How to Stay Stress-Free as You Get Older
Stress is a part of any life. Even good stress can play games with your mind and body, make you tired and ruin your mindset for enjoying life. As you age, your body isn’t as able as it once was to defend itself against the damage that stress hormones can cause.
Both physical and emotional trauma can be strenuous for seniors and the impact on your body and mind can be difficult to overcome. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but there are ways to ensure you prevent or overcome the stresses that life brings.
Physical stress can come in the form of not being as energetic as you once were – or not being able to fit in clothes you once wore because your waistline is growing. Emotional stress may happen if a spouse passes away, a move occurs that takes you away from friends and family – and much more.
One way you can combat stresses of life as you age is to stay connected to friends and family, choose a form of exercise you can do and enjoy and adhere to a diet rich in the nutrients that will keep you healthy as you age.
When you feel worried or stressed out in your later years, it may be more difficult to overcome. The trick is to stay active, both mentally and physically. It’s thought that high degrees of stress can cause diseases such as cardiovascular – and even Alzheimer’s disease.
The extra cortisol throughout the years may damage a part of the brain called the hippocampus – the area that’s designated for storing and retrieving memories. And, scientific studies have proven that women are more apt to be affected by stress overloads than men.
Seek stress management methods if you are aging and experiencing a great deal of stress in your life. Besides your diet and a regular amount of exercise, maintain a positive mindset and learn to push negative thoughts out of your mind when they first occur.
Stress management techniques may also include becoming involved with a hobby, learning a new language or studying a subject you like by taking classes, becoming involved with a group of people with the same interests and anything else that you may enjoy and that gets your mind off the stress in your life.
Keep in mind that anything which reduces the effects of stress on your body and mind can add years to your life and ensure that you maintain a good quality of life as you age.
