Hitting your 60s can be a major life event. Your health might be declining, limiting the range of activities you can take part in when you suddenly have a lot more time on your hands in retirement. However, it's never too late to take care of your health and develop good habits. This could be a new lease on life, packed full of activities you've been wanting to do. That is why you should focus on staying healthy so you could enjoy many of the same activities you once did for as long as possible. This Pacific Prime article gives you five tips for looking after yourself in retirement.
1. Nutrition
It's never too late to improve your health. As you age, your metabolic rate slows. This can lead to weight gain and increase risks of obesity, heart diseases, and more. That's why it's crucial to keep a healthy, balanced diet. Ideally, you should stick with a diet low in saturated fat, with 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, whole grains, fish, and lean meat.
Remember to keep hydrated. The sensation of thirst also decreases as you age, which leaves you vulnerable to dehydration. Make it a goal to grab a glass of water from time to time, but avoid sugary and/or fizzy drinks.
2. Stay active
It is more important than ever that you stay active in your retirement. When you're in your 60s, it's easy to be discouraged by the chronic conditions you have. You may also be keenly aware of your body's limitations. Exercise improves your health and most importantly, your mood.
Daily exercise lowers your risk of obesity, heart diseases, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. Additionally, it boosts your self-esteem and improves your sleep - a difficult task for some. Aim for 150 minutes of physical activities a week. Doctors recommend a mix of aerobic exercise to increase your heart rate, and strengthening exercises to challenge your muscles. This protects you from sarcopenia or the loss of muscle mass common in aging people.
Sounds daunting? Start small! Go for five minutes of light exercise first before building up a longer workout routine.
3. Maintain a positive attitude
To many people, retirement is a huge change in their lives. So, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. According to researchers, having a positive mindset about aging can add up to 7.5 years to your life. That's why it's important to take care of your mental health.
Retirement doesn't have to be the end of chasing after your goals. In fact, you should keep dreaming. With so much time in your hands all of a sudden, you should follow a schedule to take control of your time. Get to know yourself and plan interesting activities so you won't be sitting in front of the TV for hours like many other retirees.
Another tip to enjoying your retirement is to keep socializing. Surround yourself with good friends because a good social support system goes a long way in keeping you happy and stimulating your brain.
4. Engage in stimulating activities
Guard against dementia by keeping your mind occupied. Recent research suggests that older adults generate as many new brain cells as younger ones. In other words, we can keep making new memories and boost our health no matter our age. So, challenge your brain with puzzles and constant intellectual stimulation. Try learning a new skill today. Nowadays, it's easy to pick up new skills with a wealth of online courses out there. However, don't let it stop you if you feel like returning to campus!
Just a simple change of routine is enough to build new neural pathways in your brain. For example, instead of taking the same route home, why not try a different path? This will force your brain to readjust and take in new information.
5. Retiree healthcare insurance
There is nothing as important as your health when you're retired. That's why you should get a comprehensive retiree health insurance plan. First, the outpatient coverage is a must when you're in your 60's because you should be visiting your doctor regularly. This is so you could keep getting tested and detect illnesses at the earliest signs possible. Find out more about the 9 health tests that could save your life.
Moreover, most people in their 60's are dealing with one if not more chronic conditions. Treatments for these conditions require complex and extensive care. So, new insurance plans would regard this as under " pre-existing condition coverage ". This coverage is either incredibly expensive or comes with benefits limitations, such as moratorium.
Is your plan renewable? Many individual insurance plans come with an age limit, which ranges from 64 - 69 years old. To put it simply, beyond this age the policyholder won't be able to renew their plan once their insurance term is finished. However, there are options out there without this limit.
Thinking of traveling in your retirement? International health insurance might be just what you need to ensure you get the best medical treatment possible, no matter where you are in the world. For more information on selecting the right retiree health insurance plan, please see this post. Alternatively, chat with our team of expert insurance advisors today for an obligation-free quote! They are happy to balance your needs with your budget to find the best plan for you.
