“Do not complain about growing old,” Mark Twain wrote. “It is a privilege denied to many.” Despite this truth, many people hate the idea of growing old. The reason is because with age often comes physical illness. However, there is plenty you can do to minimize health problems in your latter years.
Manage and Enjoy Aging with These 3 Tips
Ensure your aging process is a pleasant one with these tips:
1. Prevent falls — Every 11 seconds, an older person is treated in an emergency room for a fall, per the NCOA. Falls are devastating physically, emotionally, and financially, but they don’t have to be inevitable. If you want to prevent falls, a physiotherapist can help. Physiotherapists assist people in building strength and improving balance, both of which help to stave off falls. Learn more about this in Preventing Falls: Physiotherapists Provide Tips for Seniors.
2. Eat well — Perhaps the best thing any of us can do to manage aging and create health is eat a nutritious diet. This is an excellent way to prevent disease and illness, such as diabetes. “As you get older, eating well can help improve mental acuteness, boost your energy levels, and increase your resistance to illness,” stated HelpGuide. A contributor suggested that older individuals incorporate plenty of fruits and vegetables into their diet, as well as good fats, calcium, protein, healthy carbs, and fiber.
3. Get enough sleep — Getting sufficient sleep each night is another excellent way to age gracefully. The benefits of sleep are incredible. According to verywell health, sleep may help to prevent cancer, reduce stress, improve memory, boost mental alertness, and much more. It’s impossible to say how many, but it’s likely that a number of falls each year happen due to a lack of sleep. Also, there is nothing that will enhance your mood quicker than a good night’s sleep.
As You Age, Don’t Expect Health Problems
In the media, the elderly are often depicted as sick, weak, and frail. This is unfair and not always realistic. There are many older people who enjoy good health throughout their lifespan. The downside of this type of media depiction is that it gives aging individuals the idea that they will inevitably grow sick and weak as time marches on. Don’t believe this. Instead, tell yourself that illness doesn’t necessarily have to be part of the aging process if you are willing to take care of yourself by eating well, getting enough sleep, and pursuing physiotherapy to prevent falls.