As we age and become more mature adults, it’s more important than ever that we lead a healthy lifestyle. Although it’s an important tip at any point throughout our lives, following the steps of a healthy lifestyle becomes even more imperative when we enter “our later decades.” Our bodies take longer to recover from the side effects of not fueling them correctly than they did when we were younger, so we have to put in a little bit of extra effort to continue feeling young at heart! 

Below are a couple of tips for leading your best life even as you add more candles to your birthday cake. 

Stay connected to friends & family

One of the most important things to do as you age is to stay in touch with the people who matter most to you. 

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it extremely difficult for loved ones to see each other safely, but try to have a video call at least once a week. Consider cooking a recipe together so you’re doing an activity while also catching up on the week. Doing an activity together with your loved ones will help make talking more exciting, give you something to look forward to, and help you keep an eye out for the next fun activity you can do together! 

Pro tip: If you don’t know how to use a video chat device, try to have a friend or family member come over to your house and set it up. If you can’t have anyone come over in a safe way, then use a regular phone call to stay in touch with your family or friends! You could still work through a recipe or activity together even if you can’t see each other’s faces. 

Remain mentally active

Many people start to feel “old” once they retire because they lose their main source of activity that forces them to think deeply on a daily basis. However, just because you might have retired doesn’t mean that you need to give up thinking deeply every day! Below are a couple of ways you can continue to flex your brain muscle. 

• Try to stay updated on current events by reading a newspaper every day. This will give you the chance to have something to talk about current items the next time you’re at breakfast or lunch with friends! 
• Join a book-club. Studies have found that reading can help improve memory and concentration, so joining a book club will give you an easy opportunity to mix into your daily routine. You’ll also be able to stay in touch with current friends or make new ones through hearing people’s feedback about the book. 
• Play computer games. This tip might sound like an odd one, but Dr. Danesi, the author of Extreme Brain Workout, says that playing games like Sudoku or performing crossword puzzles can help to activate synapses in the whole brain. As a result, you could experience improved memory. 

Get into a workout routine

If you’ve never been a person who has wanted to “workout” before, then now is the time to change your ways. Your workouts don’t even need to be intense. Simply ensuring that you’re getting your 10,000 steps in a day can be a fantastic way to improve your health. 

Furthermore, introducing exercise into your routine will promote the release of endorphins (also known as the “feel-good” hormone). Endorphins can help to relieve stress and can bring you feelings of happiness. On top of that, endorphins can help you even out your sleep patterns, which is especially important for those of us who suffer from insomnia or struggle to remain asleep. 

If you’re someone who experiences acute pain in one part of your body (and don’t we all experience some kind of muscle or joint pain by now?) try to look up physical therapy exercises online or schedule an appointment for a PT assessment. Going through these specific exercises can help bring you needed relief so you feel up to doing other physical activities. 

Use a topical cream to help with immediate pain

On top of going to PT on a regular basis, you might find it helpful to begin using some kind of CBD salve to lower the amounts of pain in that specific area. CBD topical salves are believed to provide relief by putting cannabinoids into your system. Those cannabinoids then interact with receptors in that specific area of your body, so you quickly start to feel a sense of relief. 

When looking for an anti-inflammation CBD salve, stick to one that has high-quality, dependable, and organic ingredients. You’ll achieve the best results this way. 

A shifting appearance

It’s natural for our appearance to change as we mature, but that still doesn’t mean that any of us welcome the arrival of wrinkles on our face, hands, or anywhere else. While getting wrinkles might be inevitable, that doesn’t mean you can’t adjust certain habits or use certain products to slow them down. 

Some of the main ways to prevent wrinkles include:

• Wearing sunscreen. A 2013 study found that wearing sunscreen helped to delay the effects of aging. Try to buy a moisturizer that contains sunscreen in it if you don’t want to add another step to your morning routine. 
• Increase your intake of antioxidants. Antioxidants have been found to help fight the damage that oxidative stress can cause to your cells. You can increase your level of antioxidants by eating more blueberries, grapes, and spinach. Additionally, you can use a firming face cream that will reduce the damage caused by stress. 
• Gently wash your face at night. If you wear makeup, your skin will absorb the chemicals in your face at night and this will start to cause more oxidative stress. Avoid this by gently washing your face with water or a natural face wash. 

Face getting older head on

No matter how you slice it, getting older truly isn’t “for the faint of heart.” However, just because your age is a higher number, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel like your best self. Try to follow a couple of the tips above to look and feel your best!