Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions for 2022? It’s January, which means it’s the perfect time of year to introduce new habits that will maintain or improve your health, and ensure you live a healthy, active life in 2022 and beyond.
Small changes can have a big impact on your health as you move through your golden years. Here are 7 ideas for New Year’s Resolutions you can start now.
- Eat healthily and stay hydrated – Adults may need fewer calories as they get older but they still need a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats, along with a variety of vitamins and minerals. Also, ensure you’re drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid every day to stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause constipation, confusion and headaches. For more information about a healthy diet visit here.
- Get enough sleep – Many adults sleep less as they get older. You may find you wake earlier or have difficulty falling asleep. But 7-9 hours sleep is optimum to feel alert and maintain a strong immune system. Creating a sleep routine and sticking to it on a daily basis is the best way to train yourself to fall asleep. Habits such as avoiding caffeinated drinks before bed, staying active during the day to tire yourself out and reading a good book for 20-minutes before switching out the light can all help establish a good sleep routine. It’s also important to wake up at the same time every day to keep the same routine throughout the week.
- Stay active – It’s so important for older adults to remain active. A combination of aerobic exercises such as walking or swimming helps maintain stamina and good heart health. Combine this with some strength exercises to help maintain muscle mass, balance and flexibility and help prevent stumbles and falls. You can find more information about physical activity for older adults here.
- Get tech-savvy – It might seem a bit intimidating at first, but you may just wonder what you ever did without it. Learning to use a tablet, computer, or smartphone, can open up your world. As well as having access to anything you could wish for at the touch of a button, technology is wonderful to keep you connected with friends and family.
- Stay positive – According to research, positive thinking is the key to longevity and to reducing the risk of chronic diseases. A positive and optimistic mindset also reduces memory loss, helps speed up recovery from illness and lowers the risk of feeling lonely and isolated. Try to experience some joy and laughter each day to boost the happy hormones.
- Keep your mind active – Keeping your mind stimulated is an excellent way to reduce memory loss and reduce the risk of dementia. This could be reading every day, doing crosswords or jigsaw puzzles. Maybe revisit a hobby you used to enjoy. Or try a new one! Look to your local college and see what leisure courses you could try your hand at.
- Stay social – Keeping a close connection with family and friends has been shown to reduce the risk of disease, anxiety and depression and improve overall health. Plan ahead so you have something to look forward to through the week. Maybe it’s lunch with a friend or a Facetime call with long-distance relatives. If you want to make new friends, try your local church or community centre to see what events and meet-ups they have planned.
Any one of these New Year Resolutions, or even better, a combination of all of them, will go a long way towards improving your quality of life and your health in 2022.
For more tips to stay healthy as you age check out 5 easy tips to stay physically and mentally active in later life.