With age comes wisdom and knowledge, but also a host of unpleasant health changes that can suck the life out of things. Fortunately, these health changes aren’t necessarily unavoidable. You don’t have to go through the physical limitations, cognitive decline, or reduced mobility if you put in the effort of making some essential lifestyle changes.
In 2024, 13% of the world’s population was aged 60 and above, and this statistic is increasing faster than for any other age group. Declining health and productivity are, no wonder, a major concern.
If you are getting older and afraid of what’s to come ahead, worry not! The following healthy aging tips should make your transition into old age smoother and more enjoyable:
- Be on the move; a sedentary lifestyle can be a killer
Being a couch potato is the worst thing you can do for yourself as you grow older, but also something very common as your energy levels drop with age. Exercise and physical activity could be the best remedy for many problems that aging causes. Routine exercise can increase balance and elevate mood, decrease anxiety and depression, and even lower the likelihood of some chronic conditions like high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and heart disease.
Not to mention, falls are a major cause of concern in old age, and interestingly, by staying on the move, you can mitigate the risk of falls by improving balance. Nevertheless, caution is key, and you should always be prepared to deal with an emergency situation like a fall-related injury. It is recommended that elderly adults have alert systems like Life Assure Medical Alert Systems within easy reach to get quick assistance in case of any medical emergency.
- Eat healthy
You are what you eat, and eating healthy isn’t just about maintaining a healthy weight. It is important that you get a sufficient amount and the right proportion of all nutrients, regardless of your age. However, your diet becomes much more important in old age.
Thus, keep watch over your daily dietary intake. Your daily meal plan should have an adequate quantity of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, meat, poultry, dairy and fibre-rich foods. With a well-balanced diet you can ensure muscle maintenance and improve movement. Foods rich in protein and drinking plenty of water are key to muscle health.
Also, watch out for a loss of appetite. It is natural to feel a reduced interest in food with age, but research also suggests that restoring that appetite can be as simple as improving food flavour and ambience.
- Don’t isolate yourself socially
A key factor in maintaining vitality long into your old age is to keep socially engaged and avoid isolation. It is tempting to retire to your room and rest for your remaining days because getting up and about requires energy. For others, social isolation results from a loss of contribution to the community.
Socially isolated adults are more likely to suffer from premature death and isolation affects mortality just like smoking! It can make you prone to chronic illnesses, weaken the immune system, reduce physical functionality, and increase the chances of hospitalization.
You can try out the following: hanging out with a friend, joining a community for the elderly, participating in local activities, staying in touch with friends over social media, or joining some volunteer work. Whatever you do, don’t take the easy way out after retirement and put in some effort to remain socially connected.
- Schedule regular check-ups
Hearing it all your life, the adage that ‘prevention is better than cure’ must have started sounding very redundant. However, don’t let it deter you from being careful when it matters the most: in old age. As you enter your elderly years, preventive care is critical. This includes regular health screenings for problems ranging from heart complications to some types of cancers that are more common in old age.
By doing so, you can catch such problems as increased blood pressure and cholesterol-related issues in time. In these appointments, doctors also administer medical tests for blood sugar, bone density, and the like. Routine examination allows for early detection, timely prevention, and medical management.
- Keep your mind stimulated
A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. It is also common knowledge that old age can lead to cognitive decline; it doesn’t have to be that way though. All you need to do is make sure that your mind stays active so that it doesn’t rust. An inactive mind can accelerate cognitive decline much like a sedentary lifestyle can limit physical functionality. It has even been proven that mind-based exercises can prevent cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.
Staying cognitively active doesn’t have to be very hard. Sometimes all you need is to practice your hobbies regularly to stimulate your mind. You might choose to pick a new skill you want to learn, like learning to play chess or a new instrument. Even simple activities like swimming and dancing can help elevate your mood. In fact, physical activity alone works wonders for your mental health. You may even be interested in brain-training challenges; nothing better than the satisfaction we get from success!
- Don’t neglect sleep
Yes! Bizarre as it might sound, sleep isn’t just important for your grandkids. It is as important for you as anyone else. With age, most people experience at least some sleep disturbance; sometimes because of joint pain, other times as a side effect of some medicines they take. The National Sleep Foundation reports that adults over the age of 65 need at least 7-8 hours of nighttime sleep; much like the recommended duration for children.
Either way, you should prioritize sleep and not let insomnia go untreated. Over the long run, being sleep deprived can speed up memory issues, disturb balance and increase chances of falls, and affect your mood.
Research shows that getting enough sleep will reduce your risk of falling, improve your memory and attention span, increase your alertness, boost your cardiovascular health, regulate your appetite, and lead to a generally happier lifestyle.
Final words
Aging doesn’t have to be the gruelling process everyone makes it out to be. It doesn’t have to be a constant and useless struggle against an inevitable decline in mental ability, physical health, and social life. With the right lifestyle choices, you can ace the aging process like a pro. Just remember to stay off the couch, eat healthily, be socially active, stimulate your mind, and get regular health check-ups. With the right tricks up your sleeve, you can have a happy transition to old age.
