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Even taking a daily walk in the park with a friend can have a huge impact on your health. If you prefer to work out alone, there are plenty of fun options. I have a friend who loves to listen to audio books while she uses the elliptical machine at her local gym. There is no way that she would ever use the machine without being distracted. But, with a good mystery on her mind, 30 minutes on the machine is a treat.
There's a lot of research to support the idea that social interaction is important for us older adults. Socializing helps us to stay emotionally and physically healthy. So, it's important to make new friends, eliminate toxic connections, and find regular social activities that get you out of the house.
The challenge is that, as we age, we lose some of the connections that we had at other times in our lives. Our children have grown up, eliminating the opportunity to interact with other parents. Many of us have retired and lost touch with our old colleagues. In addition, more baby boomers than ever are getting divorced and losing the strongest social connection of all, marriage. The good news is that there are still plenty of ways to make new friends , if we are willing to step out of our comfort zone and engage with the world.
Probably the easiest way to meet new people is to join clubs or organizations based around our passions. In other words, focus on sharing what you love with the world and the friendships will follow. Ten minutes of meditation per day can help you to feel calmer and more centered.
There is also a growing pool of evidence that meditation may bring a variety of health benefits including lower blood pressure.
Many people are intimated by the idea of meditation because of the way that it is presented in movies and on TV. While meditation can be spiritual, it doesn't have to be. More than anything, it is an opportunity for us to close our minds to the outside world and get to know our own minds a bit better. In a world filled with buzzing phones, blinking chat windows and negative news stories, nothing could be more refreshing.
Today, people, in general, have a longer life expectancy. The good news is that it is never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle. there are a variety of ways to improve your health through a healthy diet, exercise and more, even well into. Now in its second decade, Healthy Aging Month is marked each September as a reminder that there is no time like the present to start living.
After 50 years or more on this planet, you almost certainly have regrets. The problem comes when our dark thoughts about the past prevent us from living fully in the present and planning for the future. Try to live every day fully in the present. Move on from mistakes and missteps. Dwelling on negative events from the past can cause stress and other painful emotions; it's better to be able to move forward confidently and maintain a steady, peaceful equilibrium.
One technique that I use is to write down my regrets and then lock them away. Something about this simple ritual helps me to move on. It may do the same for you. It is equally important to learn to forgive others. This is not a matter of fairness. Sometimes others truly do deserve our anger. But, until we truly forgive them for the wrong that they have done to us, we will not be able to move on with our lives.
In effect, we let them hurt us twice -- once when they act against us and a second time when we give their actions power over our thoughts. Humans came from nature and much of our psychology is connected in one way or another to the world around us. So, take the time to explore the world. Go for long walks. Stop to examine the flowers along the way. Enjoy fresh food from local farmers. Bring plants into your home and garden. You will be amazed by how much more positive and happy you feel when your environment is filled with nature and not just things.
There's a reason why there's an old saying that "laughter is the best medicine. When do you laugh the most? Are there certain friends that have you in fits of laughter? Do you enjoy comedies or humorous TV shows? Look for ways to build laughter into your daily routine. Your body, brain and heart will thank you for it! Stress harms your body in more way than one. Physically, stress can cause headaches, muscle pain and sleep problems. Emotionally, stress can contribute to depression and other psychological disorders.
Stress also has a big impact on our behavior and may cause us to adopt unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking. There are two ways to deal with stress.
The first is to eliminate the stressors in our life. The second is to adopt behaviors that help us to deal with stress better. Let's look at each of these in turn. Don't let stress operate on a subconscious level. Write down a list of all of the stressful things that are going on in your life right now. You won't be able to deal with all of these problems at once. Instead, think of one practical step that you can take today to deal with one of your stressors. Force yourself to perform one new action every day. Not only will this help you to eliminate your problems, but, it will also give you a sense of control.
No matter how many problems you eliminate, you will always have stress in your life. So, it's important to adopt behaviors that help you to deal with stress. Many of the healthy aging tips in this article will help you to do exactly that. The next time that you are feeling out of control, go for a walk, call a friend or watch a funny movie. You will be amazed how much lighter the world feels after a good long laugh. Take responsibility for your health and happiness. Decide on one small action that you can take today. Will it be to make walking a daily ritual?
Or, will you commit to spending more time in nature? Will you start a comedy movie night with your friends? Or, do you want to learn how to meditate? The choice is yours to make and the action is yours to take. What are your goals for healthy aging? Who are your role models for people who stayed particularly healthy and active as they got older?
