Being retired can be one of the great joys of life! You finally have the time and freedom to do whatever you want. After decades of busy families and demanding jobs, you earned this time of rest and a slower pace. But just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you should become entirely sedentary! Spending your retirement on the couch probably isn’t going to make you feel your best, physically or mentally. Even if you are limited in mobility, there are still many ways you can stay active and be your happiest self. So, here’s how to stay active after retirement.
Start A Walking Group
Walking is one of the best exercises for retirees. It’s low impact, free, and can be done anywhere! It is also a great way to spend time with friends and a fun social activity. You can even start a senior walking group near you! Get your friends together and decide on a time and place that you’ll walk together. You could plan to go walking weekly or even daily. Experiment with different places to walk, like different neighborhoods, a nearby track, or an easy trail. Because your friends are counting on you to come, you’re more likely to continue this healthy habit even when it seems inconvenient.
Keep a Garden
Getting outside is a great way to stay active and take care of your physical and mental health. But just sitting outside isn’t always appealing, and sometimes it can be hard to get out of the house. Gardening requires you to spend time outdoors, connects you to nature, and can also be very rewarding. So, there are many benefits of nature for seniors. Likewise, you aren’t limited by small spaces–try researching “square foot gardening,” and you’ll find you can grow many plants in a very small area. If you live in an apartment or senior living community, see if there is a community garden near you that you can contribute to.
Try keeping indoor plants if you have no access to the outdoors! This guide on keeping houseplants might be helpful. You can grow potted herbs and flowers on most windowsills, or try low light plants like devil’s ivy (pothos) in a darker space.
Take Care of Yourself
It’s hard to be active if you aren’t feeling well. It is much easier to be active if you make sure you are taking care of your body, too. Create or maintain healthy habits, like getting a good nights’ sleep, spending time with loved ones, eating nutritious and delicious foods, and joyfully moving your body. All of these habits will protect your physical and mental health, and make sure your retirement years are some of the best ones yet. Check out the 6 best exercises for seniors here if you need help getting started.
These are just a few ways to stay active after retirement. Find what brings you joy and pursue it! You may want to read this post on easing the transition to retirement if you are having a hard time adapting from your busy life to your retirement years. Or, perhaps you need an active senior living community! Check out Stellar Living’s communities today!
