Retirement is a new chapter in life, one that gives you unlimited opportunities for personal development, enjoyment and refreshment. It is a phase to revel and rejoice in the wisdom you’ve gained through the years while embracing the joy of still being young. While physical aging is unavoidable, our health, attitudes and lifestyle choices significantly impact how we feel after retirement. We like to think of age as not just a number, and the only person who can make us feel old is ourselves! And this is because age is partly a choice, for there are various things you can do to help keep yourself feeling young. 

It doesn’t matter whether you spend your golden years in a vibrant retirement village or your own home. The choice is yours, as long as you make sure you keep reminding yourself to discover new ways to maintain a youthful and positive attitude. Change is always challenging, but change can also give us a new lease on life and expose us to things we ever even thought of experiencing. In this blog, we look at five ways to stay young, energetic and fulfilled in your golden years. 

• Stay Active 

Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to retain your vigour and feel young. We are lucky that in Australia, we have such a range of enjoyable activities out there that will help keep you active and maintain a healthy body and mind, from brisk walks to yoga lessons or even dance sessions with your partner or friends at your senior apartment independent living. Participating in physical activities increases strength and flexibility, improves mood and cognitive function, can improve your social life if you exercise together, and lowers your risk of age-related health problems. That’s quite a lot, wouldn’t you say?!

• Maintain a Positive Attitude

A positive attitude is a powerful tool that can help you manage life’s ups and downs with grace and perseverance. To stay present, practice being thankful and mindful while surrounding yourself with positive people. Accept the extra time that retirement brings and consider this time as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

• Eat Your Fruits

This seems almost too simple a concept,, but consuming fruits can profoundly affect how we feel and function, especially in our senior years. Superfruits like goji berries, pomegranate and other berries are rich sources of antioxidants and vitamins, helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure, inflammation in the joints and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s. Berries are also known to release the growth hormone, which improves sleep, reduces fat, improves memory and boosts the immune system. Try incorporating these as snacks or throw them in a smoothie or juice for breakfast.

• A Balanced Diet

Although we mentioned earlier that you must include fruits and berries, in fact, more of everything should be advised in order to keep feeling well into your during your retirement years. Everyone, especially seniors, must eat a well-balanced diet, as it’s important for good health, vitality and longevity. Whole foods such as vegetables, grains and lean meats should be prioritised over processed and sugary foods. It’s pretty much common sense, really. It’s also important to maintain hydration and seek the advice of a healthcare expert to help establish if you need any special dietary requirements. Regular check-ups will help to make sure your health is going well and if you need to make any adjustments to your diet such as lowering your cholesterol etc. Eating correctly will also take care off your special nutritional requirements, maintain your energy levels so you can engage in the activities you enjoy, and improve your general well-being. 

• Learn Something New

Learning is not for just for the young ones!  Learning is a lifelong process that is enjoyable at all ages, as long as you find a topic/hobby that interests you. And, it keeps your mind sharp! After the busy years of working hard, or parenting, and juggling, retirement is an excellent time to explore new interests, take classes or develop a new trade, because now, finally, you have the time. One of the bonuses of living in a retirement village is the many opportunities to try and experience new things or join an online learning platform to hone your new skills. Playing puzzles and brain games can also greatly benefit seniors. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, brain games like crosswords and sudoku help prevent cognitive decline and strengthen memory.

The Bottom Line

Retirement is an exciting and wonderful phase of life that should be lived well with the freedom and opportunities that come along with it. Although physical and mental changes are bound to happen, you can still choose to feel young at heart and live life to the fullest in your golden years! Keeping healthy and well, means you will get the very best out of these years.