Healthy Habits That Keep You Young

The older you get, the more important it is to find ways to improve your overall health so that you can feel younger and maintain your independence. You don’t need to take huge steps to feel better; small changes are more than enough to support your physical and mental health. Here are several healthy habits that will keep you young.

Stay Active

Studies show that exercise and physical activity should be the first option when treating many common ailments such as lower back pain, obesity, and insomnia.

Resistance training is one of the best ways to develop muscle tissue, support fat burning, and maintain great overall health. It’s okay if resistance training isn’t your thing. You will want to focus on staying active. This includes walking, jogging, fitness classes, gardening, and hiking. Get your body moving as much as you can. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of what the World Health Organization recommends for older adults. Each week, strive to get at least:

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 
• 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
• You can also mix and match. For example, on Monday, perform a light cardio workout and on Wednesday, increase the intensity. 
• For maximum health benefits, strive for 300 minutes each week.

Don’t forget to exercise your brain! Studies show that keeping your brain engaged with puzzles, learning something new, and reading can help you feel young well into your golden years. Here are some brain exercises to get you started. 

Stress Less

Studies show that stress can damage your health, especially when left unchecked in older adults. Stress can increase blood pressure, heart rate, and release high levels of cortisol, a catabolic hormone.

Actively focus on lowering your stress levels. Identify the source of the stress and try your best to get away from it and eliminate it from your day-to-day. If that’s not possible, consider deep belly breathing or meditation for a few minutes per day.

You can also supplement with herbal remedies such as valerian root, passionflower, and hops flower. All three can be found in our stress supplement, Zena+, along with a dozen more proven stress busters. 

Get Plenty of Sleep

Although it can be more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep as we get older, this is when it’s the most important. Consistently skipping on sleep can promote cognitive decline and increase your risk for Alzheimer’s. Develop a sleep routine so that you can comfortably fall asleep and stay that way for at least seven hours.

• Power down all electronics an hour or two before bed. 
• Take a hot bath.
• Make sure that your room is cold – not freezing.
• Read a book (physical copy) – not an e-reader – for 30 minutes. 
• Consider meditating to enter into a relaxed state.
• Try a sleep supplement with proven ingredients for restfulness such as L-theanine, melatonin, and magnesium. We recommend Somnify.

Stay Hydrated

Did you know that if you are dehydrated, you are more likely to experience confusion, mental fog, dizziness, and cognitive impairment? Studies show that even mild dehydration can have big consequences on your cognitive health.

Staying hydrated doesn’t mean only drinking water. To properly hydrate yourself, you need both water and electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are common examples of electrolytes. You can opt for an electrolyte-based sports drink, but these may contain sugar. You can also purchase an electrolyte supplement. Add one serving to a glass of water and consume twice per day.

Do You Have Your Own Tricks for How to Stay Young?

What have you been doing to stay healthy and young-looking? Let us know in the comments below!