Although retirement is an exciting time for anyone who has dreamed of achieving new opportunities, entering this stage of life can sometimes result in unpreparedness and stress. Combatting these feelings can occur before retirement through effective planning to keep yourself busy each week.
After retirement, many older adults begin to experience symptoms of loneliness — one-fourth of older adults over 65 feel isolated due to significant life changes such as less social interaction with co-workers and friends. This feeling impacts their mindset toward everyday activities. Even their favorite hobbies become uninteresting to them as they face this new change in socialization.
Staying active during retirement significantly decreases the chance of feeling lonely and developing health risks later in life. Even maintaining continuous healthy social interactions every week provides numerous health benefits, including decreases in:
- The risk of heart disease and strokes
- Developing dementia
- Rates of depression and anxiety
- Hospitalizations due to heart failure
Staying active each day improves healthy aging so you can enjoy your time engaging with friends and family for as long as possible. Making new memories and creating stronger relationships with your loved ones are the most significant benefits of staying active during retirement.