5 Winter Activities for Seniors

Want to sleep better or lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer? Looking to improve your social wellness, reduce your blood pressure and have more energy?

Staying physically and/or mentally active as you age becomes vitally important. However, that’s not always easy, especially in the wintertime.

Here are five activities seniors can enjoy when the weather turns chilly: 

1. Cook

Cooking is a great way to take care of your own mental health, experts say. If you’re cooking for yourself, consider preparing something you’ve never had before. If you’re cooking for others, show off an old family dish. Cooking classes are another option if the weather holds up. 

2. Exercise

Whether it’s dancing lessons, swimming a few laps at the local pool or joining an exercise class for seniors, you can find age-appropriate physical activities that promote overall full-body health. Gaining strength, for example, can help you avoid falls. Even walking every day can promote better memory and cognitive function while lowering your blood pressure.

3. Yoga

It doesn’t matter if the weather is perfect or below freezing, you can do yoga indoors anywhere, and it can be gentler on your body that some types of physical exercise. Yoga not only increases your muscle tone and strength, it’s also known for improving your mood and balance.

4. Reading

Whether you join a book club or read on your own, reading enhances your memory and your decision-making skills while reducing stress and helping you sleep better. Research shows that reading can also help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

5. “Indoor games” aren’t just for cards and board games

during the winter. Instead, any kind of indoor game, whether it’s cards or a board game, helps enhance memory formation and cognitive skills. Another activity that’s sometimes overlooked for seniors: video games. Studies show video games can help alter the brain’s neural network, thereby reversing the negative signs of aging.

Questions? Contact us!

If you’re looking for more activities for you or your loved one in the winter, contact us at Thrive USA Home Care Services.