Cougar Balance

What is Cougar Balance?

Cougar Balance is an all encompassing wellness program designed to help you. Total wellness is comprised of:

Physical Wellness

Spiritual Wellness

Social Wellness

Emotional Wellness

Intellectual Wellness

PHYSICAL WELLNESS

A perception and expectation of physical health

Exercising regularly

Eating properly

Getting regular physical check-ups

Avoiding the use of tobacco or illicit drugs

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

Meaning and purpose in life

Being open to different cultures and religions

Giving your time to volunteer or participate in community service activities

Spending time defining personal values and ethics and making decisions that complement them

Spending time alone in personal reflection

SOCIAL WELLNESS

A perception of having support available from family, friends, or co-workers in times of need

Being comfortable with and liking yourself as a person

Interacting easily with people of different ages, backgrounds, races, lifestyles

Communicating your feelings

EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

The ability to cope with and/or improve unpleasant mood states

Keeping a positive attitude

Being sensitive to your feelings and the feelings of others

Learning to cope with stress

INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS

The perception of being internally energized by an optimal amount of intellectually stimulating activity

Learning because you want to - not because you are told to. Doing the work assigned.

Learning through varied experiences - reading, writing, sharing and exploration

Take this FREE online health risk assessment. After clicking the link choose the assessment that best describes your status in life. The options include: Teen Assessment, College Assessment, Adult Assessment, and Older Adult Assessment. After choosing the assessment click “Click here to begin assessment.” Then you’re on your way.

Answer all questions honestly to get the most accurate results. This will also help make you better able to realize any areas of your own personal well being that may need improvement. At the bottom of your results page there is a table that shows how your score correlates as far as being “Excellent” “Good” or “Room for Improvement”

After taking the assessment check to see which areas may need improvement and find ways to get help in those respective areas. All four areas of Cougar Balance are here for you and willing to help in any way we can. Contact someone from the appropriate area for any assistance you may need.

For example if you have a question on healthy eating on campus contact Dining Services, if you need to get a health check up contact Health Service, if you need someone to talk to contact Counseling Services, if you need some information on fitness contact Campus Recreation, and if you need Spiritual guidance contact the Religion Center.

Why Should I Do This?

Going to college can be a major adjustment

Many individuals are unaware of all the aspects of health

One lacking area of health can cause all others to suffer

Overall health helps provide better life satisfaction

There is far more to wellness than simply diet and exercise. Mental health, social health, emotional health, and spiritual health are also vital to your overall wellness. This is so because when one area starts lacking other areas are also more likely to falter, conversely, when one area improves other areas are more likely to improve as well. So each one is tied together and improving one can help improve your life and overall Wellness. 

For example, stressing about a test can cause you to stay up late studying, which in turn causes you to lose sleep. This lack of sleep can put you in a bad mood, provide less energy to exercise the next day, and limit the energy that might be used cooking a healthy meal. Conversely a good night’s sleep can leave you well rested putting you in a better mood with energy to exercise and cook a healthy meal.