Three Important Mental Health Tips for Seniors

By: Kenny Williams

Seniors Mental Health Round Rock. More and more older adults are now starting to become more vocal regarding their different feelings of both anxiety and stress. It’s always important to do everything that you can in order to care for anything and everything involving your overall health and wellness, which also includes mental health as well.

Mental health is a factor that includes both emotional and psychological well-being. This is because it can affect feelings such as how we think, how we feel, and perhaps just as importantly, how we cope with all kinds of stressful events that occur in our lives. Additionally, mental health can also affect physical health as well, such as having a decreased appetite, trouble sleeping, and more, all due to being stressed or anxious. In terms of older adults, they can also experience issues such as the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, both of which can affect both mood and anxiety. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control states that approximately 20% of adults who are over the age of 55 have some sort of mental health concern that includes depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.

Here are three of the most important mental health tips that seniors should always consider.

• *Firstly, it’s always a good idea to stay as active as possible. For instance, take yourself on a walk on a regular basis, perform some simple chair stretches every day, or join a senior fitness class. Whatever you decide to do, staying active is great for both your mental health and physical health, especially since exercise can help to keep your body strong, as well as get rid of aches and pains and decreasing your overall stress and anxiety levels.
• *Next, take the time to evaluate all of your current medications. This is because there are some medications that can actually increase your feelings of stress and anxiety due to side effects. Schedule a consultation with your doctor and talk about all of the possible side effects of the medications that you currently take, as you may be able to switch doses or medications themselves to help reduce the side effects that you will experience.
• *Seniors Mental Health Round Rock. Finally, it’s always important to maintain as many healthy habits as possible. For instance, try to sleep for between 7 and 9 hours every night, eat more healthy meals that contain nutrients (including fruits and vegetables), and maintain a normal routine so that you will be able to perform important tasks, such as sleeping, eating, and exercising, at around the same times each and every day.