When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, most of us have broken them by the time we get into February. However there are some goals that are worth pursuing.
Keeping active in retirement is incredibly important not only for your physical health but also for your mental wellbeing. Here at Park Home Life we provide Residential Park Homes for the over 50s in a number of different locations and pride ourselves on the number of different activities that take place on the park that help to build a sense of community.
Here is our list of ways in which you can stay active and health into your retirement years.
Social connections – friendships are incredibly important throughout our lives. But these connections become even more important when you move into retirement. Retirees can find themselves slipping into depression as they try to manoeuvre their way into a different kind of life that doesn’t involve the usual work day routines. By building social connections with those around you many people that are newly retired find that they develop friendships based on mutual interests and with those who perhaps worked in similar industries during their working life. Here at Park Home Life we provide Residential Park Homes for the over 50s in a number of different locations and pride ourselves on the number of different activities that take place on the park that help to build a sense of community. Click here for further information on one of our locations to see what activities are available for our residents.
Volunteering – many people find that they working and bringing up a family takes up the majority of their time and so the thought of finding time to volunteer for a cause that is close to their heart can be quite daunting. In retirement volunteering not only becomes more possible due to an increase in the time available, but also gives many people a sense of purpose that can sometimes be lost when daily work is no longer needed. There are many places that look for the support of volunteers, including animal charities that look for fosterers and dog walkers, right through to charities that look for volunteers in their charity shops.
Sleep – we all underestimate the importance of sleep on both our physical and mental wellbeing. In order for us to perform effectively on a physical and emotional level, as well as enjoying good physical health it is important to ensure that you are getting between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night. There are many different ways in which you can support positive sleeping habits and the National Institute on Aging gives some practical ideas that we could all be following to improve the quality of our sleep.
Exercise – it is important when planning exercise into your retirement that you look at both cardiovascular exercises as well as those that build strength. Losing strength and muscle mass can be a normal part of aging, but you can maintain your strength and muscle with carefully selected activities. If you have lived a fairly sedentary working life it is always best to consult with your GP before taking up a new exercise regime.