While people often consider their physical well-being when discussing their health and wellness, the thought of doing things to improve your mental wellness tend to fall by the wayside. Keeping physically fit is extremely important, but it’s not the only thing you should focus on if you consider your full body wellness.
Trying to determine how you can improve your mental wellness, however, can be challenging. When you’re living at a senior independent living in Michigan, it might feel like you have nothing to do or that you feel caged in, when this simply isn’t the case! Instead of lingering on those negative thoughts, consider some of these tips for improving your mental health as a senior:
1. Try reading something new
Reading is not only entertaining, it is a way to keep your mind healthy and sharp in ways that other entertainment avenues can’t. Some studies have even shown that, unlike television, reading can actually help to improve your memory, and that reading every day has the potential to reduce your chance of developing dementia by a whopping fifty percent!
When you pick up a book, try reading for at least half an hour a day. Some people really struggle with reading for long periods of time, and that’s okay! If that’s you, then try breaking up that half hour of reading into smaller segments. Enjoy a chapter with your morning cup of coffee or tea, spend a few minutes reading at the end of your lunch, and take the last few minutes before bed to squeeze in a couple of pages.
Plus, if you read in a paper book instead of on your phone or tablet, you might find yourself falling asleep more easily. The blue light on televisions, computers, phones, and tablets can contribute to poor sleep habits or trouble sleeping, so opting for a book for your bedtime wind down instead of your phone may help you get to sleep more quickly! It’s a win all around.
2. Keep a solid exercise routine
Having a solid exercise plan is a great idea for anybody to have, no matter your age, because it’s amazing for your physical health. Did you know that having a solid exercise routine is amazing for your mental health as well?
When you exercise for at least half an hour a day, you have a bit of physical protection against cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and other physical illnesses. While exercise cannot eliminate the chance for these entirely, being up and active is a great deterrent. Your mental health also benefits from regular exercise. Regular exercise can help delay the onset of dementia and can help to prevent other mental illnesses like depression and anxiety that are so prevalent in our senior loved ones.
Here at The Reserve at Red Run, our senior independent living in Michigan has some amazing classes for you to choose from if you want to get up and be active. We offer both yoga and tai chi classes if you’re interested in doing something calm and low-impact in a group, and we’re also proud to offer personal trainer sessions as well. Check the activities calendar for more information!
3. Stimulate your brain with brain teasers
Playing brain teasers can be a fun break in the monotony of your day, but did you know that they’re also great for your cognitive wellness? Brain teasers like crossword puzzles, sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, and trivia games are incredible for seniors. Not only do they force you to think of an answer and help to build up your memory, they’re just fun to play!
If you want to train your brain, consider doing a brain teaser like doing your daily exercise. Completing one brain teaser a day is like doing a workout for your mental health!
4. Get out and socialize
You might be surprised at how important socializing is to maintaining good mental health. Loneliness, depression, and anxiety play a massive role in seniors’ lives, and that feeling of isolation can have a negative impact on a senior’s physical and mental health. Seniors who are more active socially tend to have more confidence and a better quality of life than seniors who are isolated.
The key to beating that loneliness is getting out and socializing. Have friends over for a movie night. Attend clubs for hobbies that you enjoy. Go to a class and try something new that you’ve never tried before. Whatever you decide to do, anything is better than isolating yourself in your room or apartment!
Here at The Reserve at Red Run, we’re proud to offer a variety of social programs for our seniors here in our senior independent living in Michigan. Every Sunday, we offer worship services for our seniors who participate in religion, giving them the opportunity to socialize with others of the same faith. We also offer classes on social media usage, conversational Spanish, cooking, and gardening. Whatever your passion is, we’re sure to have a class or club that touches on it!
When you get out and make friends with the other residents in senior living, you might be surprised to find how much you have in common. You’ll never know unless you step outside of the doors!
The Reserve at Red Run
Here at The Reserve at Red Run, we understand how important both the mental and physical well-being of our seniors are, and we strive to be able to give seniors the opportunity to improve both here at our senior independent living in Michigan. We encourage our seniors to join some of our exercise classes like yoga and tai chi to help improve both mental and physical health. We also host fun activities, movie nights, and groups to ensure that our seniors are able to leave their apartments and have something fun to do just outside of their doors.
If you’re looking for senior independent living in Michigan and feel like The Reserve at Red Run might be the best fit for you, contact us and schedule a tour today!
