Seniors around the world are doing something amazing: taking better and better care of their health. As you retire and get much more time on your hands, you might use some of that time to create healthy habits that will ensure your senior years go smoothly and happily. If you want to start small and introduce just a few good habits, start with one or two mentioned in the article below.
Visit your doctor regularly
Make sure not to miss any appointments you put in your calendar. Regular doctor’s appointments are important for older adults to help you manage their health and diagnose any issues in their early and manageable state. Plus, if you have any questions and doubts, you can use the time to consult with your doctor and get professional advice. Your doctor can also clear you for taking any supplementation, having regular workouts or trying out a new diet. So make it a habit to visit your physician, eye doctor, gynaecologist/urologist and dentist at least once a year. If you have a few dental fixes to make, you can always get fillings with the dentist in Greenbelt.
Move as much as you can
People who retire often create a harmful habit of sitting at home in front of the TV for hours or avoiding any strenuous physical activity because “they are old”. While spending some time enjoying fun game shows or catching up with your fave program is nothing bad, completely neglecting your physical activities is more than bad and will lead to health issues. So make it a habit to be physically active at least once every day.
You can do an hour of exercise such as gardening, taking a brisk walk around the neighbourhood or check out a workout app. And don’t be scared of lifting weights! As you get older, you start losing muscle mass, so adding weights to your daily routine is a great way to keep those guns ready to shoot. Regular exercise will completely change your life since it can boost your energy levels, improve your memory, keep your weight in check and prevent heart disease.
Re-examine your diet
Improving your diet—what does that actually mean? For many people, “eating better” is a scary notion since it’s too broad and vague. You can fix your diet at least a little bit to start with one or two improvements. For instance, try to add some more whole grains and fibre to your diet. As you get older, your digestive system slows down, which means you need a healthy diet with more fibre on your plate (fruit, veggies, vegetable soups, smoothies) to get things moving.
You can also introduce one or two supplements into your life. If you suffer from menopause symptoms, it’s easy to grab some menopausal supplements to relieve hot flushes, ease PMS and manage mood swings. It’s best to concentrate on natural supplements like red clover, black cohosh, ginseng or kava. The benefits of kava kava are extensive. Make sure to take your supplements with plenty of water to do a little boost to your hydration, and voila—you’ve just introduced three amazing healthy-living habits to your life without any trouble.
Don’t just focus on your physical health—that’s not all that matters. To stay healthy but also improve your happiness levels, it’s essential to pay attention to your mental health as well. One way to stay sharp, happy, stress-free and sane is to socialise regularly. Make it a habit to contact your loved ones once a week or once a month to stay in touch. If you don’t have family or friends, check out some local senior clubs and organisations and join one you like the most. Aged care facilities like Banfields offer a huge range of social activities and events to promote socialisation. This way, you’ll meet many like-minded people who will satisfy all your socialising needs and keep your life fun and dynamic.
Create a set bedtime
Even though you’re definitely not a kid anymore, you still need to have a set bedtime. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious physical and mental health consequences, so it’s essential to develop good sleeping habits. If you struggle with insomnia, try to stay away from TV late at night, have a glass of warm milk before bed and play some relaxing music or podcasts as you fall asleep. If that doesn’t work, consult with your doctors and ask for some sleep supplements.
These habits are not too demanding on your time or your wallet. So, make sure to commit to introducing some of them into your daily routine in taking care of yourself, and you’ll do yourself a huge favour since your senior health will improve drastically!