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In order to have an overall good wellbeing, researchers have stressed the importance of leading a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle. Poor mental health can discourage healthy activities, such as exercise. In a new comprehensive review, researcher Carol Ryff once again explained the importance behind the link between psychological wellbeing and physical health.

"This article examines what has been learned from the extensive research that proliferated around this model of well-being, particularly as it relates to health (mental and physical) and interventions intended to improve the human condition," Ryff wrote.

For this review, Ryff, who is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reviewed previous findings from major research studies. She focused on six themes. The first theme analyzed how wellbeing shifts and changes throughout one's adult life and into the senior years. The second theme was focused on the relationship between personality and wellbeing. The third area looked at how wellbeing is linked to family life. The fourth theme was about how wellbeing ties in with work and other community experiences. The fifth area examined any connections linking wellbeing to health. The last focus point reviewed clinical and intervention studies that examined how good mental health could be promoted within society.

"Although the last 2 thematic areas are of primary interest, the first 4 provide important evidence as to why eudaimonic well-being may be consequential for health and well-being - namely, because it is fundamentally anchored in how individuals negotiate their way through the challenges of life. This recognition further explicates why eudaimonic well-being is a worthy and essential target," Ryff wrote.

Ryff concluded that maintaining a good psychological wellbeing is vital in promoting physical health. People with better mental health reduce their risk of diseases, promote longevity and have higher life satisfaction. Ryff also stated that people with better psychological wellbeing are more resilient in the face of adversity.

The study, "Psychological Well-Being Revisited: Advances in the Science and Practice of Eudaimonia," was published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.