When many people think about living an active lifestyle, they focus on vigorous exercises and lifting weights at the gym. While those activities are clearly beneficial, they can also be intimidating. It’s important to remember that all sorts of activities qualify as movement, and you don’t need a gym or an exercise class to be …
Flexibility Exercises for Seniors
If you’re feeling a little less flexible than usual, you’re not alone. We start to lose strength and flexibility in our joints as we get older, leading to reduced range of motion and eventual difficulty turning, bending, and lifting. This is especially true if you’ve spent a lot of time sitting, whether that be at …
Why Laughing Is Good for Your Health
You’ve heard it before: Laughter is the best medicine. There’s nothing quite like sharing a belly laugh with friends. Laughter can strengthen your connections with others, brighten up a dreary day, and contribute to some of your favorite memories. But did you know that laughter also comes with a variety of proven health benefits? Scroll …
How to Practice Mindfulness for Seniors
Mindfulness is defined as “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.” Though you may be tempted to dismiss the concept as “woo-woo” or worthless, thousands of studies have demonstrated the physical and mental benefits of mindfulness (source). And although it has roots in Buddhist …
How Sleep Changes with Age
Change is inevitable as we grow older. Over the years, you may have noticed your hair growing whiter and your skin becoming dryer, but have you observed any changes in your sleeping routine? It isn’t uncommon for older adults to struggle with sleep despite sleeping well in their youth. Once you learn how sleep changes …
The Best Foods for Joint Health
Do your joints often feel stiff when you first wake up in the morning? Is winter a season of aches and pains due to your arthritis? Has your knee pain been flaring up more often than it once did? If you’ve been struggling with joint pain, talk to your doctor about methods of prevention and …
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Do you often feel moody or melancholy in the wintertime? Does it ever feel like the cold temperatures and lack of sunlight are sapping your energy? Do you find it difficult to be upbeat and motivated when the days are short and frigid? Don’t brush off these feelings as “the winter blues.” You may suffer …
Winter Safety for Seniors
Isn’t it wonderful to live in a place that experiences four distinct seasons? People like to complain about winter, but let’s take a moment to appreciate all the lovely things about wintertime: beautiful snow that transforms the landscape, cozy fires, hot cocoa, soft sweaters and flannel pajamas, warm blankets, an excuse to eat comfort foods …
Strategies to Prevent Diabetes
According to a study by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), as many as 25 percent of the U.S. population age 65 and up has diabetes. Type 2 diabetes poses an especially high number of health risks for seniors, including higher mortality, reduced functionality, and severe microvascular and cardiovascular complications (including heart disease). Diabetes is a …
Benefits of Exercise for Seniors
When you’ve been sedentary for a long time, exercise can seem intimidating, challenging, or even optional. As people get older, they’re more likely to be less active. In fact, according to the CDC, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity by age 75. If you’ve been shrugging …
