As the summer comes to an end, the temperatures are getting lower, and it’s back to school time; life is beginning to slow down for many elderly adults. During the summer months the grandkids and other family members may have come to visit more than usual, you may have taken a vacation, or you may have done more activities and get-togethers due to the warm weather. But, this time of year is when many people begin to prepare to settle down for the coming Fall and Winter months. Since many seniors have spent their lifetime caring for and spending time with others, this transition can cause seniors to begin to feel lonely, which makes this a great time to remember the importance of self care.
Self care is all about doing things to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit. It is the perfect way, for anyone of any age, to take a moment to reconnect with themselves, unwind, and find peace in the ordinary. We have compiled a list to help you get started (or continue) on your self care journey.
1. Reconnect With Old Hobbies (Or Start New Ones)
When you are spending more time alone and indoors, is the perfect time to reconnect with an old hobby or find a new one. Do you play an instrument? Do you like to sing? Do you love to paint? Hobbies are a great way to help keep the brain and mind healthy and active. They can also help you connect with like-minded individuals.
For many people, hobbies fall to the wayside during the years of raising children and working. Now that you have more free time, it’s the perfect opportunity to reconnect to old hobbies that once brought you joy. Making time once a week or once a day will help you to reconnect with your younger self, help create a routine, and gives you something to look forward to.
You can also find a new hobby to start. When deciding which new hobby to start, you might think about what your goal is in starting a new hobby. Do you want to make new friends? Do you want to stay healthy and active? Or maybe you just want to have fun? To make new friends, you might join a book club. To stay healthy and active, try checking out a local gentle yoga class. And if you just want to have fun, think about an activity that really makes your heart sing, maybe a seniors dance class or learn how to paint with online videos. There are many benefits that come from enjoying any of these hobbies.
2. Go Outside
Now that we are seeing cooler temperatures outside, we can go back to enjoying the outdoors. There are so many benefits to being outside and in nature from breathing in fresh oxygen in our lungs and feeling the sunlight on our skin to the physiological responses such as lowering blood pressure and reducing stress hormones.
Going for a walk in a natural setting near your home, even if you are in a city, should be part of your self care routine. This can be a walk by the beach or in a wooded area or even sitting on a bench in a park or garden. Being around nature helps many people to experience more satisfaction with life as well as overall better health.
3. Exercise Regularly
While many people think the main goal of exercise is to be more attractive or to lose weight, but regular exercise has many physical and mental benefits as well. The brain receives a large amount of oxygen and nutrients during physical activities, which helps to protect it from several diseases. Exercise also helps strengthens immune health, improves mood, enhances sleep, increases energy levels, along with several more benefits.
Spending time in nature can be part of a regular exercise practice if you spend at least 15-30 minutes walking or moving. Doing a yoga class or water aerobics class can be a great way to get in a movement practice while also being easy on older joints. The most important thing when finding an exercise is finding one that you enjoy, so that you will continue to do it and incorporate it into your self care routine.
4. Eat Healthily and Stay Hydrated
Like exercise, many people look at healthy eating as something to help you lose weight. But healthy eating is much more than that. An unhealthy diet can make it hard to function properly, by causing health problems and diseases.
Eating a nutritious meal of whole foods supplies your body with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that your body needs for energy. Therefor, eating healthier can help you to feel less irritable and less exhausted. Skipping meals or only snacking on unhealthy snacks can also have a negative impact on your health. There are many different delivered meal options for seniors that can help make healthy eating much more easy and stress free.
For seniors, it is also incredibly important to stay hydrated throughout the day. Sugary and carbonated beverages have terrible side effects on brain and cognitive functions, so it’s better to rely on water and other unsweetened beverages to help you stay hydrated. Most people need at least eight to ten glasses of water a day. When you are well hydrated and eating healthier, you will feel much better and think clearer and you’ll find that it is one of the best ways to practice self care.
5. Socialize & Spend Time With Loved Ones
When the grandkids have gone back to school and your own kids are back to their work routines, you might find yourself feeling lonely. It is important to continue to stay socially active. You might be able to find a time once a week to schedule time with your family for a Sunday family meal or a game night. With the technology that we have these days, you can also video call a friend or relative who lives on the other side of the country or even the other side of the world. Or you could combine going outside, exercising, and socializing by going on a walk with a friend or loved one in a beautiful, natural setting.
Being socially active causes the brain to release a feel-good hormone called oxytocin that lowers cortisol and stress levels. A study from the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CNADC) in Chicago, IL shows that strong friendships in old age can help to prevent mental decline.
6. Make Time for Relaxation
Self care is about resetting your mind and coming back to the things that are important to you and you can’t truly reset without taking time to relax. Relaxation can mean different things to different people, so you may need to look at what relaxation means to you. It can be reading a book or painting, doing mindful exercises or yoga/meditation, or it could be an activity like baking or gardening. No matter what relaxation looks like to you, the important thing is that you are able to take a step back from the day to day, clear your mind from stress and worry, and refill your depleted physical and mental cup. In return, this renewed sense of being will help how you deal with and react to stress and stressful situations.
7. Get Plenty of Sleep
A good night’s sleep can help improve the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of your life. While sleeping, your mental and emotional awareness is strengthened and your physical body is able to repair itself. All of these benefits make it essential to a self care routine. For many, it can be difficult to get to sleep so be careful to not drink caffeine, do exercise, or spend too much time on electronic devices a couple hours before bed. Listening to music or reading a book an hour or so before bed can relax the mind to help with falling asleep. Also, looking to the natural rhythm of light can help train your body to go to sleep early and wake with the sunrise.
8. Ask for Help
Many seniors deal with some sort of mental health concern, yet they are the least likely to seek help for their issues due to the stigma and shame related to it. But, as people begin to speak out about their mental health issues, it has become more normalized. According to John Hopkins Medicine, 1 in 4 adults experience some form of diagnosable mental disorder every year. If you’re experiencing any kind of depression, anxiety, or maybe loneliness and the need to talk to someone, you don’t have to suffer alone. Finding a therapist or an in-home caregiver to talk to who will keep what you say confidential can make a world of difference.