Your retirement years are supposed to be a time of rest. Don’t let stress ruin it for you. Learn about stress management for seniors, and you’ll be able to enjoy your golden years like you deserve to.
Stress Management for Seniors
Wouldn’t it be nice if all your stressors magically disappeared once you hit your golden years? Unfortunately, stress isn’t as easy to retire from as some other things are. Stress is a part of everybody’s life, regardless of age, and learning to manage stress is vital for your mental and physical health. Stress management for seniors can give you the relief you’re craving.
Try to Understand Where Your Stress Comes From
Before you can manage your stress effectively, it’s helpful to understand what is stressing you out and why. Sometimes the source of our stress is obvious, such as an irritating commute or a rude acquaintance. Sometimes, it requires a little more work to figure it out:
- Practice self-monitoring. Keep track of the times you feel particularly stressed throughout your day and how your body reacts. Look back at what you record regularly. What are your most common stressors? How can you avoid them?
- If your anxieties cause you stress, it can be helpful to stop and reframe them. Is the situation as bad as it seems? Is there a possible solution you could see from another angle? Consider how a change in perspective can help you make sense of things.
- Is stress already making your life difficult? Stress can cause issues like insomnia, which unfortunately only exacerbates the original problem. If stress is already affecting your physical health, talk to your doctor about potential medical solutions that will help you reset.
Learn Some Relaxation Techniques
Because mental stress physically affects your body, learning relaxation techniques can be an excellent way to help yourself calm down and refocus. If you’re feeling stressed out, pause for some deep breathing. You can also use mindfulness meditation to pause and reorient yourself to your surroundings if you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you aren’t sure how to get started with relaxation techniques, ask your doctor or a qualified medical professional for their advice.
Get Physical
Do you know why stress can make you feel restless and irritated? When you experience stress, your body creates cortisol and other hormones to help you get away from whatever is causing you distress. In our modern world, stressors usually don’t have physical activities attached, so our bodies store that stress without an outlet. Work out your stress by creating an exercise routine and sticking to it. You don’t have to become a gym devotee, either. Something as simple as a walk around the block once a day can help you lower your cortisol levels.
Enjoy Something Creative
Believe it or not, one of the most effective stress relief tools in your toolbox is embracing your own creativity. Creative pursuits can help lessen the effects of stress by creating dopamine and oxytocin, which lower stress levels and contribute to an overall feeling of well-being in the body. So next time you feel stressed, get out that craft bin or sing your favorite song in the shower. It might help more than you think!
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If you’re looking for ways to limit your stress as a senior, assisted living might be the right fit for you. Contact us to learn more about how assisted living can make your life easier.
At Springhouse Village, we encourage our residents to explore their interests and offer a wide range of activities and events so that there’s always something interesting happening. We make it easy for our residents to be active participants in our community. Whether that means encouraging residents to join an exercise class or assisting them in starting a garden club, we strive to help our residents thrive. To learn more about the amenities and services we offer, contact Springhouse Village today by sending us a message online or calling 417-708-3403.