Dear colleagues,

Well-being is a dynamic construct that encompasses physical, mental, and social health. As a complex adaptive variable, well-being is constantly changing due to internal or external determinants. In the context of physiological regulation and adaptation, the allostasis-interoception model represents the current paradigm for anticipating stress-mediated needs in health and disease. It helps understand the progression of a disease or a given phenomenon as constantly changing biological situations influenced by prior knowledge and the magnitude of the stimuli. Under this framework, chronic stimuli such as energy deprivation, mechanical stress, sleep disturbances, or the rumination process might result in systemic adaptations that reset regulatory parameters to redirect resources towards activities that are more immediately valuable to survival. In this regard, allostatic load has been described as the cost the system has to pay to reach the new (allostatic) state of adaptation.

The allostatic paradigm should not be minimized to pathologizing stress responses, as potential adaptive benefits from regular physical activity, a balanced diet, enough good quality sleep, as well as mental health care and building psychological well-being, engaging in positive social interactions, high quality relationships and being in a safe physical environment with green space reduce allostatic load and, therefore, improve health and overall well-being. Each of these factors plays a vital role in health promotion and can be incorporated into daily life with relative ease. In fact, in the post-pandemic era, well-being has garnered increased attention as a global health interest (Sustainable Development Goal 3). Thus, educating about the current evidence of healthy lifestyles and their effects on well-being, as part of a public awareness program, could be an effective opportunity for intervention and prevention strategies. By focusing on evidence-based practices, individuals and health professionals can take proactive measures to achieve optimal quality of life, reducing the risk of diseases, improve well-being and obtain autonomous and successful aging.

Therefore, the purpose of this Special Collection is to publish the latest research findings on the convergence between healthy lifestyles, allostasis, and overall well-being (physical, mental, and social). We invite colleagues from around the world to submit their original articles, experimental mechanistic studies, epidemiological studies, and systematic reviews with meta-analyses.

Prof. Diego A. Bonilla

Prof. Melinna Ortiz-Ortiz

Prof. Dr. Jana Kočí

Guest Editors.