BOOMERS Senior Living
Millions of people will be diagnosed with various dementias, and individuals may wonder if there is anything they can do to prevent or delay cognitive decline. A study published in July 2021 in the journal Neurology found people who read regularly had a lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who did not. Reading improves memory, attention, processing speed, and other factors in older adults by stimulating the brain through the activation of multiple cognitive processes. Reading promotes the creation of new neural connections and strengthens existing ones, helping to maintain brain health, according to a 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). TF25B314
Your background, personality and interests are what make you unique and what will allow you to fit right in at our community. We embrace – and celebrate – everyone’s differences and open our doors to all. If you’re ready to amplify the life you already love with new friendships, experiences and ideas, visit us for our next event and feel the genuine connection for yourself.
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There is no magic formula to ensure long-term health. However, if there were such an equation, sleep would be a critical component. Though adults may be able to function with less sleep than doctors recommend, the National Institutes of Health note that consistent lack of sufficient sleep can interfere with work, social functioning and driving ability.
The National Institute on Aging notes that adults of all ages generally need the same amount of sleep, typically between seven and nine hours of rest per night. That’s an important distinction, as busy adults in mid-life might feel as though they can operate on less sleep without adversely affecting their overall health. However, in addition to the problems noted by the NIH, the NIA reports that ongoing lack of sleep, or even consistently poor sleep quality, can increase risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and obesity. Adults who feel their sleep quality is poor or those who aspire to sleep more
3 tips to get a more restful night’s sleep 5 activities for modern empty nesters
The rewards of parenting are bittersweet. Raising children successfully means they will one day leave home and embark on lives of their own. Once the proverbial chicks leave the nest, individuals may be left with a lot of empty home and a lot of time to fill.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 22.5 million empty nesters in the country in 2020, with most having become empty nesters between the ages of 40 and 60. Statistics Canada says roughly one-third of adults between the ages of 20 and 34 lived with their parents in 2023. Although some parents whose children have reached adulthood still provide financial assistance to their grown children due to high costs of living, many empty nesters in their fifties have greater financial resources and much
each night can consider these three strategies to ensure a more restful night’s sleep.
1. Keep devices out of the bedroom. Screens are everywhere in modern life, and that includes the bedroom. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation’s 2022 Sleep in America® Poll found that 58 percent of survey participants acknowledged looking at screens within an hour before bedtime. The NSF reports that device usage so close to bedtime can adversely affect sleep quality because the blue light emitted from screens has shorter wavelengths than other colors in the visible light spectrum, which results in more alertness than warmer tones. The blue light actually confuses the brain into thinking it’s earlier in the day, thus making it harder to fall asleep.
2. Skip late afternoon naps.
Short naps can help people reenergize, but the timing of naps could adversely affect how well people sleep at night. The Mayo Clinic notes that napping after 3
more time to fill their days with activities unrelated to parenting. But how does one spend those hours when they had been filled with parenting-related obligations and activities for so long?
The following are five unique ways empty nesters can stay busy and socially engaged as they seek to avoid empty nest syndrome.
1. Take care of yourself. After all those years of putting children first, now is the time to make yourself the priority. Explore all of the ways to engage in self-care. Maybe you were thinking about signing up for a monthly massage package at a nearby wellness clinic but procrastinated because of the added expense? Or you may have wanted to splurge on a facial or new hair treatment? Now is the time to make those appointments.
p.m. can make it harder to sleep soundly at night. And while short naps can provide a necessary jolt, it’s important that naps be no longer than 30 minutes. Naps that exceed a half hour can contribute to feelings of grogginess and even compromise your ability to get restful sleep overnight.
3. Avoid alcohol.
Some may consider alcohol a sleep aide, and there’s good reason for that perception, even if it’s misguided. Hackensack Meridian Health notes that alcohol acts as a depressant for the central nervous system that can cause brain activity to slow down. As a result, alcohol can increase feelings of relaxation and tiredness. However, that effect is not long-lasting, and as alcohol levels in the blood drop, individuals are likely to wake up and may even find it hard to fall back asleep. Waking up in the middle of the night cuts down on the time individuals spend in the most restorative stage of sleep, which is why individuals often feel
2. Prioritize hobbies. Identify rewarding hobbies that might have been pushed to the back burner for years. If you always wanted to learn a new language, why not immerse yourself in it and the associated culture by spending a month or more in a country where that language is spoken? Now can be a great time to pick up new hobbies as well. Aim for activities that are social in nature, like the ever-popular pickleball.
3. Travel far and wide. Travel is a popular pastime among empty nesters and retirees. When you no longer have to coordinate travel around school schedules and holidays, you can take advantage of great deals on off-peak travel and really see the country or even the world.
4. Indulge your social life. If parenting made it hard to attend certain social
as if they got little rest after a night of drinking.
Sleep is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Some simple strategies may help adults get a more restful night’s sleep. LP252618
functions, now you’ll have the time to engage with friends more regularly. You can reach out to old friends and start a weekly walking group, join a book club, sign up for a fitness class together, or even do a monthly wine and dine meetup at new restaurants in the area.
5. Adopt a pet. When children were still at home you likely lavished attention on them each day. You can redirect some of that affection to a pet who needs a good home. Visit a nearby animal shelter and pick out a pup or kitten looking for a good home.
Empty nesters have more free time to redirect to their own passion projects and interests. LP252621
