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As you age, you often experience significant life changes, including retirement, decreased mobility, isolation, cognitive issues, and memory problems, all of which affect your mental health. According to a recent study, at least 20% of seniors aged 55 and above experience mental health issues, such as mood disorders like bipolar depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. Fortunately, with proper care, you can combat mental illness and improve the quality of your life. Read on for five tips to improve your mental health during your golden years.
Stay connected with your family and friends
Maintaining a close relationship with your family members and friends can be challenging due to time and distance, especially as you age. This leads to loneliness and social isolation, making you vulnerable to stress and depression, and physical and mental decline, so you should keep in touch with your loved ones.
You could consider babysitting your grandkids, visiting your family members and close friends, and connecting with loved ones on social media via Skype, Facetime, or Zoom. Writing letters, making phone calls, or joining book clubs is also an effective way to maintain an active social life to ward off mental issues. Alternatively, you can consider moving to an assisted living facility, such as Longhouse, especially if you have no family members living with you.
Eat a balanced, healthy diet
What you eat has a critical impact on your physical and mental health. Recent studies show that eating processed foods or diets high in sugar increases the risk of depression. Poor nutrition is also linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses and health problems.
Be sure to eat well-balanced meals rich in nutritious foods like whole grains, lean proteins, nuts, and fruits and vegetables. You should also consume a healthy snack between meals and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Engage the brain
Partaking in mind-stimulating activities such as solving puzzles, playing cards or board games, reading, learning how to play instruments, creating crafts, organizing your closet, cooking, or solving riddles helps keep the brain engaged. This improves your mental health and reduces the chances of contracting dementia by speeding up how you process information, boosting cognition and reasoning, and sharpening your memory.
Get adequate sleep
Getting enough sleep allows your body and mind to recover from the day’s mental and physical demands. It also boosts your immunity and improves balance and cognitive function. Be sure to sleep at least seven to eight hours daily to create a proper balance between your mental and physical health.
Exercise
Exercising raises your heart rate, which helps relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. You do not have to exercise vigorously to improve your mental health. Low-impact exercises like strength training, stretching, meditation, yoga, walking, cycling, and pilates are effective strategies for staying active.
Exercising also helps you lose weight and prevents obesity. Obesity increases the chances of contracting vascular illnesses and diabetes, the major causes of erectile dysfunction (ED). ED often lowers self-esteem and confidence among men, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression, so you should frequently exercise to maintain a healthy weight and combat ED. Alternatively, order tadalafil online to treat erectile dysfunction to prevent mental illnesses.
Endnote
Taking proper care of your mental health is crucial to combating physical illnesses and conditions. Keep in touch with your loved ones, eat a well-balanced diet, play mind games, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep to care for your mental health.
