How often do you find anxiety standing in your way?
According to the National Institutes of Health, anxiety disorders are present in about 17% of adults. Anxiety in seniors is particularly troublesome due to how much worse it can make other conditions.
But how can you battle the causes of senior anxiety, and what’s a good way of senior anxiety management? if you’re curious about anxiety reduction in elderly sufferers, we’re here to help. Read on for a quick list of the seven best ways to battle anxiety in seniors.
1. Encourage Exercise
One of the first things that we recommend is making sure the senior has a good amount of exercise. We often think of exercise as only useful for our physical health.
But a healthy body makes a healthy mind in many cases. While an anxiety disorder is not cured by frequent exercise, it can lead to anxiety reduction in elderly individuals.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the act of exercising can help to lower tension in our muscles. Doing so can help to relieve some of the anxiety we’re feeling as our body leans away from such sensations.
Increasing your heart rate can also increase the flow of neurochemicals, including serotonin. In many cases, engaging in exercise also helps you to move your attention to something else.
In short, while exercise will not cure an anxiety disorder, it will almost always provide relief. If nothing else, your healthier body will have better tools to let you handle your anxiety.
2. Welcome Socialization
Another way to lower anxiety in seniors is to encourage socialization. Oftentimes, our feelings of anxiety stem from feeling isolated or lonely.
Such issues are more than unpleasant. The National Institutes of Health claim that social isolation and loneliness can worsen our stress levels and our physical health. They also claim that anxiety is caused by or worsened by these issues.
Socialization is the best way to cure loneliness. Consider looking for local groups that you can join. Nearby exercise groups are a great way to get healthy and make some friends at the same time.
Many senior communities focus on mental health in seniors by providing ample opportunities to socialize. These may consist of hobby groups, educational classes, or even local outings.
At the Conservatory at Alden Bridge, we love to encourage our community members to attend our events. We’re always holding something, and these events come at no cost to our community members. Make sure you stay up to date for our upcoming events!
3. Find Hobbies
Another way to encourage socialization is to find hobbies that encourage it. Many times, coping with anxiety in seniors begins by finding a safe, healthy hobby to engage with.
On the social end, exercise and educational classes are great choices. A community garden or a group to play games with are also wonderful ideas.
On the less social end, there are quieter hobbies to enjoy. Art, reading, birdwatching, and nature walks all are great hobbies that you can enjoy alone.
We also recommend blending both quiet hobbies and socialization. If you enjoy reading, why not start a book club and socialize with your peers?
4. Complete Dietary Needs
Did you know that your diet can heavily affect your mood? According to the Mayo Clinic, making some lifestyle changes in your diet can help to lessen your anxiety. While you won’t be able to cure it this way, it can have great effects on your anxiety levels.
Mayo Clinic has several dietary changes you can make, including:
- Eat a breakfast with protein for better blood sugar and energy
- Drink plenty of water to ward off dehydration
- Limit or completely avoid alcohol
- Limit or avoid caffeine
- Do your best to eat healthy meals
One of the biggest changes they recommend is to eat complex carbohydrates. These are thought to raise serotonin in the brain, which can impact your emotions. Some examples of these foods include:
- Whole-grain foods like oatmeal and quinoa
- Whole-grain cereals and breads
- Avoiding simple carbohydrates like sugary drinks
In short: avoid junk food and eat healthy to improve your mood.
5. End Isolation
We understand socialization, but how is your isolation impacting you? Many times, we willingly isolate ourselves for one reason or another.
You may not feel happy with the changes in your life. You may also feel like your freedoms are limited in your advanced age.
These feelings are perfectly natural and are something many of us experience. But isolating yourself over such feelings will only worsen such matters. We strongly encourage you to leave your comfort zone and try to end your isolation.
6. Understand Senior Anxiety Management
Knowing the causes of senior anxiety is one of the first steps to helping with anxiety in seniors. But what about the rest of senior anxiety management?
Anxiety reduction in elderly individuals isn’t a one-stop task. Battling anxiety is something that sufferers will often do for the rest of their lives.
Try to find what’s causing the anxiety, if there’s anything specifically causing it. If possible, the senior should do their best to minimize contact with this source.
If that’s not possible, the individual should have ways to combat the effects. Some medications and lifestyle choices can help with such things.
7. Spend Time Outside
Finally, some time outside is often all some people need. While it’s not a cure for most people, light cases of anxiety can be helped immensely.
Take some time to go for a walk, enjoy a rainy afternoon, or do some gardening. Sometimes, a bit of time in the outdoors is all we need.
Managing Anxiety in Seniors
Understanding anxiety in seniors requires knowing the causes and how to battle them. Anxiety reduction in elderly individuals is often an ongoing process, so be ready to make a plan.
The Conservatory at Alden Bridge is proud to have been a pillar in The Woodlands community for nearly two decades. Our location is close to parks, nature trails, essentials, the Woodlands Waterway, and dozens of other exciting areas. Come be our guest to see what life with us will be like.
