At least 18% of those between the ages of 57 and 64 have said that they are actively dating someone. Dating as a senior isn’t uncommon and it’s just as much of a regular thing as dating at any age. 14% of those between 65 and 74 have reported that they are dating someone and even 9% of those between 75 and 85 years of age are as well. With divorce, a loss, or other life-altering circumstances as the catalyst, many people find themselves single again in their golden years. This can also occur due to regular breakups or separations.
There are some things in our lives that we just can’t control regardless of age and there are things that can happen to us in terms of our love lives no matter what our age might be. Breakups are often one of those things. Keep reading as we talk about how to navigate and overcome a breakup later on in life.
Can Breakups Alter Our Personal Wellness?
When we experience a breakup, there can be a lot of feelings that go along with it and these feelings may be felt across different age groups. These feelings can alter our personal wellness and our health, too. According to experts, breakups can actually cause physical pain and take a toll on our well-being. Unfortunately, during a breakup, you may experience negative health effects as well.
The reason for this is that romantic feelings can feel like or be described as a drug in some way. Considering the findings of WebMD, romance triggers “feel good” chemicals in our brain. When you lose those feelings, especially not by your choice, you could experience things like heightened anxiety and tiredness. This buildup of stress hormones can simulate the feelings of a heart attack in some cases.
While these feelings may be unavoidable in many situations, there are ways that you can alleviate their adverse effects and make breakups easier on yourself, especially if you are a senior.
Don’t Be Discouraged
Breakups are sometimes an unfortunate yet natural part of life and they can happen at any age. It’s a common occurrence across all demographics no matter the stage of a relationship you’re in or where you may feel you are in life. Many separations can happen at the fault of no one.
Sometimes, the relationship just doesn’t work out for a variety of reasons. Regardless of how it happens, it’s not something that you should hold onto or base future connections off of. If you find yourself dealing with a breakup later in life, there’s no reason to be discouraged.
If you can learn from your past relationships, you can avoid repeating the same mistakes if you made any initially or you could simply allow yourself another chance depending on how your relationship ended. You can come out stronger after a breakup and even learn more about yourself. The key to this is to keep yourself from feeling discouraged and not to let one situation define another.
Take Care of Yourself
Self-care is an important component of healing after a breakup as a senior or at any age for that matter. It’s important because of the role it plays in your mental health. Allowing yourself the chance to process and naturally recover is the first step and self-care can get you a bit farther. A breakup can be a difficult time for anyone and you may want to pay close attention to how you feel and how you’re taking care of yourself afterward.
You may experience feelings of anxiety, depression, a disruption in your usual activities, and general distrust. The thing is, breakups affect people in different ways and they can also happen for multiple reasons. Even if there was no particular reason for the breakup, self-care will still be a good way to keep a good mood intact and decrease any negative feelings you may potentially experience.
If you’re a senior living in Florida, you will have access to activities and resources to help you cope and a few things you can do is to;
- Remain active
- Take on a new hobby
- Try out new looks
- Stay in touch with family
- Consider the benefits of pampering yourself
- Try journaling or talking with someone close to you to avoid emotional buildup
Focus on Health and Well Being
After a breakup, many people start focusing on health and wellness. This can be a great thing as it can help people get healthier, feel better, and find their confidence again. It’s important to remember that you never want to try to replace your ex with a new partner right away. Although you may not feel it initially, it’s better to address your well-being quickly instead of allowing your emotions to fester over time. Consider pursuing a new passion, exploring a new place on your own, reclaiming your independence in some way, or developing an exercise routine.
As a senior, consider any preexisting conditions you may have and do your best to regulate their effects and try not to allow current situations to affect anything else you may be experiencing in terms of your health.
Stay in Close Contact with Friends and Family
Whether a breakup was a divorce or leaving what was long-term companionship, keep your support system in mind. As a senior, think of your family, including your grandchildren if you have them, and consider the ways they can positively affect your mood. Healing can take a bit of time but one of the best things you can do after a breakup is to stay in contact with friends and family. It’s important that you don’t isolate yourself during this time and expose yourself to some form of social interaction.
Along with staying in close contact with family and friends, you want to do your best not to blame yourself, acknowledge that breakups are just a part of life no matter how difficult they may be, and avoid holding onto the past relationship.
Don’t Rush into a New Relationship
There is no perfect time to start dating again after a breakup but the rule of thumb here is to allow any other connections to happen naturally. Do your best not to seek out new companionship right away. Some people may wait a month, others may realize that the three months recommended to resume dating is enough time while others may take a year or longer to move on.
The best thing that you can do as a senior navigating a breakup is to give yourself the time you need. Dating again after a breakup is a new experience and you don’t want to overwhelm yourself too soon.
Allowing Yourself Time to Heal
Breakups can be incredibly difficult, but they are also an opportunity to re-evaluate your life and yourself. In many cases, it can be a chance to start over. Of course, this is mainly in terms of a general breakup and not necessarily the physical loss of a partner but the navigation tactics can be used in either situation. If you are experiencing a breakup, take some time to learn more about yourself as a person, and don’t forget to keep in mind how your health could be affected if you don’t take time to heal.
Overall, the best way to get over a breakup is to take it day by day, not rush into a new relationship, and to be patient with yourself. Breakups happen, and they happen to people of all ages making it a natural part of life that everyone has to navigate in the best way that they can.
