Tips for Maintaining Wellness in Older Adults
It’s often said that we spend the first 30 years of our lives building habits, and then our habits take care of us for the last 30 years of life.
But even if you’ve skipped that lesson in school, there is still time to build better habits, break a few bad ones, and maintain wellness to grow old and stay healthy.
1. Stay Active
Staying active is so simple yet so important for aging gracefully and maintaining your wellness well into your sixties, seventies, and even eighties.
First and most important, physical activity is crucial for staying healthy and reducing the risk of diseases that become more common with age, like metabolic disorders and cardiovascular issues.
Second, physical activity helps older people maintain more muscle and strength to stay independent and deal with everyday tasks without relying on others. Plus, activity can help reduce the risk of falling, which becomes more common with age.
Third, physical activity provides more opportunities to socialize, which reduces the risk of isolation and the associated mental health issues,
2. Eat a Balanced Diet
Next on our list of senior wellness tips is eating a balanced diet based on whole, minimally processed foods.
This is crucial, as it provides the body with all the nutrients it needs to operate at peak efficiency and stay healthy. Specifically, you should focus on these food groups:
- Fruits – apples, bananas, berries, pears, and citrus fruits
- Veggies – leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, and kale
- Grains – oats, quinoa, and brown rice
- Proteins – meat, fish, eggs, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds
- Dairy – milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified plant-based milk (e.g., almond milk)
- Healthy fats – fatty fish, avocado, egg yolk, olive oil, nuts, and seeds
3. Consider CBD Products
Getting a wide range of nutrients from whole foods is the first thing to focus on, but extra help from the right supplements can make a big difference.
CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a substance derived from the cannabis plant and added to products like oils or gummies that can provide a wide range of benefits, including alleviating sleep issues.
As a result, you may find it easier to move around and experience less discomfort.
Additionally, CBD is praised for its positive impact on mood and sleep. It helps promote relaxation and can lead to longer, deeper, and more restorative sleep.
4. Keep Your Mind Engaged
The next on our list of healthy aging tips is exercise but for the mind. We discussed the benefits of physical activity for your body, but did you know that keeping your mind engaged can also help?
It helps with cognitive function, concentration, and memory, all of which contribute to a better quality of life as one ages.
Some of the best ways to keep your mind engaged include:
- Reading
- Journaling
- Try some creative writing
- Dance
- Listen to music
- Play chess
5. Get Plenty of Sunshine
The last of our tips for healthy aging is to get plenty of sunshine when possible. Doing so is crucial for two reasons:
First, sun exposure supports healthy vitamin D levels in your body. An estimated billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient. This hormone is crucial for mental health and bone strength.
Second, regular sun exposure can have a therapeutic effect and is used in light therapy to help with conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Conclusion
Learning how to age better can add years to your life and drastically improve your quality of life, making you more independent, happier, and more motivated to engage with others.
Among the best tactics are staying active, eating a balanced diet, keeping your mind active, and getting plenty of sunshine. CBD supplements, such as gummies for pain, can also help to promote relaxation and boost wellness.
