Getting older doesn’t mean it’s going to be boring. You may not have as much energy as you had back in the day, but you do have the time. The question is, how best to spend this time to make sure that you’re staying engaged, keeping healthy, and of course, having fun. If you’re looking for ideas on how to spend your golden days, here are some exciting ones that will keep your mind and body as healthy as can be.
Walking Party
Walking may not seem all that fun but going out with a couple of friends drastically changes that. According to the American Senior Communities, walking helps lower blood sugar, reduce pain, boost mental health, and improve the health of your heart. It’s also a very good and low-cost social activity that easy to get into. Doing as little as 30 minutes of walking every day can keep you healthy. What are you waiting for? Break out those sneakers and start walking.
Dancing
Again, this is one of the more social activities in this list. This is because social health is arguably more important as one gets older. According to the Greater Good Magazine, social connections keep older people more physically and mentally healthy. They base this on a study about seniors’ social capital and how the more of it they have, the more likely they exhibit health-seeking behavior.
Dancing is a great way to stay healthy while connecting with others. It’s good for the heart and the joints. Dancing also improves cognitive activity with the way it keeps you mentally alert. It helps lower the chances of developing dementia. This is because the activity also encourages you to think on your feet – literally! This is also the reason many nursing homes regularly have this as a group activity.
Tai Chi
According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Tai Chi is an excellent way for seniors to improve muscle strength. They recommend doing this twice a week for best results.
If you don’t know what Tai Chi is, it’s a Chinese martial art that focuses on harmony of the mind, body, and spirit. It’s closer to meditation than an actual martial art used for close-quarters combat. Many people compare the art to Yoga, but with some key differences including which parts of the body are being targeted. Because of this, Tai Chi is more suited to older people who may find yoga poses too challenging.
According to Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Tai Chi helps improve muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and aerobic conditioning. You can often find Tai Chi groups in parks and quiet areas. You can also find YouTube videos like this to follow, but where’s the fun in that?
Board Games
You can still have fund while sitting down. Play a game of bingo, Scrabble, or chess with a friend. According to Help Guide, playing these kinds of games can relieve stress, improve brain function, boost creativity, and help keep you feeling young and energetic.
Plus, it’s one of the best ways you can connect with the younger generation. Break out the chess board the next time your grandchildren are around.
Staying healthy doesn’t have to be a chore when growing older. Find fun and healthy ways to spend your time.