These tips can help you maintain your physical and emotional health and live life to the fullest, whatever your age or circumstances. Coping with change is difficult, no matter how old you are. The particular challenge for older adults is the sheer number of changes and transitions that start to occur—including children moving away, the loss of parents, friends, and other loved ones, changes to or the end of your career, declining health, and even loss of independence.
But if that sense of loss is balanced with positive ingredients, you have a formula for staying healthy as you age. Healthy aging means continually reinventing yourself as you pass through landmark ages such as 60, 70, 80 and beyond. It means finding new things you enjoy, learning to adapt to change, staying physically and socially active, and feeling connected to your community and loved ones.
Unfortunately, for many of us, aging also brings anxiety and fear. How will I take care of myself late in life?
What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind? However, many of these fears often stem from popular misconceptions about aging. The truth is that you are stronger and more resilient than you may realize. There are some diseases that become more common as we age.
However, getting older does not automatically mean poor health or that you will be confined to a walker or wheelchair. Plenty of older adults enjoy vigorous health, often better than many younger people. Preventive measures like healthy eating, exercising, and managing stress can help reduce the risk of chronic disease or injuries later in life.
However, significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Brain training and learning new skills can be done at any age and there are many things you can do to keep your memory sharp.
The opposite is true. Middle aged and older adults are just as capable of learning new things and thriving in new environments, plus they have the wisdom that comes with life experience. If you believe in and have confidence in yourself, you are setting up a positive environment for change no matter what your age. As you age, there will be periods of both joy and stress.
This ability will help you make the most of the good times and keep your perspective when times are tough. The longer you live, the more you lose. But as you lose people and things, life becomes even more precious. When you stop taking things for granted, you appreciate and enjoy what you have even more. Acknowledge and express your feelings. You may have a hard time showing emotions, perhaps feeling that such a display is inappropriate and weak. But burying your feelings can lead to anger, resentment, and depression.
Find healthy ways to process your feelings, perhaps by talking with a close friend or writing in a journal.
Many things in life are beyond our control. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Face your limitations with dignity and a healthy dose of humor.
Look for the silver lining. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes. When a challenge seems too big to handle, sweeping it under the carpet often appears the easiest option. Instead, take things one small step at a time. Even a small step can go a long way to boosting your confidence and reminding you that you are not powerless. Laughter is strong medicine for both the body and the mind.
It helps you stay balanced, energetic, joyful, and healthy at any age. A sense of humor helps you get through tough times, look outside yourself, laugh at the absurdities of life, and transcend difficulties. Laughter is the Best Medicine. A key ingredient in the recipe for healthy aging is the continuing ability to find meaning and joy in life. As you age, your life will change and you will gradually lose things that previously occupied your time and gave your life purpose. For example, your job may change, you may eventually retire from your career, your children may leave home, or other friends and family may move far away.
But this is not a time to stop moving forward. Later life can be a time of exciting new adventures if you let it. Everyone has different ways of experiencing meaning and joy, and the activities you enjoy may change over time. If your career slows down or you retire, or if your children leave home, you may find you have more time to enjoy activities outside of work and immediate family. Either way, taking time to nourish your spirit is never wasted. Pick up a long-neglected hobby or try a new hobby. Taking a class or joining a club or sports team is a great way to pursue a hobby and expand your social network at the same time.
Learn something new , such as an instrument, a foreign language, a new game, or a new sport. Learning new activities not only adds meaning and joy to life, but can also help to maintain your brain health and prevent mental decline. Get involved in your community. The meaning and purpose you find in helping others will enrich and expand your life. Community work can also be a great way of utilizing and passing on the skills you honed in your career—without the commitment or stress of regular employment.
Spend time in nature. Take a scenic hike, go fishing or camping, enjoy a ski trip, or walk a dog in the park. Visit a museum, go to a concert or a play, join a book group, or take an art appreciation class. The possibilities are endless. The important thing is to find activities that are both meaningful and enjoyable for you. Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits: The Power of Giving.
One of the greatest challenges of aging is maintaining your support network. Career changes, retirement, illness, and moves out of the local area can take away close friends and family members. And the older you get, the more people you inevitably lose. In later life, getting around may become difficult for either you or members of your social network. Along with regular exercise, staying social can have the most impact on your health as you age.