by Chloe Taylor: As we age, we become more likely to fall into a certain kind of rut…

Awaken

We get used to being passive, and as a result, our social lives might suffer, especially if our family lives further away and can’t come visit us as much as we’d like. Sometimes it feels like socializing is something that only younger people have time and energy for, but in truth, having a good support network of friends is important for all people, regardless of their age. Mental health also tends to take a back seat, and we’re too afraid to show signs of weakness and really talk about what’s bothering us. This is no way to go through your life, and if you want to be happy and keep feeling good, then it’s important to focus more on our emotional wellbeing. To help you maintain a good quality of life, here are some tips that will make it easier to navigate old age, friendships and mental health.

Enjoy your hobbies

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Focus on your hobbies because they are a great outlet for expressing yourself, but they also help keep you active. If you don’t have many hobbies, why not pick up a new one? We recommend something like woodwork, knitting, drawing, calligraphy or even adult coloring books, because they’ll keep your fingers nimble and help you maintain good coordination. Best thing about hobbies? They can be the perfect opportunity to socialize. You can take up pottery classes or start learning a new language and immediately meet a ton of new people that you can talk to, as you learn a new skill together.

Take up yoga classes

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Staying active is important for everyone, but for seniors, it’s absolutely essential. Exercising is the best way to maintain your health, and yoga can be both a physical and spiritual journey that will serve to keep you limber and soothe your mind. Everything can be adjusted to your level of fitness and ability, so find some yoga classes in your neighborhood and bring a buddy to go with you.

If you are disabled and can’t engage in standard exercise, it’s important not to lose hope and resign yourself to being passive. There are various kinds of workouts that you can do, and you could also find a physical therapist that will help you create an exercise plan and teach you how to do everything properly.

Prioritize your mental health

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While seeing your GP regularly should be standard practice, your mental health is also something to bear in mind. Feelings of sadness and anxiety shouldn’t go unchecked, so talking to a psychiatrist might be a good idea if you’ve been feeling blue for a long time. Your social life can contribute a lot to your mental health as well, and you need to create a space in your life where people are welcome to come spend time with you. If you have a disease or a disability that’s making socializing difficult, consider checking out some good aged care facilities where you will have medical help and plenty of people to keep you company. Most of these institutions organize entertainment and bonding activities almost every night, so it’s a great choice for people who want to have help at hand and enjoy making new friends.

Solve puzzles for fun

A group of happy elderly people enjoying themselves over a card game

Image source: seniorcommunity.org

Puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, word games – all of these are extremely good for your brain and can help keep your wits sharp. It’s also a very soothing thing that will help keep stress and tension at bay, so it’s the perfect way to care for your mental health. Also, this doesn’t need to be a solitary activity at all. Game nights, for example, could be a great idea. Chess or board games every Saturday could turn into a tradition, and this gives you the perfect opportunity to host small parties and have a very active social life. Try games like Rummy, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Scrabble, Dixit, Uno or others to entertain you.

Old age, like most things, is what you make of it. Enjoy your golden years because they could be your best ones so far!

Source: Awaken