles in the dark, stacked rocks overlooking a sunset, and a orange/purple sunset over a mountain scape

Right across the street from Weber Arch on the south side of campus, The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) at Northwestern University provides programs, staff, and spaces to help students explore meaning and purpose, grow in their religious or spiritual traditions, practice social justice, and create community. In this Wellness Feature, HPaW wanted to focus on the 6th dimension of Wellness, Spiritual Wellness, by highlighting programs and departmental offerings that the lovely RSL team offers to our community, as well as diving into general mindfulness practices.

CLICK TO READ THE FULL FEATURE ON The RSL Department

Additional Resources

Religious & Spiritual Life Newsletter
Religious & Spiritual Life Instagram
Religious & Spiritual Life Facebook
Religious Student Organizations
BREATHE (Variety of guided meditation and breathing practices)
Eight Dimensions of Wellness

Do you want to feature a Northwestern wellness event or initiative? Fill out the Wellness Feature Request Form

Wellness in Action

Health Promotion and Wellness

Health Promotion and Wellness (HPaW) is the primary provider of health promotion, education, and prevention programs and services on alcohol, other drugs, and wellness issues for Northwestern University students. HPaW engages students through campus-wide, group, and individual educational initiatives.

Campus Wellness Initiatives

Creating and maintaining a healthy and safe community that fosters student wellness is a shared responsibility. Read about how each of the groups below is working to create an environment in which all students can thrive.

Stay Well

Events (Click For More)

Rethinking Chicago's Historic Monuments

April 27, All Day
University Library, 1970 Campus Drive

History is the story of the past, using all the available facts, and that nostalgia is a fantasy about the past using no...

Well-being Break: Stretch

April 27, 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Well-being breaks are intended to help support day-to-day well-being of faculty and staff by providing opportunities to ...

Join with your community to Unite Against Racism

April 27, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
1215 Church Street

We encourage you to "Unite Against Racism" by raising awareness about the impacts of racism, building community, and tak...

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In Focus

BAC Estimator- Know Your Limit

BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) is a measure of how much alcohol is in your bloodstream. Keeping your BAC below .06 can help reduce the risks associated with alcohol use while still enjoying the experience. Lower-risk guidelines are to not consume more than 3 standard drinks for females and 4 for males. A BAC estimator can help you better understand where your level might be based on factors including weight, sex, amount consumed, and how long you have been drinking.

Bookmark the BAC Estimator link for future use!