How to Be Your Happiest in 2022: Health and Wellness Tips for Seniors

2022 is officially here, and with a new year comes setting new resolutions and new goals to strive towards in the coming year. For seniors, particularly, embracing a new year can be a challenge, especially if you're settled in your ways and aren't that receptive to change ordinarily. If that's you, we're happy to share these great tips on how to be your healthiest and happiest in 2022.

Tips for a Great 2022:

• Embrace Exercise

  Of all things that we can tend to neglect as we age, regular exercise is one of them! Embracing exercise as we get older and making it a way of life is vital if we want to look and feel our best throughout the year. Regular exercise is also a critical component of not only our physical health but also our mental well-being, helping to improve our mood levels and keeping us fit and healthy.

• Do Something for the Fun of It
  
  Hobbies are an excellent idea for anyone, no matter your age. Choosing a hobby to participate in in the new year can also be a motivating factor to look forward to 2022 with renewed optimism. In addition to this, hobbies are an excellent way to pass the time. They can help us stay physically fit, mentally alert, and socially active as we learn to take on a new skill, especially if it brings us much happiness and fulfillment. Click here for new hobby ideas! 

• Learn Something New

  Lifelong learning is one of the best ways to keep the mind sharp. And with extra time on your hands, now is the perfect time to expand your knowledge. If you've always wanted to learn about art history or behavioral science, why not go back to school? Online coursework makes it easy to go back to college from the comfort of home. Alternatively, you can look for continuing ed courses to audit at your local university or even Massive Open Online Courses. Whatever you choose, you can learn on your terms.

• Healthy Eating All the Way

  Along with regular exercise, it's also important to complement a healthy lifestyle with a healthy eating plan. Adopting healthier eating habits is typically a lifelong process that should ideally start at a young age. But as the saying goes, it's never too late to start somewhere. So if your eating habits could do with some improvement, 2022 could very well be the year to make it happen for you.

  Furthermore, eating well becomes all the more essential as we age because our dietary requirements often change too. More so, the food we eat in our latter years also tends to directly affect our health. More specifically, it affects our weight, our general health, and can even impact our mood. What matters most, though, is finding an eating plan that works for you. Equally important is staying committed to your new eating plan in the new year so that you derive the most out of embracing this new way of life.

• Restyle Your Home

  If you've grown bored with your home's aesthetic, why not make some impactful changes that beautify your space and add a sense of calm? Bold wallpaper or paint colors, statement pieces like standing sculptures or a preserved ammolite fossil, Persian rugs, and rich fabrics can all go a long way toward updating your decor. And you can do this yourself by studying the latest design trends or splurging on an interior designer.

• Take Time Out for Yourself

  While this may seem counterintuitive to stay productive in 2022, it's not so much about taking time out for yourself as it is making a deliberate effort to enjoy this time to the utmost. For example, you could make vacationing to a dream location a non-negotiable once-a-year event to recharge your batteries and renew your focus.

2022 Could be the Best Year Yet

2022 could be the best year yet is a saying that is probably overused, especially if you've watched the years go by and you haven't achieved all that you meant to. But if you play your cards right and embrace 2022 in all the right ways, it really could be the best year yet!

About the Author:

Andrea Needham is the creator and editor at Elders Day. A lifelong writer, she created her website to share information and resources with other seniors who love living it up as they age. Andrea believes our golden years don’t have to be a time to slow down, and she looks forward to sharing the many health-boosting, fulfilling activities and experiences that are perfect for aging adults.