7 tips to help keep you healthy as you age

As you age, focusing on your well-being becomes essential. While some factors, such as genetics, are not within our control, there are steps you can take to help manage your health.

Our experts share seven tips to help you live longer and better.

Stay active to maintain your strength and independence

Exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve balance and lower the risk of falls. It also enhances sleep and decreases feelings of depression. Aging adults who exercise regularly are not only improving their chances of living longer but also living better. Living better means enjoying more years of life with less pain or disability.

Staying active can include:

• Walking around your neighborhood
• Practicing yoga or stretching
• Gardening
• Doing housework

A lack of physical activity can lead to more doctor visits and hospitalizations. It can also increase the risk of certain chronic conditions.

Learn more about the benefits of stretching and improving flexibility

Choose nutritious foods that fuel your body and mind

Maintaining a healthy diet as you age helps support muscles and strengthen bones. This can help with balance and independence. A nutritious diet involving fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins can also help boost immunity. It can also help lower the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes,stroke and some cancers.

Working with a registered dietitian is a great way to reach your weight goals, create an eating plan to manage disease and more.

Learn more about h ow registered dietitians can support you in healthy eating, lifestyle changes and managing illness

Protect your mobility

Mobility is the ability to move or walk freely and easily. Mobility is critical for independent living. Continuing to stay active and mobile can also help maintain your balance and physical strength as you age. Older adults who lose their mobility are less likely to remain living at home. In addition, they may have higher rates of disease, disability, hospitalization and death.

Getting up and moving daily can help you improve and keep your mobility.

As you age, your fitness routine should ideally include exercises that work on strength, flexibility and balance, such as:

• Walking
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Tai Chi
• Water aerobics
• Weight training

Exercising is always more fun with a friend. Ask your family, friends or neighbors to join you on your next walk or yoga class.

Before starting a new exercise routine, talk to your doctor to ensure it's safe and helps you reach your health goals. This is especially true if you have any medical conditions.

Stay engaged and keep purpose in your life

Building relationships and taking part in social activities increases life satisfaction and supports brain health. A new study shows that having a strong sense of purpose can help lower your chances of developing dementia. People who said they had a strong sense of purpose were about 28% less likely to have memory problems or dementia.

Examples of ways to keep engaged include:

• Devoting time to family, nurturing relationships with grandchildren or supporting loved ones in need.
• Keeping your professional passions alive through work, mentorship or giving back to the community.
• Staying engaged with your spiritual practices or faith communities and finding belonging in shared beliefs.
• Fueling your curiosity by exploring hobbies, mastering new skills or setting and achieving personal goals.
• Giving back through acts of kindness, advocacy, caregiving or philanthropic efforts that uplift others.

Learn more about how h aving a sense of purpose may protect against dementia

Things you can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease

Prioritize interpersonal connections

Spending time with people you care about can help you feel better and keep your brain healthy. When you don't interact with others or take part in social activities on a regular basis, you may feel socially isolated. Over time, this isolation may contribute to loneliness. Loneliness can cause you to feel dissatisfied with your social life or feel like you don't belong.

Prolonged loneliness can lead to cognitive decline and is linked to a higher risk of dementia. One way to combat loneliness and increase your sense of purpose is to join social groups such as clubs, community activities or volunteer organizations.

Maintaining connections can motivate you to wake up each day to learn and grow. Finding your purpose helps keep your mind strong and makes life feel more meaningful and satisfying.

Protect your mental health

Older adults face a higher risk of stress and its effects. Cortisol is a hormone your body makes when you're stressed. After middle age, your cortisol levels go up, which can affect brain health. Chronic stress can worsen conditions like stomach issues, headaches and sleep problems. You can help manage stress with meditation, exercise, breathing exercises and by participating in activities that bring you joy.

Learn about the 10 health benefits of meditation and how to focus on mindfulness

Depression often goes unrecognized in older adults. While they may express sadness, they may also experience unique symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and memory issues. They also may have fatigue, changes in sleep or eating, confusion or disinterest in activities they used to like. Some may think it is normal to be sad as an older adult due to changes in health and life. However, having depression is not a normal part of aging. Talk to your primary care provider if you notice symptoms like deep sadness, problems thinking, confusion, poor sleep or loss of appetite.

If you are in a mental health crisis, having thoughts of suicide or just need to talk to someone, call or text 988 or chat online at the 988 Suicide &Crisis Lifeline. They provide free and confidential crisis support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There's also a special line for veterans - just dial 988, then press 1

Learn more about the s ymptoms of anxiety and how to know when you need help

Attend regular health appointments

Regular check-ups can help catch concerns early and improve the chances of positive health outcomes. Meeting with your primary care provider at least once a year, or more often if needed, may help reduce disease risk factors.

Regular screenings can detect diseases and conditions you might not know of yet, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. If you only go to the doctor when you feel sick, you might miss the chance to catch a disease early, when it is easier to treat. Regular check-ups can help you start treatment months or even years sooner than you would otherwise.

Telehealth, a video visit, is a great option for speaking with a health care provider from the comfort of your own home.

Learn more about t elehealth visits and how you can get care quickly and easily

At UC Davis Health, we're dedicated to improving the health and well-beingof the aging population. Our team of geriatric, hospice and palliative care experts provides interdisciplinary team-based care to improve the health and well-being of older adults across care settings.

Learn what services and programs are available by our interdisciplinary team of UC Davis faculty from our School of Medicine and the School of Nursing .

This blog was medically reviewed by Anna Satake , Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist and Assistant Clinical Professor at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.