From health concerns to a change in physical appearance, getting older has many negative connotations, and it is a scary thought for many people. Although aging may come with some challenges, there are many ways you can tackle old age and feel younger for longer. Here are six lifestyle tips to help you stay healthy as you age.
Fuel Your Body with Nutrients
A balanced diet filled with nutritious food can help you maintain a healthy weight, keep your system in good working order, and it could even ward off certain illnesses and diseases. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nutrients, and it consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, legumes, and healthy fats such as olive oil. Not only are these ingredients easy to incorporate into regular meals, but studies suggest that this diet could benefit the brain by slowing the rate of cognitive decline and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Be More Active
Regular exercise is important for everyone, especially older adults. As people age, their body naturally deteriorates, and their sense of balance, mobility skills, and cognitive function begins to worsen. Regular physical activity can help strengthen the body, improve balance and coordination, and help keep the body fit. This can help reduce the risk of falls and accidents. Although the recommended amount of exercise is 2.5 to 5 hours (or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of high-intensity exercise) per week, you can also make certain lifestyle changes to be healthier, for example, by parking your car further from the store when grocery shopping or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at a department store.
Make Decisions That Empower You
Making plans for the distant future may be daunting, but planning ahead can help you to make decisions that empower you. Nobody likes to think about what it will be like when they are gray and old, but no one knows what the future holds. Deciding on important factors about your future while you are able and well can help ensure you get what you want and receive the right level of care when you are older.
For example, if you have always imagined spending the rest of your life in your current residence, make plans to make it happen. Alternatively, some people may prefer the ease of joining a senior retirement community. These communities provide various options to suit different lifestyles. People looking for ‘senior retirement communities near me’ can visit Belmont Village. They have various senior living options across the United States, including independent living, assisted living, and memory care.
Get Quality Beauty Sleep
A good night’s sleep can do you the world of good. Quality sleep can help decrease anxiety and make you feel rejuvenated. In addition to improving your mental well-being, it can also reduce your risk of getting some illnesses and diseases. In fact, studies suggest that insomnia, or a consistent lack of sleep, can have a negative impact on the structure of the brain.
Besides physical, mental, and emotional health, getting quality beauty sleep can also improve your appearance. Not only can it help reduce the bags under your eyes, but it can also help your skin appear more youthful. Achieving up to eight hours of high-quality sleep helps your body restore elastin and collagen, which helps your skin look plumper, smoother, and more healthy in general.
Engage Your Brain
You may have been encouraged to quit playing games and to focus on more important things when you were younger. However, research suggests that engaging the brain with specially designed brain training games could help keep it healthy. Some experts say that engaging the brain with games helps stimulate it in a way that could preserve cognitive health, improve memory, and boost general brain connectivity. Besides brain games, puzzles such as crosswords, jigsaws, or sudoku can also help to keep you sharp.
Be More Social
One lifestyle tip that many people seem to gloss over is to be social and maintain good relationships. As people get older, it is natural to lose contact with family and friends. However, socializing with others and developing meaningful relationships can have a significant effect on your overall well-being. Social isolation is common in older people, and loneliness can lead to mental health problems.
Furthermore, studies suggest that good relationships can help speed up recovery and reduce the risk of certain health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and cognitive decline.