The start of your sixties means big changes are on the horizon. For starters, you may be leaving your career behind, meaning you have plenty of time on your hands. Changes like this can be daunting, especially when all you’ve ever known is the working life. However, the start of the end is an opportunity for a new beginning, you just have to know how to embrace this milestone decade.
Treat Your Brain Well
Your brain is one of the most important organs in your body because it’s responsible for managing everything else. When your brain is engaged, it will continue to make new neuron connections, regardless of your age. Therefore, we recommend having a puzzle book to hand or taking on a new skill – like playing an instrument or learning a language. As well as keeping your brain active, it’s important to feed it the right nutrients. In particular, you should eat plenty of fish packed full of omega-3, which is proven to keep brains fighting fit.
Have a Positive Outlook on Life
This one is easier said than done, but your attitude toward getting older will influence your experience. According to research, an optimistic outlook on life had between 11% and 15% impact on longevity – increasing the chances of living until at least 85. The way your mind deals with life is directly related to stress levels. If you’re negative all the time, stress will get the better of you. Whereas, when you remain positive, you’re in a stronger position to deal with stressors and feel healthy.
Keep a Healthy Lifestyle
Even if you’ve been keeping bad habits like smoking and eating junk food all your life, it’s never too late to make positive changes. The smallest change can make the biggest impact on your health. For example, if you improve your diet, and pack it full of fruit and vegetables, you’ll feel much healthier. Further, if you stop smoking, you’ll find it much easier to breathe and you’re less likely to develop lung cancer.
Be Productive
Your retirement is all about your time, and it’s completely up to you how it’s spent. Getting into the habit of watching TV all day is easy, but it’s certainly not healthy. Instead, fill your day with tasks and activities, and reward yourself by relaxing in the evening. There are plenty of activities you can try including volunteering, light exercise, and cooking.
Have Control Over Appropriate Care
Even if you take on a completely healthy lifestyle, there will likely come a time when you struggle to interact with simple daily tasks. Understand how to seek support, even if it’s talking to a family member and having someone take the bins out. Alternatively, you can leave your home behind and embrace the comfort of assisted living South Florida. Having the right care in place is a great way to improve longevity.
Longevity is intrinsically linked with how you interact with the world post 60. If you withdraw and become sedentary, you’re asking for trouble. Keeping a positive outlook and lifestyle is the only way to improve longevity.
