Top 6 Ways Seniors Can Manage Their Health

Making decisions that improve your health usually requires a lifestyle change. This is especially true for seniors, and it is rarely a one-and-done deal. Older adults are at a higher risk for chronic and debilitating health concerns like arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disorder, osteoporosis and cancer. Some seniors might feel like their health and life is already too far gone to be changed or corrected. And while that might be true in a few cases, overall, it is never, ever too late to take charge of your health.

If you’ve been thinking about ways to improve your overall physical and mental health, then you have landed on the right article. Retired Living Today has six tips and suggestions that will give you a health boost now and every day in your golden years.

Stay Active

For seniors, regular physical activity — like walking, jogging or taking yoga classes — can have both immediate and long-term impacts on your physical and mental health. Exercise boosts endorphins, which helps to stimulate a positive and peaceful mood immediately after your workout and even longer. Your Medicare plan may even cover Silver Sneakers exercise classes, which are specific fitness programs for seniors.

Take a Nutrition Class

A healthy diet can be the key to healthy aging, especially for seniors looking to manage or prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. A good way to start is by varying your protein sources. Chicken and beef can be easy, reliable ways to get proteins, but don’t forget about fish, beans and peas. Take a cooking class to learn ways you can cook healthier at home.

Start a New Business

Around the globe, older adults are finding themselves unhappy after they retire. Staying idle, isolated, and unproductive for long periods of time leads to depression. That’s why the rate of depression in seniors nearly doubles after retirement. Starting your new business is a great way to stay moving and satisfied into retirement. It’s also important to make sure your start-up business is something you enjoy and is ideally relaxing. Including your hobbies and different aspects of past work you found enjoyable are essential for accomplishing this. After completing your business plan, formally establish your business and start moving towards creating your dream career!

Learn New Skills

Learning new skills is a great brain booster, plus it can give you something to do to fill some of those retirement hours.

Some suggestions:

• Become more computer savvy

• learn a new language for an upcoming international vacation

• take a writing class

• learn how to paint watercolors or

• become a master gardener.

You have countless opportunities to stimulate your mind and body with a new skill.

Learn to Let Go

Do you seem to be stressed out all the time? Meditation may be just the answer you need.

Meditation can help you let go of stressful or worrisome thoughts, feelings and habits that lead to unhealthy actions and attitudes. It has been shown to relieve headaches, lower blood pressure and combat insomnia. Try any number of free meditation apps on your phone or tablet, like Calm or Headspace.

Even 10 minutes a day is enough to build a meaningful meditation practice.

Make New Friends (And Keep the Old)

For many seniors, friendships are a lifeline to happy and healthy golden years. Senior isolation is a very real threat to an older adult’s mental and physical well-being. In fact, some doctors believe that senior isolation can even lead to higher mortality rates.

What’s the best way to mitigate the threat of isolation? Try to plan any one of the above suggestions with a loved one. Take afternoon walks or exercise classes together. Volunteering together is a great way to stay social. However you do it, try to make time for social activity two to three times a week to maximize the physical and mental health benefits.

The health and well-being of our minds and bodies isn’t always a straightforward path — especially for seniors. But focusing on your individual needs and wants will help you get the most out of your golden years. Try out one or some of these healthy activities and resources specifically for aging adults. And don’t forget to check out some of our other articles here at Retired Living Today to get the strategies and tips you need to live your golden years to their fullest.