7 Easy Habits for Aging Gracefully

Getting older (and feeling the effects of aging) is something we assume will happen to everyone else… but not us. Then one day, you wake up with achy knees and sprouting grey hair. You might still feel like you’re 25, but your body and mind are changing. Many choose to deny those changes and pretend like they’re forever young. But that doesn’t typically end well.

Learning to accept those crows feet and brain farts and adapting with healthy habits is the most important part of getting older. Luckily, most of these habits are easy to add to your lifestyle—and some are even fun. Here are the seven most important to try today. 

1. Prioritize Sleep

It’s a common myth that you need less sleep as you get older. In fact, seniors need just as much sleep as younger adults to stay healthy—about 7-8 hours a night. However, elderly people find it more difficult to get enough sleep due to conditions that can interrupt quality shuteye. It’s estimated that as many as 70% of seniors have chronic sleep issues, and this can prevent them from getting the regenerative rest they need [7]. 

To get better sleep, don’t watch TV or use your phone in bed. Take naps when needed and set a regular sleep schedule that you stick to on most days. If you have trouble transitioning to sleep, look to nutrition for a safe solution. Manna Liposomal Sleep Complex is full of nutrients that may calm your nerves and regulate your sleep cycle.* Just add it to a cup of tea before bed or take it in a teaspoon. Its natural ingredients are formulated to be effective and non-dependency forming.

2. Adapt to Your Changing Nutritional Needs

As you age, your body becomes less efficient at processing nutrients. That means you may need to eat more food to get the same amount of nutrition that you did when you were younger. For example, older bodies suffer from a drastic reduction in the ability to absorb vitamin B12 and D and the antioxidant CoQ10—all of which are essential to aging well [3, 4, 5]. Many elderly people are deficient in multiple nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium [6]. 

It’s easy to become deficient without knowing it, because your diet may not have changed—your body is just less efficient at utilizing the nutrients. Taking a nutritional supplement is a simple way to get the nutrition you need without having to change your diet drastically or overeat things that you don’t want to. Manna Liposomal supplements are easy to take in a liquid dosage (no giant pills!), and they can boost nutrient absorption by as much as 10x compared to other forms of supplements. CoQ10, like that found in Liposomal CoQ10, is highly recommended since it may slow the aging process and boost quality of life.*  

3. Stay Positive by Reading or Meditating 

Your body changes a lot when you get older, but many doctors agree that stress is the real killer [1]. Chronic stress, anxiety, and worry can wreak havoc on your body from your mood all the way to your cells. Stress also pushes people to seek coping mechanisms like food, alcohol, and drugs as an escape. These bad habits do further damage to your body, causing a vicious cycle of decline.

It’s important to find a way to stay positive. This is easier said than done, but there are a few methods that work well without much effort. Reading and meditating are some of the best. Studies have found that meditation reduces stress and improves happiness—and it only takes a few minutes a day [2]. Reading is also a good way to calm the mind and reduce stress while enjoying a hobby at the same time.

4. Do 30 Minutes of Exercise a Day

Doctors recommend that adults, including seniors, get about 30 minutes of brisk exercise per day to keep spry and healthy [8]. That could include fast walking, light jogging, yoga, or moderate weight training. 30 minutes is only a few turns around the block, and the benefits are almost immediate. You’ll experience more energy, a brighter mood, and better sleep. 

The long-term benefits of exercise provide even more potent anti-aging effects. Exercise wards off diseases like heart disease, depression, dementia, and diabetes [9, 10]. Exercise can also help to offset genetic traits that may not be in your favor, like a family history of heart disease or obesity. It improves cognitive function to keep you mentally sharp. And it improves posture and burns fat, helping you stand tall and stay slim.  

5. Eat Smaller Meals

Overeating is a common problem, and it gets worse as you age. Sedentary lifestyles boost our appetites, but our metabolism slows, making obesity and cardiac disease more likely. You’re also more likely to experience digestive issues as you age, which can lead to discomfort after meals [11].

Eating smaller meals makes it easier for your body to digest food, and it will decrease the likelihood of overeating and weight gain. If you’re often hungry, you can eat more meals or add healthy snacks. Just space them out throughout the day. 

6. Visit Friends and Family Often

Apart from their health, relationships are what seniors value most [12]. Unfortunately, many people spend less time with friends and family as they age. This is due to work, friends and family moving away, limited mobility, stress, and fatigue. 

But it’s worth getting out there and seeing your friends and family at every opportunity. It could even extend your life. A study found that those with healthy social lives had a 50% higher chance of living longer than those who didn’t [13]. If you feel like you just don’t have the energy to be a socialite, you may not be getting the nutrients you need to fuel your body. Manna’s energy support bundle supports proactive energy that stems from good health, with no jitters and no crash.*  

7. Schedule Regular Check-ups

This one should be obvious, but many of us avoid going to the doctor. Young people only go when they feel ill, and that usually works just fine. But as you age, chronic disease becomes more likely. Health experts recommend that you go in for a check-up once a year after age 50 [14]. If you have an issue and you catch it early, you could prevent damage to your body that might cause you to age quickly. It could even save your life.

Getting older may be inevitable, but the negative effects of aging don’t have to be. Aches, brain fog, bad moods, and fatigue are your body’s way of telling you it’s time to make a change. The tips on this list, along with proper nutrition, will help ensure that your best days are always yet to come.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/#:~:text=Emotional%20stress%20is%20a%20major,of%20the%20liver%20and%20suicide.
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13670-018-0241-5
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5807419/
5. https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/how-to-avoid-harm-vitamin-b12-deficiency/#:~:text=As%20people%20get%20older%2C%20their,Low%20levels%20of%20stomach%20acid.
6. https://westhartfordhealth.com/news/senior-health/dietary-deficiencies/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28159095/
8. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916#:~:text=As%20a%20general%20goal%2C%20aim,may%20need%20to%20exercise%20more.
9. https://familydoctor.org/exercise-seniors/
10. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/0003-4819-144-2-200601170-00004?journalCode=aim
11. https://www.elderly.gov.hk/english/healthy_ageing/healthy_diet/common.html
12. https://www.psliving.com/whats-most-important-to-seniors-beyond-retirement-top-10-things-seniors-value-most/
13. https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
14. https://www.msmc.com/how-often-should-you-get-a-check-up/