The second half of your life can bring some of your most rewarding years. You may be more confident than your younger self, wiser and more patient.
Even though your hair may gray, it's important to make every effort to maintain your physical and mental health as you grow older.
Here are some science-backed secrets for healthy aging, according to WebMD:
- Eat well: Focus more on a way of eating than a formal diet. Load up on veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts and low-fat dairy. Eat fewer fatty meats, butter, sugar, salt and packaged foods.
Many studies have found this diet can help you live longer and protects against heart disease, cancer, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Researchers believe one way it works is by physically changing parts of your chromosomes linked to age-related diseases.
- Walk: Aim for 30 minutes every day. If that's too much, break it up into shorter strolls. Regular exercise - especially if you do it briskly enough to feel a little breathless - delivers huge health benefits. It helps keep brain cells healthy by delivering more blood and oxygen. In fact, research suggests aerobic exercise may delay or improve symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Other benefits include controlling your weight, boosting mood, keeping bones and muscles strong, sleeping better, and reducing the risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Select supplements: It's often better to get your nutrients from food, not a pill. And you usually don't need special supplements aimed at seniors. But after age 50, your body does need more of some vitamins and minerals from foods or supplements than before. You need calcium to keep your bones strong, vitamin D, vitamin B12 (older people who have trouble absorbing it from foods may need fortified cereals or a supplement) and vitamin B6 to keep your red blood cells strong for delivering oxygen throughout your body.
Tell your doctor about all supplements you take so you can avoid bad interactions with any medications or treatments.
- Stick to a strict sleep schedule Insomnia is common in older adults, and many have a harder time falling or staying asleep. It helps to follow the same waking and sleeping schedule every day. This keeps your body clock in sync so you get the sleep you need.
To improve your sleep, keep your bedroom dark, and turn off your TV, cellphone and laptop. Avoid caffeine or alcohol in the evening. Don't nap longer than 20 minutes during the day. If you take any medications, be sure to ask your doctor if any of them may be keeping you awake at night.
- Find new hobbies: Finding new and meaningful hobbies can help you maintain a sense of purpose and keep your mind engaged. According to Healthline, evidence shows people who engage in hobbies and social activities are happier, experience less depression and live longer.
- Stay connected: Loneliness is harmful to your health. If you feel lonely, you are more likely to develop dementia or depression. Seniors who report feeling left out and isolated have more trouble with everyday tasks. Researchers have found lonely people have higher levels of stress hormones that cause inflammation linked to arthritis and diabetes. So remember to stay connected with and make new friends. Do volunteer work or simply help someone in need. Get more involved in church. Connect with others.
- Stay optimistic: Life tests us in many ways. Positive thinking can be a powerful ally at every stage of your life. When you choose to be optimistic and grateful, your mind and body respond in kind. People with a rosier outlook live longer and have fewer heart attacks and depressive episodes than those with a negative outlook. Positive emotions may even lower virus counts in people with HIV. Being optimistic is a learned behavior, which means you can train yourself to be more optimistic if you try. It just takes time and practice
For more information, visit www.webmd.com or www.healthline.com.
