We all want to have a long and healthy life and to stay strong, active and vibrant as we age. No matter how old you are, certain basic habits are key for feeling good and fending off disease: Eat healthy food. Get enough sleep. Exercise. Wear sunscreen. And get regular health screenings. But other health advice may vary based on your age. In this special five-part series, we offer focused wellness tips for your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and beyond.
Maybe you’re still working, or maybe you’re enjoying a well-deserved retirement. Either way, you’re probably thinking more about health care and health problems now than you did in years past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s never too late to make good-for-you changes. So if you’re ready to take charge of your 60s and beyond, here are six health topics that can help you feel your healthiest.
One of the things in common about the world’s longest-lived people is that they have a strong sense of purpose as they grow older. Much of this is reflected in the role elders play in traditional cultures.
This doesn’t mean that older adults here should give up on finding purpose for themselves. To find purpose in your life:
Engage in daily practices: This may involve walking, yoga, meditation, or other practices in which you can progress and improve.
Be creative. Arts, crafts, music, and writing are artistic ways of being creative, but there are other ways to feel creative. It may be taking up cooking a new cuisine, taking a stab at indoor gardening, or finding hobbies that you never had time for before in the past.
Join clubs. Even if you are relatively self-sufficient, joining a club puts you in touch with people of similar interests with whom you can build friendships and embark on special projects you would never dream of doing yourself.
Play. Play is not reserved for young people. Whether it be active sports or board games . Scheduling playtime provides you something to look forward to on a weekly or monthly basis.
Volunteer. People can contribute no matter how old they are. It may be offering time to the local library to read to children or pitching in at the local food bank on a regular basis. Volunteering allows you to give back and contribute to society in a substantive way.
