We are nearing the end of the holiday season, which means it’s time to look forward to a fresh new year ahead. As we get ready to welcome in 2016, making some resolutions to live better can help us focus on successful aging while enhancing our overall health and wellbeing.
Healthy Aging Tips for the Year Ahead
Changing your lifestyle can be difficult, but it’s also imperative for healthier aging! You’ll feel better, look better, and just be happier in general. However you choose to ring in the New Year, take a moment to focus on how you can adjust your life in the days to come and create some resolutions. Here are a few healthy aging tips to keep in mind for a successful, happy new year:
- Try something new. Whether you choose to learn a new hobby, take up a new exercise, or even take a trip somewhere you’ve never been to, trying something new cannot only expand your knowledge or enhance your physical health, but it can also expand your social circles! Building relationships as you age is key to your quality of life.
- Exercise your mind. Physical activity is vital for your health, and keeping your brain active is also imperative. Take a class at a senior center to learn something you’ve always wanted to know. Or, simply challenge your brain with Sudoku or crossword puzzles. The more you are using your mind, the more memory muscle you’ll build and the better your brain will work.
- Schedule those annual health screenings. Get a complete physical at least once a year, and find out if you should get screenings for vision, hearing or even serious conditions like cancer if it runs in your family. Early prevention is key to managing most health problems!
- Safeguard your home or living space. Protect yourself from a debilitating fall by making sure your home is as safe as it can be. Remove throw rugs and loose cords from the floor, install handrails in the bathroom if necessary, and increase lighting throughout your living space.
- Eat fresh. Choose healthier, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables as well as lean proteins and whole grains. The way you eat will affect your weight, as well as your emotional and cognitive health.
- Take your vitamins. Add taking a multivitamin to your daily routine if you aren’t already taking one. Just make sure the vitamin you choose has 100% of the daily value for most vitamins and minerals.
- Quit unhealthy habits. Toast the New Year with a smaller glass of champagne. Cutting back on your alcohol intake can help alleviate depression and health issues that come with excessive drinking. If you are a smoker, now is the time to quit! You’ll reduce your risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, plus you’ll be able to breathe easier and will feel more energetic overall.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Seniors need at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night, just like their younger counterparts. Try to avoid daytime napping and learn how to unwind and relax in the evening hours.
- Speak up when you’re down. If you’re feeling isolated and depressed, talk to someone about it. About 1 in 5 older adults suffer from anxiety and depression, so if you’re feeling blue, irritable, or are no longer enjoying things you previously loved to do, reach out to your doctor or a friend or family member.
Happy New Year from American Senior Communities! We wish all our wonderful residents and their families a great 2016!
For more information about American Senior Communities, please visit www.ASCSeniorCare.com.
