When people think about aging gracefully, they think about looking young. On the contrary, we cannot evade the natural aging process, but we can adjust our lifestyle to live healthily and happily for longer. You are never too late to begin a self-care routine for your well-being.
Read on to find out ways to care for your body as you age:
1. Take Charge of Your Health
First, it is necessary to take note of your family’s medical history since that gives you a clear picture of some lifestyle decisions that minimize your exposure to most of these health risks. After that, you can look at your medical history and medications, if any. Having a clear picture of this also helps your physician make informed decisions about your treatment and set up the necessary tests. It may be in your best interest to receive outside help, whether from a family member or hiring professional caregivers to take care of your daily needs.Â
2. Have A Skincare Routine
There is a widespread assumption that skincare routines are limited to females, but the agents should also take charge of it. Remember your skin sheds skin cells each day, and as you age, it gets dry and irritated quickly, and it is a worthy reason to ensure that it stays rejuvenated.
Furthermore, it can keep your skin wrinkle-free for as long as possible. The skin does not have a complicated routine to make it look good for you since you can do these things:
- Hydrate often
- Wear sunscreen and protective clothing under the sun
- Use gentle or natural skincare products on your skin
3. Mind Your Diet
Many seniors develop appetite problems along the way, which presents a risk of malnutrition. However, there could be other underlying reasons, such as depression, oral health issues, constipation, dining alone, loss of interest in cooking, reduced sense of taste or smell, etc. Be keen to see if you have any of the above underlying factors and get an appropriate solution.
Once handled, you can start your journey to changing your eating habits by first avoiding unhealthy fats, refined sugars, processed foods, and sugary fizzy drinks. Strive for a healthy diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, unsaturated fats, and lean proteins. Do not forget to stay hydrated. Your physician or dietician is best suited to advise if you need to add supplements for a vitamin boost.
4. Take Care of Your Mental Health
Every life stage has its distinctive challenges. For instance, the main challenge for most in young-adult life is to get a career breakthrough. At old age, new challenges arise like lack of a job, staying indoors, chronic illness, feeling isolated after retirement, etc. Those situations in those stages can cause mental torture, leading to depression.Â
Depression should not be perceived as a regular part of our lives, and you should fight it by avoiding any stress and keeping your mood elevated by doing things you love. Easy methods to take care of your mental soundness are:
- Building a reliable social circle of meaningful relationships
- Spending more time with your loved ones
- Embracing old age and its uniqueness
- Doing things you enjoy- volunteer work, watching a movie, working on a hobby, spending time in nature, reading, etc.
- Going for therapy
5. Stay Physically Active
Your body tends to lose bone density and muscle mass as you age, and this is often not avoidable, but you can reduce it by staying active. Besides, physical activity has wholesome benefits even to your mental health and self-esteem, and it is a great mood booster.
All you ought to do is integrate a 150-minute weekly routine of an activity you love. The plan is to keep your body moving. Some options you can consider are; running, hiking, walking, yoga, etc. It can be challenging to determine what physical activity to engage in, especially if you have never done it before in your lifetime. So, it is critical to consult your physician to advise on the activities without injuring yourself. To maintain the momentum for a long time, you can recruit your friends into any activities or join activity groups.
6. Sleep
Most seniors have a problem sticking to a healthy sleep routine. Usually, adults are supposed to sleep at least 8 hours each day. However, poor sleep hygiene is understandable, given that you could have more time on your hands now than before. Even without an active day-to-day life, your body still needs to recharge. So, if you have too much extra time during the day, you might find yourself napping too much, which automatically interferes with the required sleep routine. You can fix that by reducing your napping hours during the day and setting your bedtime hour for a set time each night.
Ensure that you also schedule regular hospital appointments for a checkup routine and screening. If you also experience any unusual body changes, do not let them stall for too long since they could lead to severe problems if not addressed early.
It is not hard to take care of your body as you age. More often than not, small, simple routines incorporated into your life will positively impact your body. Pay attention to those small details of your life that you think need fixing and watch your life take a turn.Â
