Lifestyle Changes Seniors Can Make to Improve Their Heart Health
Heart health becomes extremely important as we age. The heart is a resilient organ that works hard day in and day out, pumping blood throughout the body. The habits we form over a lifetime significantly affect our cardiovascular health, for better or for worse.
Although many seniors fall into unhealthy habits as they age, the good news is that it’s never too late to improve your health. Making mindful lifestyle adjustments can lead to a significant improvement in heart health and overall quality of life. If you’re a senior whose lifestyle habits could benefit from a heart health overhaul, Visiting Angels Sheboygan is here to help. Below are three small lifestyle changes seniors can make to improve their heart health.
Transition from Sedentary to an Active Lifestyle
Many seniors view an active lifestyle as one that is filled with fitness classes, time at the gym, and sport-related recreational pursuits. An active lifestyle can contain those elements, but it extends far beyond structured exercise and sports. Pursuing an active lifestyle means staying engaged and present. For seniors, it can mean going for a daily walk, gardening in the spring, improving balance through yoga, or leaving the house to meet friends for lunch. If your day consists more of couch time than movement, transition from a sedentary lifestyle to one that is more active. Park towards the middle of the parking lot instead of closer to the store door to get a few more steps in. Walk around your house while talking on the phone. Join a fitness class tailored to seniors to help build endurance. Places like Uptown Social and Sheboygan County YMCA offer exercise classes and adult sports to help keep seniors active.
Opt for a Healthier Food Choice at Every Meal
What we eat affects how our heart operates. A diet filled with processed foods, unhealthy fats, high sodium, and added sugars leads to weight gain, high cholesterol, and an increased risk of heart disease and hypertension. Choosing a nutrient-rich diet filled with whole foods supports a healthy heart and can help seniors lose extra pounds. Yet, it can be overwhelming for some seniors to make drastic changes in their diet. Instead of giving up, opt to make one healthier food choice at every meal. Whether it’s swapping potato chips for fresh vegetables, eating a smaller portion of red meat at dinner, or choosing fresh fruit for dessert, small changes can lead to significant improvements over time. Sheboygan County provides a list of local senior dining sites where older adults can receive a nutritious meal for a discount.
Organizations like Fresh Meals on Wheels of Sheboygan County, Inc. deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors in the area.
Choose Rest Over Screen Time
Poor and inadequate sleep can impact heart health. Quality sleep allows the body to maintain healthy blood pressure levels and adequate sleep helps regular heart rhythm. Conversely, not getting enough sleep can increase inflammation in the body and release stress hormones, both of which are linked to heart disease. Spending too much time on screens, especially before bedtime, interferes with the body’s release of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep cycles. It also keeps the mind stimulated, making it difficult to fall asleep. Seniors should get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you’re having difficulty sleeping soundly, choose rest over screen time. Turn off all screens at least an hour before bed. This gives your mind and body time to unwind and relax before turning off the lights. If you’ve had a poor night’s sleep, try to take a short nap instead of scrolling through your phone in the afternoon. Purchase a pair of blue light glasses to use while on your smartphone or tablet or request this special coating to be added to your next lenses. Places like Wisconsin Vision offer blue light filtering glasses for seniors, with or without a prescription.
If you need help making lifestyle changes to improve your health, the Department of Aging and Disability Resource Center of Sheboygan County Wisconsin offers health promotion workshops that can jump-start your journey. The American Heart Association Wisconsin webpage offers other tips that promote heart health.
Visiting Angels Sheboygan is also here to help. We provide professional at-home care that encompasses a variety of care needs. Our compassionate caregivers can help you take steps towards living a more active lifestyle by escorting you on a walk or transporting you to a senior fitness class. They can help you make healthier food choices and assist with meal planning and preparation. They can also keep you engaged in your favorite leisure pursuits or provide meaningful conversation through companionship so that you don’t spend your day scrolling endlessly on your phone. Getting started is easy. Simply contact us by calling 920-221-1000 to schedule your free consultation.