Health & WellbeingGeneralHealthy habits for women over 50
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Healthy habits for women over 50

By Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor Jul 22, 2016

Each stage of life brings with it a new set of opportunities and challenges, and turning 50 is no exception.

Cultivating healthy habits is a lifetime pursuit, and by prioritising your health you can help ensure you enjoy growing older every step of the way.

Here’s a few of the best healthy habits worth developing for women over 50.  

  • Build muscle – Exercise is one of the most common-sense tips for living a healthy life at any age, but it’s still worth repeating. Building muscle through strength training exercise will help you stay strong and limber as you grow older and make sure you can take on everyday tasks with the same energy as you had 30 years before.
  • Look after your bones – Even a minor break can lead to serious complications over the age of 50, and particularly after menopause, women lose bone density. You can help keep your bones strong by getting enough calcium and Vitamin D in your diet.
  • Reduce stress – Prolonged periods of stress can have a negative impact on our lives, and by the age of 50 the effects of chronic stress can compound. Our bodies and minds aren’t as resilient as they once were, and need a healthy lifestyle and regular stress relief to feel our best.
  • Get plenty of sleep – Menopause, hot flushes, weak bladder and arthritis are just a few of the challenges over 50 that can get in the way of a good night’s sleep. Proper sleep helps the brain store memories, improves mood and gives your body time to rest and heal. Prioritise getting 7 to 9 hours every night – tricks like going to sleep a little earlier, taking a bath before bed, and keeping your bedroom cool can all help you get the best rest possible.
  • Cut down on alcohol – Studies recently revealed that middle class people over 50 are falling into habits of higher-risk drinking. While enjoying a cocktail or a glass of wine with a meal is wonderful, it’s best left for an occasional treat rather than a steady staple in your diet. Even one or two glasses a day can add up – take note of how much you’re drinking and look for opportunities where you could easily skip out.
  • Develop new interests – Huge changes start happening for women when they enter their 50s – in the next phase of your life you may find yourself dealing with everything from retirement to an empty nest, caring for an ageing parent and the menopause. While there’s many exciting things to look forward to, it can also be a time where you feel less certain than you once did about who you are and your purpose in life. It’s never too late to stop learning, and by developing new interests you can help feel a sense of accomplishment and passion as your routines begin shifting.
  • Stay heart healthy – Heart disease is the largest cause of death for British women. Keep an eye on your blood pressure and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and try to keep excess weight from settling around your weight. Exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and quitting smoking can all help significantly reduce the risk of heart attack.

Do you have any healthy habits which help you feel your best? Leave us your tips in the comments below!

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Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor

Hello there! I’m Rachel and I’m the Assistant Editor for Silversurfers. I work behind the scenes to bring interesting, informative and entertaining subject matter to the Silversurfers community. I hope you enjoy the features we have shared with you. Please feel free to comment below and share your thoughts with us, we love to hear from you!

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