You might not want to admit it, but if you’re being honest with yourself, you’re starting to get a bit, ahem, old. From needing glasses and noticing new gray hairs to having “senior moments” and realizing that those fine line and wrinkles are here to stay on your face, you are showing some of the classic signs of aging.
Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting older. It’s an inevitable part of life and it happens to everyone. At the same time, you don’t want to look, feel or act “old” – you want to remain mentally and physically healthy and do what you can to feel as youthful as possible.
To help keep the hands of time at bay, consider the following tips.
Challenge Your Brain
As Harvard Health Publishing notes, being well educated is linked to better mental functioning as you get older. Challenge your brain as often as you can by learning new skills, taking foreign language courses, signing up for classes at the local community center, volunteering at jobs you enjoy and trying new hobbies. If your job stimulates your brain, that can help, too; if not, these other activities will go a long way in keeping your mind sharp.
Take Advantage of Delivery Services
Running out of certain necessary items can be extremely stressful, which in turn can strain your immune system. To help ensure that you have a steady supply of the things you need, look into shopping online for certain products. For example, if you or your spouse are diabetic, you do not want to risk not having testing strips and other supplies, but at the same time, you might not have the time to head to the pharmacy. This is where shopping online with companies like Simply Medical can be really helpful for restocking your medical supplies. You can place orders with the company from the comfort and safety of home and rest assured that everything will be delivered right to your door.
Get Up and Get Moving
Staying active may not only help to lower your risk of developing certain health conditions like heart disease and stroke, but it can also keep your weight down and improve your mood. With your doctor’s blessing, aim to get two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week. However, if you haven’t been regularly working out, start slowly and build up to this goal over time.
Choose activities that get your heart pumping and that you also enjoy – like walking, swimming, dancing or riding a bike. In addition, strive to do activities that make your muscles stronger for two days a week and to keep yourself literally well-balanced, sign up for yoga, tai chi or simply practice safely standing on one foot while holding onto a chair for support.
Stay Social
A really effective way to ward off aging is to have friends of all ages and visit with them on a regular basis. In addition to your own family members, you can meet your close friends for coffee once a week and/or ask your neighbor to join you on a walk. If you feel comfortable doing so, reconnect with old friends through social media or make new pals at a church group, volunteering or through a local book or hobby club. Interacting with others may help to keep your mood more positive, your body more active and help you to stay more youthful.
Remain Young as You Grow Older
Those gray hairs and reading glasses do not mean you have to feel or act old, regardless of how many years you’ve been on this earth. By keeping your body and brain active, placing online orders for the things you need and enjoying regular social contact with others, you will feel and look vibrant, healthy and youthful.
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