Lifestyle
10 actions you should take now to ensure the best possible second act
Make the most of the next chapter by improving your life in areas that really make a difference to health, happiness and financial security.
By Carolyn Tate
If you’re well into middle-age, or perhaps beyond that into senior territory, you might have an idea of where your life is heading. If your money situation is okay, and your health is good, you might be comfortable with that trajectory.
But whether you’re happy with how your future looks, or you’re bracing yourself for a downward slide, it’s never too late to make tweaks and changes to your life that can make your second act even better.
Here are 9 things to do to improve your life and contribute to you feeling healthier, wealthier and, hopefully, like life is easier:
1. Lift, push and pull something heavy
Weight or resistance training is a great way to build your strength, and maintain and improve your bone health, reducing your risk of falls and injuries, improving your posture, and contributing to better quality of life.
Don’t worry, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be pumping iron at the gym. Weight-bearing exercise is any exercise where you bear your own weight, including walking, jogging, hiking, stair walking, or aerobics, for example. According to Better Health Channel, regularly doing this kind of exercise reduces your chance of bone fractures and can reduce risk of osteoporosis.
2. Stop puffing your life away
Still defiantly smoking? Or trying to convince yourself that vaping isn’t as bad as smoking (sorry, the news isn’t good)? It’s never too late to quit! We all know smoking is terrible for your health, increasing your chances of heart disease, stroke and lung cancer, for starters.
No matter how old you were when you started, how long you’ve been doing it, or how old you are now, many studies show that quitting smoking will still improve your health. And with so much help available, there’s sure to be an approach that can work for you. The main thing to note: you’ve got to want to change. If that’s not the case for you, dig deep to find out why.
3. Know your financial numbers
If you’re thinking about retirement, MoneySmart says it’s always a good idea to plan ahead and understand exactly what your financial position is, so you can build the (realistic) lifestyle you want for your future. Two thirds of your pre-retirement living costs is generally a good rule of thumb to prepare for, keeping in mind that you may want to spend more when you first retire, if you plan to travel, move, or simply update your home. Find out more about this here.
It’s also a good idea to plan for an increase in healthcare costs as you get older, just so you’re prepared for anything. And don’t forget to take advantage of any benefits and entitlements available; if you’re eligible for the age pension, you could be eligible for other benefits, supplements and payments too, so it’s worth checking with Services Australia to find out.
More on this: 12 amazing benefits for older Australians
4. Learn to be present
If you’ve always thought meditation was for yogis on mountaintops who bend themselves into pretzel shapes and imagine themselves as a grain of sand, it could be time to revisit the concept of mindfulness.
You can practise mindfulness just by being present in your everyday activities, rather than letting your mind wander, but if you want a more formal practice, meditation has a raft of benefits that can help you reduce stress, boost your immune system, improve your sleep, lower your blood pressure and stabilise your memory.
Apps like Smiling Mind and Insight Timer have almost endless meditation tracks you can use for free, so there’s sure to be a style of meditation or mindfulness that appeals to you.
5. Get a dog (cats and guinea pigs also welcome)
There’s a ton of research supporting dog ownership post mid-life. Dog owners tick a lot of the ‘good life’ boxes like staying physically active, daily companionship, keeping us social and even helping us cope with stress. Our beloved doggo companions can also give life meaning and purpose during major life shifts like retirement or losing a loved one.
While other pets haven’t been as well researched, there’s no denying that stroking a cat or a guinea pig – or getting up at dawn to let the chickens out or ride your horse; or watching your fish or birds; or even feeding your pet mice to your pet snake – make everyday life just that little bit better.
6. Notice what’s good
Expressing gratitude doesn’t just improve your mood, it’s also linked to better cognitive performance, emotional wellbeing and better overall physical health.
You can start a gratitude journal, use a gratitude app on your phone (we like Presently and Three Good Things) , take photos of things you’re grateful for, or simply remember to express gratitude to people in your life as you feel it. However you choose to do it, you’re sure to reap the benefits.
7. Put in the right fuel
As we get older, our nutritional needs can change, so what has worked for you in the past may not be what you need now. The key is to eat foods that fuel your body properly, while reducing the risk of disease and keeping bone density and muscle health in good levels.
A visit to your GP or an accredited dietitian can give you a personalised plan, but some smaller actions with big benefits to try anytime are:
- Drink enough water each day
- Eat a wide variety of foods from each food group
- Add extra fruits and/or vegetables to your meals and snacks
- Eat foods rich in vitamin B12
- Ensure you get enough protein to maintain muscle strength
8. Check things out
Stay on top of your regular screenings and health checks so if anything in your body changes you can address it early. This will improve your chances of making a quick and complete recovery. Important note: denial and putting your head in the sand is not an effective health plan!
Talk to your doctor about what health checks you might be due for, and be sure to visit them early if you notice anything changing. Some checks you might want to ask your GP about include your hearing, blood pressure, sight, bone density, mammogram, bowel cancer screening and a prostate cancer assessment.
Check Citro’s handy guide to the free health checks you need in your 50s and 60s.
Don’t skip out on the optometrist or dentist, either. Both eye and oral health are a mirrors to your general overall health.
9. Sleep on it
A bad night’s sleep won’t just make you grumpy; poor sleep can also affect our cognitive function and increase our risk of falls. Inadequate sleep has also been linked to serious health conditions such as stroke, obesity, depression, heart disease and kidney disease.
To give yourself the best chance of some decent shut-eye, try to go to bed and wake up at similar times each day. You might also like to check whether your mattress needs replacing; avoid blue light from screens, vigorous exercise or eating heavy meals before bed; and having a relaxing night-time routine that helps you wind down.
More on this here: Make your sleep habits as clean as your sheets
10. Build all kinds of connections
We saved the most fun tip for last! Your mission is to get out and see your friends, family or community and have some fun.
The benefits of socialising include better cognitive function; lower risk of depression; lower rates of cardiovascular issues, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and osteoporosis; stronger immune system; and better sleep. Being with others truly is a miracle tonic.
After retirement, we can sometimes experience less incidental socialising, so it’s important to make the effort and get out there. And if you’re looking for more opportunities to socialise, try joining a social club, taking a class, volunteering or joining a gym. Even interacting online can be helpful, if you’re not able to leave the house. The main thing is that you reach out and make some regular connections with others.
Image: iStock/Fly View Productions
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