Seniors and Stress: What You Should Know

ourseniors.net-Seniors and Stress: What You Should Know

While stress is something that affects everyone, seniors need to be aware of the damage that stress can do, especially if it goes unmanaged. At least 47% of seniors have said that while they do experience joy, they also experience levels of stress. A lot of seniors also say that they feel both. 

While this may not seem like a lot, the thing is, seniors often experience levels of uncontrolled stress during multiple phases of their lives, oftentimes, during transitional periods or times of great change and the issue with this is that a lot of the time, these changes aren’t avoidable. From losing independence and having to transition into a nursing home, not being close to family, or experiencing cognitive decline, stress is something that seniors are exposed to more often than the regular day-to-day stressors that many people experience just by chance. 

Let’s take a look at what stress actually is, why it should never go unnoticed, and what high levels of stress mean for seniors.

What Exactly Is Stress and What Does It Mean for Seniors? 

Stress can be seen as any type of change that causes a variety of strains. This could be mental, physical, or even psychological strain. Anything that results in more adverse emotions or heightened anxiety would indicate that someone has gone through a period of stress. Keep in mind though, that stress is a completely normal human response. 

This doesn’t mean, however, that it should ever go untreated, especially if periods of stress become more constant. Emotional pressure, general tension, and feelings of being overwhelmed, incapable, or out of control are examples of stress and for seniors, it can mean a few things.

While stress is a normal part of life, it actually affects seniors differently, although some of these effects aren’t abnormal for other age groups. For example, stress will usually manifest into more physical things for seniors. A good example of this is health problems and the inability to achieve optimal wellness. This is one of the main reasons that stress should never go overlooked, especially for older adults.

What Can Stress Turn Into? 

If you are a senior in Florida that is experiencing high blood pressure, chronic levels of fatigue, frequent headaches, or even difficulty sleeping, these are red flags of stress. You should also be paying close attention to whether you are having chest pains, experiencing loss of energy, or even an upset stomach that appears to be persistent. These signs of stress can transpire into other issues. 

Stress can easily result in heart disease and diabetes. It can increase your risk of obesity, heart attack, and stroke. Also, while age-related problems with memory are already a concern for any seniors, ignored stress can result in memory impairment as well.

Ways for Seniors to Combat Stress 

There are a variety of ways to help reduce stress on your body from exercising regularly and incorporating a more nutritious and sugar-free diet into your schedule. The main thing that seniors want to do is to pinpoint the stressors they have. This will allow them to better determine the severity of their stress as well as to recognize if there is a consistent pattern. 

The reason that this is important is that oftentimes symptoms that point to stress could also be symptoms of other underlying conditions and this would be a time to consult with a physician. Seniors that live in Florida can easily combat stress by getting a healthy dose of laughter, taking breaks when they need it, and maintaining stronger social connections. A few other things that will significantly help are;

  • Finding a new hobby or making time for an existing one 
  • Getting an adequate amount of sleep
  • Getting a pet
  • Having a strong support system
  • Learning how to meditate
  • Developing an exercise schedule
  • Staying connected with friends and family

Combating stress is not difficult to do with the right habits. Additionally, seniors should avoid cigarettes and alcohol and another good tip would be to start taking magnesium supplements. The reason for this is that magnesium helps to block overstimulating neurotransmitters. It helps to bind those neurotransmitters to more calming receptors and what this results in is a more peaceful mindset. It can also help with regulating stress hormones.

Staying Healthy by Facing Stress Head On

If you are a senior living in Florida you have a leg up on how to combat stress. With mild temperatures, a variety of both indoor and outdoor activities, and even easy access to places to escape to achieve more tranquility, stress won’t be hard to combat. Additionally, you have to think about the type of stress that you feel, and how often you experience that stress and what you think your stressors are. 

Depending on your answers, this could mean that you should make an appointment with your primary care physician to ensure that the stress levels you are experiencing aren’t anything more. Catching issues as they happen can make a difference in your overall wellness and optimize your health.

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