You might think that older adults live stress-free life after retirement. After all, they’ve figured out life and no longer have to deal with the stress that comes with work or taking care of children. On the contrary, there is much stress that older adults can experience. Relationships, finances, decreased mobility, deaths of loved ones, as well as other areas of life, are all possible sources of stress that plague older adults. In this article, we go through some useful tips that can help you with managing stress in older adults.
Meditation
We could all use some time to sit down in a quiet place and go through our thoughts. Meditation is an effective form of short-term stress relief and also helps with stress management in the long run. You can try practicing breathing slowly and focusing on being in the moment. Or you can practice self-reflection and think about the good things you’ve done and what you can improve in. There are many different types of meditation, so you can definitely find the right kind for your loved one. It’s all about practicing mindfulness and appreciating life as it is in the present.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is like going on a vacation but in the depths of your mind. You can do solo guided imagery and imagine your happy place. It can be a beach or in the nature, any scenario that suits your fancy. Imagine the wind in your hair, what you’re doing in the place, anything that will put you in a good mood. Guided imagery can also be done alongside an audio recording. The audio can either just have ambient sounds for you to immerse yourself or it can be a voice guiding you through the scenario.
Cognitive Puzzles
Thinking games like Sudoku or crossword puzzles provide a good form of mental stimulation. Not only does brain stimulation help with preventing cognitive decline, but these puzzles are also helpful distractions from stress. They usually require focused concentration which will pull your mind away from ruminating about daily stressors. In addition, being able to solve such puzzles can give your loved ones a sense of accomplishment and boosts their confidence in themselves. Buy them a crossword puzzle book or sign them up for a cognitive puzzle website and watch them enjoy themselves being able to beat difficult mental challenges.
Yoga
Yoga has been one of the most popular trends in low impact exercise and rightly so. It combines physical exercise, meditation, stretching, and controlled breathing all into one simple stress relieving activity. Doing yoga has both short-term and long-term benefits. You can definitely feel the difference in your mood right after one session. In the long run, with a consistent yoga routine, you will reap physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. There are lots of ways to start out. It can be as simple as going onto YouTube to find beginner tutorials, or you can enroll yourself into a yoga workshop which has an added benefit of socializing with other like-minded people.
