How to Enjoy Successful Aging

Successful aging means preparing for the future while maintaining physical and mental health. Your quality of life as you age can tremendously impact overall happiness. It does limited good to have your financial matters in order before retirement, but your physical health or cognitive function is not within a healthy range.

The goal is to enjoy your time on Earth doing what God has called you to do, but this requires intentional steps. It’s not enough to hope for good health and happiness in old age; you must take action to achieve it.

What to Do for Successful Aging

Successful aging is possible with a few lifestyle changes and awareness regarding healthy choices. The things we got away with when we were younger will catch up to us as we age, so we must try to live healthier. We want to address our lives’ physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.

Although we do not want to promote comparison, Biblical heroes were healthy and fit to accomplish their purpose. The older people we may see living active lifestyles tend to make healthier choices. Healthy living becomes a priority to give them a higher quality of life. Take Dick van Dyke, for example; the actor and dancer is still working out and moving his legs at ninety-nine years old.

Read through the following strategies for successful aging and choose a few to try today. Remember that consistency matters, but you do not need to be perfect. Imperfect consistency will compound, and you will see and feel a difference.

Stay active As we age, our physical bodies break down muscle mass and bone strength. You can maintain more strength and flexibility by staying active. The CDC recommendation is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. This is an average of 30 minutes of movement five days a week. If you prefer more vigorous activity, two 75-minute sessions weekly will also meet the recommendation.

Do what you love We can get caught up in the responsibilities of life and people-pleasing behaviors, and may place activities we love on the back burner. Yet, these interests and hobbies get us up in the morning. They give us something to look forward to during the day or week. Take note of the activities that bring you joy and schedule time in your daily or weekly calendar to have fun.

Keep all appointments and screenings You must stay current with your doctor appointments and annual screenings to prevent or catch issues before they become a problem. Doctor and dentist appointments, screenings for colon cancer, mammograms, and specialist appointments should be a priority. Consider scheduling all annual appointments during your birthday month to make remembering easier.

Play games and puzzles Cognitive decline is expected as we age, but you can fight back with games that challenge your mind. Activities like games, puzzles, or learning a new language force you to tap into short-term memory, logic, and reasoning. These activities can strengthen your problem-solving skills. Think about Sudoku, word search games, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and learning a foreign language.

Volunteer Volunteering gives you a chance to serve others, focus on the needs of people or an organization, and socialize. People who volunteer have a lower risk of depression, as socialization is a need every person craves; even those who prefer to be loners need some interaction with others. Check with your church or local community center for volunteer opportunities.

Eat healthy Food can be medicine if suitable, while other items contain ingredients that can make you sick. Not every accessible food item is good for your health. Aim for a balanced mix of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Limit caffeine, processed foods, added sugars, and foods containing trans fats. Challenge yourself to one week of healthy, balanced meals and note how much better you feel.

Limit alcohol Alcohol in moderation is generally fine, depending on a person’s health. However, many people have an issue with overdrinking. Too much alcohol can cause physical, emotional, and mental issues, especially liver cirrhosis and depression. Too much alcohol can stay in the bloodstream as we age and, combined with medications, can become lethal.

Stop smoking Smoking raises your risk for several serious health conditions that can lower your quality of life as you age. For example, heart disease, stroke, lung and other cancers, and COPD are all conditions that smokers can face. If quitting smoking is too difficult, reach out to your primary care physician. Medications and counseling can help you stop smoking even after decades of the daily habit.

Maintain a healthy weight Excess weight and obesity contribute to physical and mental conditions. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, weakened joints, and a lowered immune system can land an older person in the hospital, unable to care for themselves.

Obesity also leads to low self-esteem, poor self-confidence, isolation, and depression. Body image issues and eating disorders can also stem from trying to lose weight without healthy guidance.

Build muscle Building and maintaining muscle will help you stay more active and reshape your body as you age. Falls are more common as we age, but muscle mass can help to strengthen bones and improve balance.

Strong muscles can keep you upright longer with better posture, avoiding that hunched look that older people can get, making it challenging for them to stand straight or walk. Muscle mass burns more calories and provides you with energy.

Build emotional resilience Weathering storms is a part of life. But if you are not emotionally resilient, the ups and downs will devastate you. Emotional resilience helps you with successful aging because you know that with every downturn, another upturn is on its way. Your faith in Christ is essential to your emotional resilience. Cling to Jesus during the good and the bad times.

Make sleep a priority Sleep deprivation can affect cognitive function, memory, the immune system, and mood. Stress can build without the restorative effects of sleep. Aim for at least seven to nine hours of sleep nightly, and don’t be afraid to nap during the day.

Small catnaps of twenty minutes, compared to longer naps, have been shown to energize the napper instead of remaining groggy because twenty minutes is not enough time to enter deep sleep, but enough time to rest.

Know your finances Successful aging takes planning. Learning about your finances and investments can help you begin to plan well. Even if you have never managed household finances, you can learn the basics to ensure that you can live below your means as you age. Ask your bank, financial advisor, local community center, or Center for Aging about in-person or virtual classes.

Spend time in praise and worship Feeling close to God as we age is a blessing. We can feel His presence and align ourselves with His will and purpose for our lives. When you spend time in praise and worship, you open a line of communication with God.

You can praise Him beyond Sunday morning. Consider singing in your car or while cleaning the house. Make studying His word part of your morning routine. Communing with God first thing in the morning and before bed can help you draw closer to Him.

Christian Counseling for Successful Aging

As you age, it’s common to dwell on the past, worrying about mistakes and fretting about the future. However, too much of this can hinder your progress. Counseling is a powerful tool for successful aging. A counselor can help you build emotional resilience, make lifestyle changes, shift your mindset, and strengthen your relationships, especially your relationship with Jesus Christ.

If counseling is your next step, contact our office to schedule an assessment call with a Christian counselor specializing in successful aging. Give us a call and get started today. The golden years really can be golden.