GROWING OLDER WITH GLEE: 6 WAYS TO MAKE AGING FUN

Getting on in years may not be your idea of a good time. But while your youth may be slipping away, the fun associated with it doesn’t have to fade too. In fact, aging can be one of your most enjoyable journeys yet, as long as you know how to keep yourself entertained and amused as an older adult. These ideas will help make life playful, jolly, and full of glee despite the ticking of your biological clock. Besides increasing your happiness, you’ll gain important health perks to boot. And who knows? You may discover growing older is more fun than being a kid.

Get Gaming

Games aren’t just for kids. All ages have fun playing games, including older adults. Card games and board games are ideal for exercising an aging brain, plus they encourage interaction with others, thereby reducing loneliness in older adults. Computer and video games, popular with younger ages, can bring hours of fun for seniors, too, along with key brain benefits. A study by the University of Montreal found that playing 3D platform video games improved short-term memory and increased gray matter in the brain’s hippocampus, helping to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s.

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Treat Yourself Daily

A little me time is a great way to bring fun into your day and relieve any stress or discomfort that comes with aging. It also gives you something to look forward to when you get up in the morning. You don’t have to splurge on a nice dinner out or an expensive spa service to have fun, either. Treating yourself to something simple, like an evening by the fire with a good book, a sunset drive, or time spent in the garden can be just as entertaining and satisfying. Get creative and experiment with different ways to pamper and enjoy yourself. Then make a point to do it daily.

Laugh Aloud

The only thing more fun than laughing to yourself is laughing out loud. And the effects on your overall health make a hearty chuckle even more worthwhile. According to Mayo Clinic, having a good laugh stimulates organs by increasing your intake of the oxygen-rich air. Laughing also improves immunity, relieves pain, and enhances mood and self-esteem. So go ahead, roar as you read the funnies, attend a comedy show, watch a sitcom, play with a puppy, or share a joke. Laughter will help you take life less seriously, which will usher in calmer, happier days as you age.

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Focus on Friendship

Not only are friends fun to have; everything you do is more fun when you do it with a friend. Even better, friendship provides support, motivation, and fulfillment, all of which can boost physical and mental health. Besides counting on longtime friends, though, make new ones. Take a class, volunteer, or join a special interest group. Senior centers and YMCAs, located in most cities and many small towns, are great places for older adults to meet new people too. And don’t limit friendship to your age bracket. Having younger friends brings a new perspective and fresh fun to your life.

Return to Your Youth

Think back on the favorite memories of your youth. What made being a kid such a blast? Often it’s the simpler things in life that keep young people amused, like going out for ice cream, splashing in the rain, or dancing to a favorite song. If kids can impart one thing, it’s that fun doesn’t take a lot of thought, work, or expense. Relive the good times of the past by doing the things that lifted your mood with little effort. If you’ve forgotten the simple fun of your childhood, spending time with the grandkids or other youngsters will quickly remind you.

Plan Ahead for Fun

Fun doesn’t necessarily come handed on a silver platter, which is why planning for entertaining events and activities can be key to actually having them. Grab a pen and paper and jot down a schedule of fun things to do for the next week or month. Next, get busy organizing and implementing your plans. By having an agenda in place, you’ll be more likely to follow through with it and more apt to get in the habit of scheduling fun in the future.

Injecting fun into your daily routine will keep you young at heart, improve your health, and make aging something you grow to embrace. Fun shouldn’t stop just because you’re getting older. By staying amused and entertained later in life, you won’t just enjoy the years more; you may even extend them.

Sources:

The University of Montreal, “Some video games are good for older adults’ brains,” Science Daily, December 6, 2017, sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171206141648.

Mayo Clinic, “Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke,” July 29, 2021, mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456.