Tips For Seniors To Stay Healthy In Summer
Summer is a great time to take advantage of the beautiful weather and work on your wellness, especially for older adults! Engaging in some new healthy habits now that the weather is warmer can help you feel amazing, both in mind and body.
Calgary is known as the Blue Sky City, and with all that sunshine, it doesn’t hurt to spend some time outside and soak up some vitamin D! Vitamin D has a number of positive effects for your body that are especially advantageous for older adults, including helping improve bone health, which is especially useful for older to help increase resiliency to injury. Going for walks and enjoying the sunshine is a great way to help increase vitamin D levels.
It may seem obvious, but it is important to stay hydrated! When the weather gets warmer, it’s easy to end up dehydrated. Dehydration can manifest as muscle cramps and weakness, dry skin, headaches, or even a drop in blood pressure. Aside from drinking more water, choosing foods with higher water content can also be a good way of introducing more water into your daily consumption. Foods like cucumber, watermelon, tomatoes or strawberries are known for having high water content. Another great way to increase water intake is by introducing new routines, for example starting your day with a cup of tea or water in the morning or having a glass of water with your meal.
Being outside is not only more enjoyable for physical health, but there are many mental benefits to spending time outdoors. Appreciating nature has a variety of physical and mental benefits; something simple like walking through a garden, smelling blooming flowers or being in greenspaces is directly linked to an increase in positive emotions and overall happiness in seniors. It also presents a great opportunity for socialization, which is another great tool for improving mental health.
Another change that the summertime brings is a change in daylight hours. While we might not be aware of it, this change of daylight can affect sleep patterns. Sleep is important for nearly all areas of the body. Physically, not getting enough sleep has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. If you find yourself feeling tired in the morning, feeling irritable or having a tough time with memory, it could be a sign you’re not getting a quality nights sleep. One way to improve sleep is to have a strict routine. This could involve going to bed at a certain time each night or limiting screen time past a certain time. Developing other soothing bedtime rituals can also help improve your sleep. Things like having a cup of herbal tea before bed or listening to music you find relaxing can help you fall asleep easier.
Make sure to enjoy the beautiful weather and take time for personal care this summer!