How To Achieve A Balanced And Healthy Lifestyle In Retirement
What if you could have it all? A fulfilling, healthy and balanced life in retirement. No more stressful working hours, stacks of fading newspaper clippings from the 1970s, and 2am visits to the deli for your forgotten sandwich fixins. Instead, a lifestyle full of up-to-date information, free time, lots of good food, and an active social calendar. A retirement filled with lots of fun and very little stress that isn't just good for you but is vital to your well-being.
While this might be a tempting fantasy to dwell on, it can be one worth making reality. A good lifestyle in retirement could actually mean more than just enjoying the fruits of your labor after working hard all year long. Regular exercise and taking care of yourself now can help stave off illnesses like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease later on. It could also help to keep you from becoming dependent on prescription medications and physical therapy that can drain your finances in the future. And the best part is that many of these new habits you adopt now can be healthy and inexpensive.
Before we talk about the lifestyle you want to achieve, let's start with an assessment of your current habits and lifestyle. Are there parts of your life that need to be improved or changed? If so, what are these changes you want to make? Tackle one change at a time, and make it a point to adhere to it for two weeks before moving on to another new habit. And don't forget, these changes don't have to be expensive. Really, they can all be quite simple and inexpensive – but very effective in improving your overall wellness.
Here are some simple changes that can work wonders on your wellness:
1. Be physically active during the day. Take a walk around your neighborhood in the morning or evening for about 15 minutes. Join the local hiking club, go for a bike ride or join the dance class at your gym. Physical activity is good for both body and mind. And it will help keep you from getting bored and sedentary during your retirement years when you have more time and freedom to be active.
2. Eat healthy food . Think of your body as a machine. In order for that machine to work well, it needs fuel. Fuel your body with healthy food throughout the day instead of filling it with sugar, ice cream, and fried foods. This could give you more energy and make your body less likely to store fat around the waist and abdomen.
3. Get enough sleep at night. Exercise during the day will help you sleep better because it releases tension and stress that can keep you awake into the wee hours at night. The body also needs adequate rest, especially when it is trying to keep your organs and brain running smoothly.
4. Take care of your skin . Your skin has two important jobs: protection from the elements and a gentle buffer to the immune system. Living a healthy lifestyle will make you more attractive to others (both men and women) and let you take better care of your health instead of taking chances with expensive treatments later on down the line.
5. Practice good hygiene . You don't have to be one of those people who wash their hair with a bottle of conditioner, brush their teeth with mouthwash and take a shower the way they do at the gym. But you SHOULD clean up after yourself and make sure you are in good enough shape to handle the job. Some parts of your body need much more attention than others, but it is important to make sure you have clean hands, breathable skin and good dentition. Cleaning up is also something that drags us back into the real world when we are enjoying our retirement years.
6. Drink water . Drink lots of it. Eight glasses a day. You will feel much better if you do, and it won't cost you anything but time.
7. Adjust your daily routine . You don't have to take up new hobbies or drop everything to try something new in retirement, but do consider making small changes around the house that will encourage you to stay active and take better care of yourself. How about installing handrails on your stairs or putting a chair in front of the TV so you can stand while watching it?
8. Get some mental exercise. Use your retirement years to learn new skills. You don't necessarily have to go back to school, but there is an incredible amount of information and knowledge out there that you can acquire on your own. Consider taking up a foreign language like Spanish or Italian, or opt for several classes in art appreciation and other subjects at the local community college. The more you learn about the world around you the more interesting your life will become.
If this all seems like too much, don't worry – it's not. And if you are truly feeling overwhelmed by these changes, start with just one and see how it goes before moving on to another new habit. After all, it's not a race – you don't have to run from one change to the next. Take your time and make these changes a priority in your personal development plan.
Make these changes part of your plan for a better retirement and make sure you are doing everything you can to keep yourself alive for as long as possible. You might even consider making an appointment with an elder care expert or making some phone calls about what options are available for older adults who need help with their personal care or financial well-being.
And before you start any new exercise routine, consult an older adult health coach like Banyan Tree Personal Care Services . For more information on how you can keep your mind and body together in your later years, call us anytime at (888) 509-3900 to schedule a free consultation.
Posted by Robert J. Ritter, Esq., President at Banyan Tree Asian Senior Care Services, Inc. and Personal Care Solutions, Inc. at 9:20 AM
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Conclusion
If you're planning to move, be sure that you're checking out your prospective neighborhoods carefully. Are the streets busy and well-lit? Are there plenty of other people walking around? How are the business districts (if there are any)? Is there a senior center nearby so you can take advantage of their services? Also find out whether or not the public transportation is fit to get you where you need to go. And what kind of activities does the surrounding area offer?
Posted by Robert J. Ritter, Esq., President at Banyan Tree Asian Senior Care Services, Inc. and Personal Care Solutions, Inc.