How to maintain your energy while you get old?
Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels
Getting older is inevitable and as with every life period, this one has also its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage number one is definitely having more free time to rest, enjoy and spend with people we love. On the other hand, the disadvantage number one is getting tired more easily, fragile health, and perhaps limited movement. However, to be able to use this golden period of our life to its fullest, we need to make some changes to our lifestyles to feel more energized and ready to use all the free time we have on our hands productively. You should start with assessing your current state and only then with changes, slowly, one at a time. Moreover, you should definitely focus on improving your heart health by incorporating exercise into your daily routine. You should also have in mind water and food intake as well as getting enough sleep. Sometimes we also need to add some supplements to our diet. We shouldn’t forget to take care of our overall as well as dental and mental health. There are simply some things that you realize once you get older, so you need to learn how to deal with them.
Consider where you are and start with changes slowly
Try to assess your current situation objectively. Think about the shortcomings of your habits now and the things you have issues with. When you identify these, it will be easier for you to consider the changes you can make. It’s important not to overwhelm yourself – start slowly, by making one small change at a time and gradually build them up to the desired level. In this way, you’ll save up your energy and you’ll also feel better each day. Making small changes would mean focusing on one aspect, for example, diet, and changing one thing at a time to allow yourself to get used to the change.
Improve your heart health
This is a critical age to have optimal heart health. By incorporating some aerobic exercises, you raise your heart rate, which in turn, eventually strengthens your heart muscle. In this way, your heart can pump more blood and thus deliver more oxygen and nutrients to muscles, which is essential for keeping energy levels high. It’s also a good prevention of the natural decline of heart function. Taking a brisk walk, swimming, cycling or other aerobic activities is great for enhancing your heart health. It is recommended to go for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio activity every week.
Drink plenty of water
Water is life – it’s as simple as that. Maintaining proper levels of hydration is crucial as we age. It helps raise our metabolic rate and, in that way, it promotes healthy metabolism. Also, during exercise, it is one of the most important nutrients for supporting you during training. Dehydration is usually reflected through feelings of fatigue. To avoid this, make sure that you drink plenty of water every once in a while, especially if you feel that you lack energy.
Eat a well-balanced diet
What you need to review carefully is your diet. Think about the food you’re taking in and whether they are healthy choices or not. You should get rid of unhealthy food choices for sure. That means highly processed food as well as junk food and sodas, they are our worst enemies, being packed with sugar and liquid calories. Instead, try creating a new, healthier menu. Include as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible, nuts, fish, berries, and generally try eating whole foods. The right type of food can raise your energy levels, while the wrong type lowers your energy levels, so we should be really mindful of this.
Do strength training
Strength training such as weight lifting or some other form of resistance training is definitely one of the best ways to boost people’s energy levels of a certain age. The main benefits are building muscle mass and maintaining strength. This is important as being stronger makes our bodies more efficient, which is consequently reflected in higher energy levels.
Get enough sleep (but not too much)
Experts suggest that there is such thing as too much sleep. Yep, it’s a real thing. The line between just enough and too much sleep is thin. To decrease your time spent in bed, which wasn’t all about sound sleep, or sleep at all, as a matter of fact, there is a certain technique you can try out, after consulting with your doctor, of course. Namely, you shouldn’t nap during the day and on the first night, you should go to bed later than you usually go. You should allow yourself to sleep for 4 hours. If you feel that you slept well, you should add 15-30 minutes the next night, and so on, until you find the perfect amount of good night’s sleep.
Level up your vitamins
Vitamins are a good supplement to our well-balanced diet as they can help us feel better. They have a myriad of advantages. You can consult a health care professional for some advice on which vitamins you should take. People usually take fish oil, vitamin B complex, as well as vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium.
Take good care of your dental health
Teeth are an important aspect of our overall health and we should take good care of them. Make sure that you keep your dental hygiene at high levels. So, brush at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and also remember to use a mouthwash to reach those difficult areas. Go for regular checkups to detect any cavities, change fillings, or do teeth cleanings at a dental clinic. Not having to worry about your health really levels up your energy.
With these few simple lifestyle changes, you’ll be able to relax and spend your free time doing the things you love and spending it with your loved ones, without feeling tired and exhausted all the time.
Author BIO
Max Jones is a passionate part-time blogger from Australia and into traveling, writing articles, and gaming. He is a freelance teacher. He lives happily with his family in Sydney.
Feel free to contact him on Twitter.