Take Care of Your Health After Retirement

In the post-retirement chapter of your life, it is sometimes difficult to navigate changes in your body, your daily activities, and even your needs. You may feel overwhelmed in handling that back pain that just won’t go away and keeping up with the numerous medications that you suddenly have to take. The sad truth according to the National Council on Aging is that “92 percent of seniors have at least one chronic disease and 77 percent have at least two.” These stats demonstrate how vital it is for people to take care of themselves post-retirement.

After you’ve retired, you deserve to live a blissful and stress-free life. That entails taking care of your physical, financial, and emotional wellness. Here are our top tips to help you prepare for your golden years:

Taking Care of Your Body:

Indulge in Food That’s Good for You

You’re at a higher risk of developing illnesses when you’re older. So if you want to live a meaningful life, you need to take care of your body by supplying it with the nutrients you need. Older adults require fewer calories, but don't skimp out on nutrition. Consume fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free dairy, seafood, and beans. These will help you increase your intake of important nutrients, like protein, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. So make sure you sample the following different, healthy cuisines by testing out recipes that include the aforementioned ingredients.

Get Your Muscles Moving

Besides eating healthy, you can also take care of your body by doing regular physical activities. As an older adult, you need to exercise moderately for at least 2.5 hours per week so that you can maintain a healthy shape and avoid chronic pain.

Future Living: How to Take Care of Your Health Post-Retirement But when you’re at a more mature age, it can be difficult to hit your fitness goals because of various limitations. The great thing about exercise is that you can explore various options! Those who are experiencing joint pain can try a low-impact exercise like yoga. Daydreaming in Paradise recommends yoga because it’s a physical activity that infuses breathing exercises and meditation. After a relaxing session, you’ll be able to strengthen your body without straining your muscles, plus you’ll experience greater sleep quality over time. But if you have limited mobility, you can try chair yoga or other chair exercises. You can also sign up for virtual classes, like Cedars-Sinai’s"Leveraging Exercise to Age in Place" and will meet new people while improving your health concerns. This way, your motivation to keep yourself fit and healthy will definitely increase since you're accompanied by people with the same goals.

Managing Your Financial Wellness:

Manage Your Retirement Savings

You can have a healthier lifestyle if you allocate a budget for nutritious meals and medical expenses, plus have a little extra for your wants! To do this, you need to take into account how much money will come in from your 401(k), IRA, or Social Security. After taking note of your monthly budget and your savings, compare this to your list of estimated monthly expenses. If your expenses exceed your income, consider delaying your withdrawal of Social Security. You can get a 72% increase in your Social Security benefits if you claim it at the age of 70 instead of 62. Moving to a smaller home or less expensive area can also help decrease the costs.

Automate Your Bills

It’s normal to become forgetful once you get older. However, this can become a huge problem if you forget to pay important bills. This may put you at risk of getting your electricity cut off, or even losing your Medicare coverage. To prevent this from happening, you can opt to automate your monthly bills through the bank. This ensures that all your bills will be paid off from your savings so that you can still have access to important services.

Investing in Your Mental Health:

Connect with Your Social Circle

A study published in The Journal of American Geriatrics Society revealed that lonely older adults have a shorter life span as compared to peers who are socially connected. Living a long life surely is great, especially if you’re surrounded by the people you love. Now that you have more time, have some playtime with the grandkids and go on dates with your children. You can also catch up with your friends and do your favorite hobbies together.

Show Up for Yourself
You’ve worked for many people over the past decades, so it’s time that you fulfill your desires and show yourself some love. Indeed, you make the rules now! Self-care and self-love are important here at OneShare Health because these can help you improve your mental and emotional health. You can improve your well-being by doing nature-based recreational activities, like fishing or walking in a park. Most importantly, make it a point to fit your hobbies into your daily schedule.

Consider the changes that come with the post-retirement life as an invitation to live a healthier life. Focus on your physical, mental, emotional, and financial health so that you can take care of your overall well-being.