You may think that the biggest fear people have of getting old is the wrinkles and the grey hair.
However, it appears as people enter the twilight years, the bigger fear is the decline in mental and physical health.
So, what advice is available for people getting into golden years of life?
It’s said that you should eat plenty of kale and buy expensive anti-aging products.
But actually, the most important aging secret is to enjoy life, according to scientific evidence.
Want to know more about the key to enjoying your life? Read below!
1. Move Your Body
You’ve probably heard people say something along the lines of the following:
“Well, my Grandpa only lived to his fifties and my Grandmother her sixties, so I don’t have good genes”.
According to psychologists, people radically over-emphasize genes in relation to living a long life. Approximately one-fourth of longevity is determined by your genes, the rest is down to you!
You only have one body, so you better look after it. Listen to your Mother’s advice.
You need to exercise on a regular basis. Your body will respond positively to physical activity.
Even if you’ve taken your body for granted in life, it’s not too late to get moving and shaking.
You can reduce your risk of developing a disability by up to a quarter through doing frequent but steady exercise in old age, according to researchers.
Spending days in the garden, strolling through your local park or swimming can all contribute to a healthier lifestyle in your golden years.
2. Eat Colorful Plates of Food
Next, it’s about what you put in your body, as well as what you do with it.
Instead of being so busy you don’t have time to eat, you can spend ages enjoying shopping, preparing and eating your meals.
It’s also important that you need with friends and family as much as possible. Eating by yourself is a sure sign of loneliness.
If you can’t ensure your food is healthy and lovingly prepared for you by yourself, you should contact a health provider for information on how you can have delicious meals delivered.
You could also consider changing your diet as you get older. You don’t need to eat as much anymore. But also, plant-based diets have been proven to improve your longevity.
Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, dehydration is very bad for you, regardless of your age.
Avoid too much processed, salt and sugary food. It also wouldn’t do you any harm to cut down your alcohol intake. The rarer you drink, the more you appreciate it when you indulge.
You should also contact your doctor about whether you should be taking supplements, for example, calcium.
3. Get a Retirement Plan
Did you know that 1 in 3 Americans has under $5,000 saved for retirement?
It’s no shocking news that richer people are happier and live longer. However, this doesn’t mean you need to become a wealthy tycoon, only you need to secure your financial future by making clever choices now.
Life expectancy in the United States is almost 80 years old. And yet, that many people expect to live even longer than this is a sign of the optimism of a healthy and happy life.
It is reasonable to plan your retirement with the assumption that you will have many years to enjoy it. This means thinking about your financial circumstances after you give up work.
But, retirement is no fun if you can’t afford anything. That’s why you need to start saving money early to ensure you can have security in old age.
4. Stay in Connected with Family and Friends
After you finish your working life, you have the opportunity to spend more time with the most important people in your life.
A 2011 study showed that people who spent time on a daily basis being sociable lived longer, happier and healthier lives.
This is because spending time by yourself can encourage loneliness, which in turn increases your vulnerability to depression and other illnesses.
It’s particularly important to spend time with your children and grandchildren if you have any.
It’s great news that grandparents are playing an increasingly larger role in the upbringing of children. This also relieves the stress and strain on parents.
Whether you have family or not, it’s important to make the effort to connect with people on a regular basis.
This may require you to be more active in your community, pick up a new hobby or join a club. Whatever you need to do to meet people – do it!
5. Never too Late to Find Love
If you’re separated, divorced, single or widowed, then you shouldn’t forget that it’s not too late to find love or companionship.
Things may have changed a lot since you last went on a date.
The dating scene has been transformed with the birth social media, smartphones and dating apps.
However, this means that it’s easier than ever to meet likeminded people. In fact, older adults are the fastest-growing demographic for online dating.
If you want to be happy, there are few things more important than loving relationships.
6. Get Involved in a Support Group
Many people are surprised by the challenge of retirement. They think that giving up work is going to be easy.
Just as with any huge change in life, it requires some adjustment before you get used to it.
Therefore, it’s important you find a support system to undergo the change to your lifestyle. Your family and friends are important in this regard, as well.
You can also join a support group to help you through the process. This would be a great chance to talk to other people going through the same thing as you.
7. Keep Yourself up to Date
If you want to continue to enjoy life in old age, you’re going to need to keep up to date all the time.
Don’t pretend that it is the 1970s anymore.
When you’re cell phone breaks, update it with the most up to date technology. It’s especially easy to become attached to what you know as you get older.
Yes, set up an account on Snapchat and Facebook. Get a smartphone with all the apps. And listen to Ariana Grande’s latest song on Youtube.
You also need to avoid saying things like “the youth of today don’t know what good music sounds like”. Also, please don’t start sentences with “in the good old days…”.
You’re naturally going to start experiencing more aches and pains. But don’t go on and on about to people all the time. We know that people who complain less are happier people.
8. Take Pride in How to Look
Just because you’re entering you’re golden years, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to get dressed in the morning.
It’s good to embrace not caring what people think in old age, but taking pride in your appearance is part of enjoying life too.
It makes sense that looking good, makes you feel good too. You can discover more about beauty and fashion at Prime Women.
If you wear make-up, you don’t need to stop when you get older. If you’re out in the sun, remember to wear sunscreen.
Why don’t you visit the hairdressers regularly and get your hair colored in a fancy new shade?
9. Stimulate Your Mind by Learning New Things
Are you still curious about the world?
Too often people associate learning new things with youth. The “third age” is also an important chance to learn about the world anew.
You could discover a natural talent for playing the keyboard. Have you always wanted to learn French?
Keep testing out new recipes, don’t stick to your old habits. Learning new skills slows cognitive aging, according to scientific studies.
10. Laughter
Laughter is the best medicine! Apparently, this isn’t just something people say, it’s actually based on scientific evidence.
So laugh! Even if it’s not funny – laugh anyway.
According to studies, laughter is an important key to a happy life.
Find things that make you laugh. Spend time with people who make you chuckle.
A 2014 study found that watching funny videos on YouTube for twenty minutes per day can significantly improve memory in seniors.
There is also evidence that laughing a lot is linked to lower risk of chronic stress and heart diseases.
The Key to Aging: Enjoying Your Life
Now you know that there is no magic potion or miracle spa to make you look younger than your days.
However, you can realize the key to aging in your life, by following our tips and tricks to enjoying your life in the twilight years.
If you want to discover more about the living a healthy and happy life, check out our advice and ideas on our blog.