If your goal is to be as vibrant as possible into your 80’s and 90’s, you’ll want to continue to feed your mind, body and spirit throughout your life. Never quit feeding any aspect to keep your health up. The mind, body and soul are all integrated and rely on each other. If your spirit is low, your mind will stop functioning as well and your body will soon follow.
Engage Your Mind
To keep Alzheimer’s at bay, continue to challenge your mind after your retirement by learning a new language, continued education, learn a new dance, go to the museum or read more books. Even taking a walk through a park you have never been to engages your mind as you become aware of your new surroundings and notice new sights, sounds and smells. Volunteering for a charity you want to make a difference in also forces you to engage your mind as you learn a new task and meet new people.
Feed Your Soul
Spirituality has a positive effect on your mind and your body. Whether it’s through religion, meditation, prayer or learning how to forgive, people who pay attention to their soul live longer and healthier lives.
Yoga and meditation have shown to have a positive effect on people dealing with depression and anxiety. At least a part of this comes from feeling part of a group who also enjoy the positive messages delivered in a yoga class along with using breath to relax and lengthening and strengthening muscles.
Exercise
Regular aerobic exercise and strength exercises are a must for aging well. Weight training increases bone density as well as muscle strength and tone and aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs. Both of these increase circulation which have all kinds of positive benefits.
Another benefit to exercise is sound sleep. The key is found in the type of exercise you choose and the time you participate in it during the day. Vigorous aerobic exercise in the late afternoon or early evening is the most beneficial for a good night’s rest because it raises your body temperature above normal a few hours before bed, allowing it to start falling just as you’re getting ready for bed. This decrease in body temperature is a trigger that helps ease you into sleep.
As you age, keep on keeping on and continue to get out there to stimulate your mind, body and soul. You’ll be glad you did!