Healthy Aging Month

Healthy Aging Month

September is Healthy Aging Month which is meant to draw focus on all the positive aspects of growing older. At the same time this is used to help provide inspiration to adults and older adults to take up healthy habits and ensure that aging can be a healthy process. As the number of individuals who are older than 45 grow every year it is more important than ever to highlight the importance of maintaining one’s health and positive outlook on life. Continuing to maintain a healthy mind and body should be considered just as important at an older age, as it so commonly is at a younger age. Studies have shown that older individuals have negative thoughts and perceptions about aging. The impact of these myths ends up influencing older adults to “act their age” instead of “act how they feel.” Not only is older adults’ physical health impacted by this, but so is their mental health. Some important ways to practice Healthy Aging focus on maintaining a healthy body and a healthy mind. The following are some ways to help maintain a healthy body:

• Exercise,
• eat a healthy diet,
• attend regular physical check-ups, and
• and maintain a healthy sleep schedule.

The importance of exercise cannot be overstated as it can increase bone density and help retain the ability to remain functional in many day-to-day activities. Maintaining one’s mental health and cognitive function is the other aspect of healthy aging, and it is just as important as physical health. The best ways to help maintain mental health while aging include staying social, such as staying in contact and regularly speaking to or visiting friends; maintaining a positive outlook on life and aging can help combat depression and encourage living life to the fullest; being creative and trying new activities are ways to make life interesting at an older age; and challenging the mind. This can be done by playing brain games that involve memory and strategy or by learning something new, such as a skill or foreign language.

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References:

• • https://www.unicityhealthcare.com/celebrating-healthy-aging-month-during-september/#:~:text=September%20is%20Healthy%20Aging%20Month,positive%20aspects%20of%20growing%20older.
  • https://healthyaging.net/healthy-aging-month/september-is-healthy-aging-month/
  • https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/health-highlights-september-healthy-aging-month
  • https://www.shccares.com/blog/september-healthy-aging-month