According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, senior wellness initiatives can stem troubling trends (such as obesity and lifestyle-related chronic diseases) that threaten seniors’ well-being. While health and wellness are important for everyone, they are more important for seniors. Those with advanced well-being live long, happy, and active lives. Here is a quick checklist to help maintain good health as you age.
Physical activity is important as you age, as it can help ward off lifestyle and old-age diseases. It also improves your strength and balance, helping you stay independent and avoid injuries. This short guide to senior wellness will help you enjoy optimal health and wellness in your golden years. Here are our top tips for aging well.
Exercise Your Brain
Keeping your brain sharp is important, no matter your age. Exercising the brain boosts brain blood flow and improves memory and attention. Here’s how you can keep your mind alert and improve your memory and critical thinking:
- Play memory games: These include Classic Matching Pairs, What Was That Sound?, Spot the Difference, and Memory Palace.
- Network Regularly: Spend time with loved ones, volunteer, and go on group tours. Become a social butterfly. It will keep your mind busy and is good for your mental health.
- Get 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep every day: A well-rested body is able to rejuvenate. You’ll lower your risk for serious health problems and maintain a healthy weight.
- Take new classes. This will keep your mind engaged, help you learn new skills and hobbies, and form new relationships with fellow students.
Stay Active
An active lifestyle doesn’t always mean going to the gym or lifting weights. Exercise is important for seniors. Research reveals that exercise in older adults is linked to health benefits such as decreased cardiovascular mortality. Exercise improves your quality of life; you’ll be able to do more activities and maintain a good mood.
As you age, don’t look for excuses to slow down. Keep your body active by walking, swimming, doing Pilates, and performing Strength and balance exercises. If your fitness levels are low, start with less intensive exercises and progress gradually.
Spend Plenty of Time Outdoors
Spending time in natural environments isn’t just good for your mind, it’s also good for your body. People who regularly spend time outdoors report feeling less stressed and are more motivated to exercise.
There are lots of ways to spend time outdoors. You can exercise outside—run, row, bike, hike, or swim. You can also play with your grandchildren or walk your dog. Gardening, camping, stargazing, and eating outdoors are additional ways to spend time outside. Activities like kayaking and trekking improve muscle strength and stamina.
Spending time outdoors also increases much-needed vitamin D levels. The vitamin helps protect against osteoporosis and reduces inflammation. Plan and explore new locations regularly for an excellent cognitive workout and to create beautiful memories.
Eat a Heart Healthy Diet
The foods you eat directly impact your heart’s health. By changing your diet, you can manage health conditions such as high blood pressure, blood sugar, and high cholesterol. You can also avoid future health problems.
A heart-healthy diet is rich in omega-3 fats, rich in fiber, low in sodium, low in sugar, low in cholesterol, low in saturated fats and trans fats, and rich in green, red, and orange vegetables. Fruits are also good for the heart. Your meals should always be calorie-balanced to support a healthy weight.
If you’ve had a heart attack in the past, don’t think it’s too late to make lifestyle changes. Start eating healthier meals to improve your heart health and your overall health.
Take Good Care of Your Eyes
You see your primary care doctor and the dentist regularly, why not start seeing your eye care provider regularly? Constant visits can help prevent or reduce vision problems. Good eye health also depends on the food you eat. Ensure your food is high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, lutein, and zinc. This might help ward off age-related vision problems.
There are also things you can do to protect your eyes, like wearing sunglasses, even on a cloudy day. This can help protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays and lasting damage to your cornea. Also, wear blue-light-blocking glasses if you frequently use the computer. These are specifically designed to block the blue light produced by electronic gadgets. They reduce eye strain and eye damage. In a nutshell, here are five tips for keeping your eyes healthy:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Quit smoking
- Wear sunglasses, even on a cloudy day
- Use safety eyewear when working
- Visit your eye doctor regularly
Protect Your Hearing
Once hearing is damaged, it’s almost impossible to restore. Most seniors are hard of hearing. You may increase the TV volume until the people around you complain or have a persistent ringing in your ears.
To protect your hearing, wear earplugs in noisy environments and avoid exposure to noise. Also, see an ENT specialist regularly, as some medications can damage hearing over time. Whenever you anticipate being in a loud environment or have to participate in a noisy activity, wear protective ear muffs or ear plugs to protect your hearing. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, here’s how to protect your hearing:
- Get a hearing test
- Keep the volume of your devices low
- Wear protective hearing gear
- Get custom molds made for your earphones
The Takeaway
Research continually shows that older adults who embrace wellness enjoy many health and well-being benefits and live longer than their non-active counterparts. Senior wellness programs have become very popular, and we recommend joining one if you want to stay active.
Senior wellness initiatives make it easy for the elderly to be proactive about their health. Many Medicare health plans now offer senior wellness programs to help seniors stay active. If you’re not already participating in a senior wellness program, here are some of the biggest benefits of joining a program near you. Join one of these programs and live a fulfilling life.
Alice is a writer and editor for Gainful Retirement. She is passionate about helping retirees live fulfilling lives without financial constraints. She puts a lot of time and effort conducting market research to identify common issues faced by retirees. Her passion is to help you enjoy retirement and solve the most pressing issues you face.