One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is adapting habits that help us live energetically and do more activities. Some of these common resolutions include exercising daily, eating healthy, sleeping more and worrying less.
But why do we keep seeing these resolutions appear year after year? What can we do to finally cross them off the list?
They keep popping up on our lists because we all wish to live longer and we all wish to age healthily.
Below are activities that you can adapt in your life to age healthily; once these activities become habits you can in essence “cross off” some resolutions:
Exercise or a daily workout is the most common New Year’s Resolution on everyone’s list. But due to our busy schedules, many of us are not able to fulfill the resolution.
It’s important to start small. It is better to do at least a little bit of activity than nothing at all. A minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity is necessary for our physical and mental well-being.
These workouts don’t need to be grand affairs, leaving you feeling sore and tired every day. Workouts can be in the form of a walk, 30 minutes of yoga, dance/aerobics or be as simple as stretching exercises - exercise is essential for us to age healthily.
Exercise not only keeps a check on our weight, but it also improves blood circulation and oxygen supply throughout the body, which helps us to be energetic and active all day!
Regular exercise also keeps many chronic aging disorders such as arthritis, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and depression at bay. If devoting proper 30 minutes is not possible throughout the day, then one can even opt for quick workout techniques like HIIT, that helps the body to burn fat in a shorter amount of time.
A balanced diet with the right amount of nutrients is an essential part of healthy aging. Food plays an important part in maintaining your physical and mental health. A diet which comprises of appropriate supply of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals not only helps us maintain our weight but also contributes to maintaining our emotional and cognitive health. A healthy diet is not only the key to feel young, but also to look young [1].
Sleep is a vital process which is quite essential for our optimal day-time functioning. Older adults just like young adults, require minimum 7 hrs of sleep daily - but they often end up sleeping for fewer hours. Aging causes some natural changes in sleep patterns of older adults, but complete lack of sleep is a cause for concern. Insufficient sleep is associated with many neurocognitive impairments, as well as chronic conditions such as depression and increased fall risk [2].
Many of our illnesses are either caused or are complicated due to stress. Common causes of stress in adults are financial stress, work stress, relationship stress and family stress. Stress if not dealt tactfully can lead to serious chronic conditions in old age such as cardiovascular diseases, memory loss and depression. Long-term stress can damage brain cells and can accelerate cellular aging [3]. There are many ways to deal with stress:
We all have read about how smoking is injurious to our lungs, but that not the only physical aspect that is affected by smoking. Smoking increases the risk of heart diseases, strokes and may also increase the chances of occurrence of cancer. Simply by quitting, one can reduce the risk of potential chronic diseases and lead a healthy life as they age.
Excess alcohol consumption brings along with it a set of physical and mental issues. It not only affects your liver and causes diseases like liver cirrhosis, but also can be a cause of neurological impairment, cardiovascular diseases and can have a negative impact on aging [5].
Regular physical check-ups can help you detect illnesses in their early stages, that pop up as we age. As per the requirement, your doctor can prescribe you medications and supplements that can help you age healthily with fewer complications.
Aging is an inevitable process of life. But taking preventive measures from an early age can help make sure you are healthy and active in your 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond!
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3500384/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428505/
[4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49797718_Roles_of_meditation_
on_alleviation_of_oxidative_stress_and_improvement_of_antioxidant_system
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_alcohol_consumption
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Rejuvenation Therapeutics
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
