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Tips to Stay Active

During Your Retirement

By Shelley WengerPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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You have waited your whole life to be able to enjoy this time in your life. In fact, if you were careful, you probably have been saving money your entire working life, so that you didn't have to worry about money during your golden years!

So, how can you enjoy your retirement the most? The best way to do this is by remaining active. Here are some tips to stay active during your golden years.

Focus on the amount of sleep you are getting. The National Institute on Aging recommends at least seven and nine hours of sleep every night! Though this may sound like a lot, you should do your best to make sure that you are getting enough shut eye. This will help you stay active and healthy.

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Think long-term (not a quick fix). When it comes to your health, you need to think about the long-term and not just a quick fix. You need to make healthy choices on a daily basis, not just one meal. You will find your health improves if you start to incorporate more healthy foods into your daily diet.

As well as your exercise plan. You need to think long-term when it comes to exercising. You aren't going to start running right away. You are going to have to work up to that. You may want to start walking a mile or two a day. Jog a few minutes at a time, until you can jog the entire time.

Otherwise, you will burn out (and quit exercising all together). Slow and steady is the way to go.  

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Don't forget about your mental health. Your mental health is just as important as the physical. Try to stay mentally healthy by playing games, puzzles, and crosswords. You may even be able to do some of these on your phone when you are on the go!

Your retirement is also a good time to start a new hobby. This is a perfect time to pick up photography, a new craft, or something else. This will keep your mind and spirit up.

Take time to make friends (and keep old ones). The truth is that many seniors get depressed after retirement. This is especially true when people stay home all of the time.

Instead, use this time to visit with your old friends. Meet for lunch. If your friend isn't able to leave his or her home, go over and take a meal with you. If you are stuck at home, invite others over. They won't care about the state of your home. They just want to spend some quality time together.

Find ways to look for new friends. If you live in a retirement community, you may find other couples who are looking for friends to spend time with. You should join Bingo and movie nights. Do whatever you can to stay in touch.

If you are serious about staying healthy and active, you need to act that way by getting enough sleep at night. Maintaining a good diet all of the time is better than trying to make up for lost time by only eating salads for a week. You won't be able to maintain that at all. The same goes for exercise. You are not going to be able to go run a mile when you haven't even walked a mile in a few months (or years).

You should also use this time for your mental health. It is a good time to start a new hobby. You also should try to maintain your friendships. Too many seniors get depressed, so you should find ways to get together with your friends, as well as find new ones that may enjoy the same hobbies that you do. This will really boost your mood. 

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About the Creator

Shelley Wenger

Small town country girl in southern Pennsylvania. Raising two boys on a small farm filled with horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, ducks, dogs, and a cat. Certified veterinary technician and writer at Virtually Shelley.

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