A lack of sleep has been linked to all sorts of disorders and age-related problems, so elders need to ensure they’re getting the proper rest by using the following tips. Better sleep provides a host of benefits which include greater energy levels and a stronger immune system.
Get More Sunlight
Many in the 65+ age group spend too much time indoors sitting down. Exposure to sunlight will provide your body with Vitamin D while also regulating your melatonin levels which will positively influence the wake/sleep cycles. That being said, elders will want to try to get a minimum of 2 hours’ worth of sun exposure each day, which can be done by walking, running, hiking, playing golf, or gardening.
Minimize Your Stress Levels
Major life events such as retirement, financial difficulties, illness, relocation to a new state or country, or the death of close friends or loved ones can cause significant stress which may impact sleep. Finding someone that you trust and can confide in will help a great deal, but other steps include simplifying your life and learning to delegate chores and tasks to other people rather than trying to do everything yourself.
Minimize Your Use of Prescription Medications
A large number of aging retirees are using some form of medication. And while the medical community has touted them as being safe and effective, a growing body of research shows that many of these drugs have debilitating side effects that might be just as bad as the condition they are trying to treat, not to mention the risk of dependency.
This is why shrewd elders have been turning to natural medicine – the traditional plants and herbs that were used by our ancestors thousands of years before modern medicine was conceived. These natural remedies are highly effective, extremely affordable, and have none of the side effects associated with their prescription counterparts.
Get More Sex and Exercise
While sexual activity will naturally decline in many aging people, especially women, men can and should maintain their sex life. Doing so will greatly relieve stress while allowing them to get a good night’s rest. However, the key to maintaining your libido well into your golden years is continued physical fitness. Men that smoke, drink, lead sedentary lifestyles, and take prescription medications will experience a significant loss in their libido.
Maintain a Good Diet
A lot of elders scoff at the idea of eating a healthy diet, pointing out that they’ll eventually die anyway and don’t want to spend their remaining years on earth eating rabbit food. While this line of thinking might seem logical at first, it must be noted that you can eat food that is healthy and delicious. Quality food doesn’t have to be bland at all.
Second, while death might be inevitable, you don’t want to spend your final years bedridden or with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or constant pain. Those that avoid dietary deficiency and exercise regularly will live longer, fuller lives and when it is time to pass away may do so peacefully in their sleep, which is the best way to go.
