By Marina

Retirement is the time to slow down and enjoy a slower pace of life after long years of working and possibly raising a family. The downside to it is that the body naturally slows down with age, leaving some wondering if they’ll be able to enjoy these years truly. Modern medicine advances help keep health in good condition, but there are plenty of things an individual can do to ensure they enjoy a happy, healthy retirement.

Keep Active

Staying active is vital to health at any age as it staves off chronic conditions like high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. If you feel limited by a less able body, look for gentle exercises that don’t put too much pressure on joints. Swimming, aquacise, and tai chi are excellent activities to promote movement and center the mind. Joining a club or class has the additional benefit of bringing a social element to exercise, making it easier to stick with and boosting mental health.

Therapy

If aspects of retirement and advanced age begin to get you down, struggling with these feelings creates a downward spiral of negative emotions. If you recognize the beginnings of poor mental health, reach out to your PCP to devise a treatment plan. Undertaking a course of therapy is also an excellent way to tackle any issues you’re struggling with. An online therapy subscription makes counseling accessible to a broader audience, so income and mobility needn't hinder good mental health.

Get Enough Sleep

We’ve all had a sleepless night at some point and remember how difficult it was to function the next day. Many older people find that their sleep patterns change, making getting enough sleep difficult. To avoid dealing with the effects of chronic sleep deprivation, embrace the change in sleep patterns with adjustments to your daily routine. If you wake early, try going to bed earlier to get enough sleep and learn to enjoy the peace and quiet of the early morning.

Be Social

Loneliness and isolation take their toll on one’s mood quicker than many realize. Avoid this trap by pushing yourself to remain sociable, even if you don’t feel like being around others. If you’re struggling with one-on-one interactions, joining activity groups is an easy, low-pressure way to enjoy social situations. Support groups for bereavement are helpful for retirees who, as a group, experience higher numbers of loss than younger demographics.

Learn New Things

The brain is like a muscle; using it keeps it in good shape and delays atrophy, so taking up a new hobby or activity is an excellent way to keep your mind sharp at any age. Without the stress of building a career, now’s a wonderful time to undertake studies purely for interest. Finding new passions brings interest and purpose to your retirement and opens new social opportunities.

See New Places

Travel is another terrific way to gain new experiences and keep the neural pathways connecting. Studies have shown that people who travel and experience new cultures and places tend to be less depressed, more empathetic, and more confident in themselves. Taking holidays enriches retirement with its mental health benefits.

Have A Routine

Routine helps keep us grounded and purposeful, which is beneficial while adjusting to retirement. Following a routine ensures you remember dates and appointments and feel that life has a purpose. After years of work-based routine, the thought of turning off the alarm clock and taking each day as it comes is appealing. However, this approach to life becomes hard to maintain over time as it creates difficulties with remembering days and dates.

Give Back

Finding opportunities to give back to your community benefits yourself and others. Use existing knowledge to become a mentor and help younger community members achieve their dreams. Or take on a volunteer position to help those less fortunate than yourself or better a community amenity. The list of what’s available is endless, and you'll have a sense of satisfaction and benefit from spending time with others.

Plan In Advance

One of the best things you can do to ensure you enjoy retirement is to plan for it in advance. Where possible, contribute to a private pension to provide additional funds once you stop working. Write a will and living will and nominate a trusted person as power of attorney to undertake your wishes should you become medically unfit.

Following these recommendations will allow you to enter retirement in the strongest possible position to enjoy a long and happy life as a senior citizen.