Mental health often includes emotional and psychological well-being. It may affect how you feel, think, and cope with stressful events in life. Mental health may also impact your general physical health. For instance, if you are stressed or anxious, you may have difficulty sleeping, have a lower appetite, or have a high risk of health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Seniors face a lot of life changes, like the loss of a loved one, reduced mobility, or chronic pain. These may all affect your mental well-being. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia may as well contribute to anxiety and affect your mood. This is why as you grow older, you need to adopt tips that will help to improve your mental health:
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Concentrate on Nutrition
As a senior, you must maintain proper nutrition throughout your golden years. Proper nutrition equals good mental health. While stepping out to get food might seem challenging for most seniors, friends, and family may help. They may consider online delivery services to have groceries and other healthy food delivered to their doorstep.
Some of the nutrients you should focus on include amino acids, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can get most of these nutrients in foods like tuna, sardines, milk, and eggs, to name a few. But you may also acquire them from the best supplements for memory and other mental health issues. Examples include beta-alanine supplements, vitamin E, vitamin D, and vitamin B.
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Get Physical
From taking yoga classes to ballroom dancing and regular walks, physical activities and exercise benefits both the body and the mind by reducing the risks of falls and boosting your confidence.
Getting enough service and being active is as vital for the elderly’s mental well-being and health as they are at every stage in life. As a matter of fact, a low-exercise workout, such as strength training and stretching, may help you stay healthy and, at the same time, minimize the risks of common age-related issues, including joint pain, bone fractures, and other chronic diseases.
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Maintain Connection with Family and Friends
Retirement and your adult children living busy lives are unavoidable and may increase the risks of loneliness or social isolation as you age. In order to cope with these, maintain a healthy connection with friends and family.
Visit them more often, join a book club, volunteer to babysit your grandkids, and stay connected on social sites like Facebook.
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Play Games
Have some little brain-challenging fun and breakout crossword puzzles. Your brain needs some exercise, and puzzles, word, match, and logic games can help maintain healthy mental wellness as you age.
Plus, games will give you something to concentrate on and even stretch your memory. Crossword puzzles might seem run-of-the-mill, but they test your memory by combining some word games with spatial reasoning and counting.
The Takeaway
While these steps may help to maintain good mental health, they can’t reverse dementia effects. Talk to a doctor if you experience memory loss and other cognitive symptoms which interfere with relationships and normal activities.