When it comes to aging well, the best day to start is today.
“Stay active, connected, engaged,” says Dr. Lisa Centilli, a provider at Tidelands Health Family Medicine at The Market Common. “Aging well is all about quality of life, function and independence.”
In many ways, aging well, especially after we hit 60, is all about living life as we did when we were kids – move as much as possible (preferably outside in the fresh air), build in-person friendships and social connections and learn something new every day.
This doesn’t mean taking up mountain climbing or running a marathon when you retire. Nothing that extreme. Rather, decades of research show that it can be as simple as:
Go for a brisk walk in the morning or the evening. Lift weights. Swim. Take up bicycling. Swing a golf club. Play pickleball – after warming up properly. Try tai chi or yoga.
Exercise gets our blood pumping, keeps our heart and lungs healthy and helps our body regulate its functions. Remaining physically active is vital to maintaining mobility and health, says Dr. Centilli.
“Mobility is really key to independence,” she says.
People are social creatures, and most of us enjoy being around other people. Staying connected to friends and family plays an important role in our emotional well-being.
Isolation, conversely, can speed our deterioration as we age. The list of social possibilities is endless—from volunteering at church or with a community group to joining a sports team, starting a hobby or offering to share decades of expertise as a mentor.
Research has shown that stimulating our minds as we age can stave off the threat of cognitive decline, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Being a lifelong learner helps create what researchers call a cognitive reserve, which can delay the onset of cognitive decline. So, what’s the best way to keep our noggin rockin’?
“Choose something that gets your brain thinking, not just zoning out in front of the TV,” says Dr. Centilli.
Crossword puzzles are the classic example of brain exercise, but you could also play music, learn a language or write in a journal.
Our metabolism slows as we age, so aging well means paying closer attention to what we eat and keeping our weight in check. Reducing our weight, combined with a better diet and more physical activity, can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.
The alternative—isolating ourselves as we age—is a recipe for trouble, Dr. Centilli says.
“It’s become a vicious cycle,” Dr. Centilli says.
Taking steps to age well after 60 is a way to maintain our independence as we age, she adds.
“If you can stay independent, it helps not just the physical aspect of aging but also the mental aspect,” Dr. Centilli says. “You might live a long life, but you want to add a good quality of life to those years.”