A friend warned me many years ago, “Be careful when you turn 60. That’s when your body starts taking revenge on you for all the abuse you have done to it.”
In some ways this is all too true. There is much to recommend living a long life, but as with anything else, it comes with a cost. Physically we discover that we face new challenges and must learn to focus on taking care of ourselves in ways that we took for granted when we were younger. Generally, this means watching what we eat, developing a routine for exercise, getting enough restful sleep, and receiving regular medical and dental care.
If you are under 60, we can begin developing these healthier habits and improving our odds at making a healthy transition into retirement. However, many of us put this off, preferring to push ourselves and our luck.
As we prepare for or enter retirement, it is imperative that we wake up to the realities of aging. We need to recognize that in retirement we will be tempted to be less active. However, our bodies will demand that we become even more engaged in physical self-care. The following tips are intended to start you on a path toward improving your body’s health as you prepare for and enter retirement. As the old adage says, “We only get one body, make the most of it.”
In some ways this is all too true. There is much to recommend living a long life, but as with anything else, it comes with a cost. Physically we discover that we face new challenges and must learn to focus on taking care of ourselves in ways that we took for granted when we were younger. Generally, this means watching what we eat, developing a routine for exercise, getting enough restful sleep, and receiving regular medical and dental care.
If you are under 60, we can begin developing these healthier habits and improving our odds at making a healthy transition into retirement. However, many of us put this off, preferring to push ourselves and our luck.
As we prepare for or enter retirement, it is imperative that we wake up to the realities of aging. We need to recognize that in retirement we will be tempted to be less active. However, our bodies will demand that we become even more engaged in physical self-care. The following tips are intended to start you on a path toward improving your body’s health as you prepare for and enter retirement. As the old adage says, “We only get one body, make the most of it.”
Tips
First, get a thorough check up. Many people will have improved access to healthcare at age 65. Take advantage of this and talk to your doctor about a complete physical check-up. This will allow you and your doctor to establish a baseline for your physical condition. It may help you discover the challenges that you will face in retirement. Even if you are feeling good and do not have any significant issues, speak to your doctor and develop a plan for getting all the systems checked out.
Second, take a good look at your lifestyle. When our schedules open up with retirement, we may let go of the self-disciplines that served us well while we were working. We may start staying up later or sleeping in. We may nibble our way through the day and/or skip meals. We may be tempted to plant ourselves in front of the TV or Computer. Most of us know what we need to do to stay healthy in retirement. The trick is in being honest with ourselves and establishing a new set of routines that will help us stay healthy. Make some intentional choices about your lifestyle and then allow those intentions to guide your day-to-day choices.
Third, when our health faces a challenge, get it taken care of as soon as possible. Older bodies are less forgiving. With a less effective immune system comes an increased risk of serious health issues. Pneumonia can develop much quicker. We cannot afford to let stuff slide as we get older. The risks are too great.
Finally, give yourself permission to enjoy your retirement. Unless there are major reason not to, enjoy a cookie and milk as a mid-day snack. Just do not eat the bag. Watch an interesting TV show. Just do not binge watch a whole season in a day. If you want to stay up and watch a ballgame then do so. But allow yourself to sleep in the next day. If you want to get up before day break to get to your tee time, give yourself permission to either take a nap when you get home of make an early night of it. In short, go ahead and make exceptions to your lifestyle choices but do not make the exceptions the new rule.
Get a check-up. Choose a healthier lifestyle. Take care of the small problems. Enjoy your retirement. When we accept responsibility for our physical well-being in retirement, we will find that we are better able to deal with the “revenge-taking” that comes with aging. These tips will not protect you from the costs of living a long life, but they will make you more resilient and better prepared to deal with physical issues when they arise. To quote a modern sage, “Live long and prosper!”
Bob
Second, take a good look at your lifestyle. When our schedules open up with retirement, we may let go of the self-disciplines that served us well while we were working. We may start staying up later or sleeping in. We may nibble our way through the day and/or skip meals. We may be tempted to plant ourselves in front of the TV or Computer. Most of us know what we need to do to stay healthy in retirement. The trick is in being honest with ourselves and establishing a new set of routines that will help us stay healthy. Make some intentional choices about your lifestyle and then allow those intentions to guide your day-to-day choices.
Third, when our health faces a challenge, get it taken care of as soon as possible. Older bodies are less forgiving. With a less effective immune system comes an increased risk of serious health issues. Pneumonia can develop much quicker. We cannot afford to let stuff slide as we get older. The risks are too great.
Finally, give yourself permission to enjoy your retirement. Unless there are major reason not to, enjoy a cookie and milk as a mid-day snack. Just do not eat the bag. Watch an interesting TV show. Just do not binge watch a whole season in a day. If you want to stay up and watch a ballgame then do so. But allow yourself to sleep in the next day. If you want to get up before day break to get to your tee time, give yourself permission to either take a nap when you get home of make an early night of it. In short, go ahead and make exceptions to your lifestyle choices but do not make the exceptions the new rule.
Get a check-up. Choose a healthier lifestyle. Take care of the small problems. Enjoy your retirement. When we accept responsibility for our physical well-being in retirement, we will find that we are better able to deal with the “revenge-taking” that comes with aging. These tips will not protect you from the costs of living a long life, but they will make you more resilient and better prepared to deal with physical issues when they arise. To quote a modern sage, “Live long and prosper!”
Bob
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