How to live positively regardless of old age?

Instead of seeing aging as a negative thing, we can accept the good things that come with age as well as practice positive methods to be able to enjoy life and slow down the aging process of the body. body.

Here are a few ways to enjoy life without worrying about your age.

1. Seeking inspiration from life around

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), in a study of older adults, researchers found that, when we take an “ awe walk ” (a walk with the attitude to discover new perspectives even on things that are familiar and ordinary, by actively observing and feeling the details present in the surrounding space or context), we will increase feeling exhilarated and feeling more connected to society than just a walk in nature. Walks were conducted once a week, lasting 15 minutes each, and seniors were asked to take pictures of themselves and self-assess their feelings after each walk. As a result, these people feel more positive, connected to the community, and have less negative feelings.

The above research has shown that paying attention to things and events that promote excitement will bring positive effects, especially for older people.

2. Participate in social activities and engage the community

A 1996 study of more than 12,000 Swedes found that those who participated in cultural and social events tended to live longer and healthier lives than those who did not. Since then, many other studies have also been carried out and proved that people who participate in social activities such as going to church, going to the cinema, restaurant or participating in sports events live longer. long and healthy. One of the reasons for this is that the above activities increase social connection, improve relationships and enhance the sense of belonging in the community, which are factors associated with positivity and mental health. In addition, cultural activities also help train sharper thinking. Therefore, participating in the above events will help you dispel the anxiety of age and live more lovingly.

3. Stimulating the senses

Many people believe that living space can help reverse aging. In fact, this opinion has absolutely a scientific basis. Just as our muscles atrophy if we don’t exercise, so does our cognitive ability if our senses are not stimulated. When living in a space with dark, monotonous colors and boring furniture, the brain also becomes less sharp.

The sensitivity of the human senses decreases with age. The lens of the eye tends to thicken and yellow, allowing less light to enter the eye. The sense of smell, taste and hearing also gradually become less sensitive. So make your living space more vibrant with colors, artwork, plants and other sensory stimuli to both slow down the aging process and give your skin a healthy glow. you much fun.

4. Buy flowers for yourself

In a study by Sage Journals , when people were presented with flowers or looked at plants, people tended to improve their memory, mood, and ability to focus. Likely, this is the result of human evolution when observing plants. Since ancient times, when people knew which flower would produce what fruit, they would remember the location of that flower so that it would be easier and faster to find fruit later than other animals.

In addition, research also shows that gardening also helps improve physical and mental health for the elderly. Therefore, buying flowers for yourself or planting trees where you live will help you live more youthful in the later stages of life.

5. Go back in time

In 1981, psychologist at Harvard, Ellen Langer, tested a study called the ” counterclockwise study ” with men over the age of 70. For 5 days, they had to live in a monastery designed to look like it was in 1959, equipped with vintage items such as radios and black and white televisions instead of modern equipment. The books on display are all popular books from previous decades. Even the TV shows or music that was played kept the spirit of the time.

Men living in that environment were treated like they were in their 50s, not in their 70s. They have to carry their own bags, discuss the news or discuss sports from decades ago. And to make sure everything is the most authentic, there are no mirrors or images around so that they temporarily forget their real age and keep thinking that they are a few decades younger.

After completing the study, the men were more upright, more flexible, and their vision was better. Until 2010, a similar experiment was conducted by the BBC, this time the participants were all elderly celebrities. The results of this experiment are similar to those of Ellen Langer’s study. From there, Ellen concluded, we can keep our thoughts younger, from which our bodies will also follow that way of thinking and reverse aging.

We don’t need to fully apply Ellen’s experiment to our lives. Instead, simply visit your favorite places you haven’t been in a long time, or read old books or magazines while enjoying old music. While these activities don’t have as much impact as the experiments mentioned above, you also have the opportunity to reconnect with a younger version of yourself and feel a bit younger when remembering old memories.

6. Optimizing flexibility

Exercise is said to be a way for us to stay healthy and fresh at any age. However, some studies show that movement helps us increase the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays an important role in memory and learning. As age increases, the size of the hippocampus also shrinks, impairing memory and potentially leading to dementia. In another study with older adults, exercise increased the hippocampus by 2%, equivalent to preventing aging for up to two years.

Not only does it have an effect on cognitive ability, exercise also brings a lot of joy in life , sports such as swimming, climbing or dancing will help us not to feel bored when we are old. Go.

7. Update new technologies

It is said that society becomes more distant when we are too dependent on technology. In fact, some studies show that, as older adults use technology, they tend to be healthier. The reason is because the Internet creates a wide social connection, which is the most important factor in ensuring mental health, especially for the elderly. In other studies, people who couldn’t use technology proficiently felt disconnected from the world and lacked motivation. So when older adults learn to use technology, their cognitive functioning is increased, they feel more connected to the community, and feel more independent and in control of their lives.

No matter what age we are, the joy of living is still the most important factor to stay young and flexible. Therefore, although we cannot control the increase in age from year to year, we can still maintain our mental youthfulness by maintaining an active lifestyle, thereby slowing down the aging process.

May you always find joy and keep your spirit young.