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“We often have more flexibility, we know where our expertise is and isn’t, and we’ve built up a lot of connections to call upon for support,” says Deborah Heiser, Ph.D., an applied developmental psychologist and founder of The Mentor Project.
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Make a career pivot.īig career changes may seem like a luxury for the young, but older folks are primed for successful switching. Online, consider removing whiners from your social media or leaving groups filled with negative chatter.
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Remember, your time is valuable, and it’s fine-even empowering!-to turn down activities that and people who don’t enhance your well-being. Translation: You can finally establish boundaries with parents, exit toxic romances, and plan that girls’ trip. “We finally have the room to reflect on who we are and what we need in our lives in terms of people and relationships,” says Degges-White. This means we naturally cut back on friendships (and, frankly, all relationships) that drain us and foster ones that feed us. But as we age, “we often begin focusing on friends who meet more of our emotional needs,” she says. “Until midlife, many of us buddy up with those who feed our instrumental needs, meaning the needs that help us get things done,” says Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D., chair of and professor in the Department of Counseling, Adult, and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.Ĭonsider how new parents join up and share child-care hacks. For many, “treatment also helps urinary tract symptoms related to estrogen loss, like recurrent urinary tract infections, urgency, and sometimes pain with urination,” she adds. “Even if it’s been 20 years since you went through menopause, you can still reverse these changes,” says Dr. That’s a shame, since silicone-based lubricants and long-lasting vaginal moisturizers can temporarily alleviate symptoms and prescription hormonal and nonhormonal options can restore vaginal tissue and reverse damage. “But since dryness may start years after menopause, many women and physicians don’t think of this as a menopausal symptom that can be helped.” A 2019 report noted that only 4% of women tied their vaginal symptoms to menopause or hormonal changes and only about a third asked a health care provider for help. “About 60% of women who are perimenopausal or postmenopausal experience vaginal thinning, dryness, and irritation, which can bring about painful intercourse,” says Lauren Streicher, M.D., medical director of the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “If you aren’t used to consuming a lot, start slowly and work your way up with water to avoid GI distress.”īrooke Schaal Photography Getty Images 3. “And consuming 25 g to 38 g of fiber daily in midlife can help control blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and abdominal weight,” says Michelle Routhenstein, R.D., a preventive cardiology dietitian and author of The Truly Easy Heart Healthy Cookbook. But perhaps it will be news to you that a 2020 report found that changing to a healthier lifestyle in middle age-including eating more fiber-rich nuts, whole grains, and produce-reduced women’s long-term total risk of stroke by up to 25% and their risk of ischemic stroke by up to 36%. You probably know that fiber is great for sidestepping constipation. “To make it a habit, pair your walk with something you’re already doing, like eating.” That might mean taking a walk every day after breakfast or dinner. For most, that’s walking,” says Sabrena Jo, director of science and research at the American Council on Exercise. “Begin with an activity that’s convenient and easy to do and that you enjoy. One report found that formerly inactive 45- to 64-year-olds who increased their exercise to at least 30 minutes four to five days a week had improved oxygen uptake and reduced cardiac stiffness. Part of that longevity boost has to do with exercise’s impact on the heart. If your sneakers are buried under a pile of shoes, take note: Inactive folks ages 40 to 61 who upped their physical activity to about seven hours a week had a 35% lower mortality risk than those who stayed inactive, a 2019 study found. Age, it seems, is not an obstacle to starting new habits, getting healthier, or even making big life and career shifts to improve your emotional well-being. But there are no expiration dates on your ability to make healthy changes. Sometimes you really, truly can be too late-like when you miss the last train home, or when that avocado you thought would be at peak ripeness today was actually ready yesterday.