AUGUST ARTICLE: National Wellness Month

August marks National Wellness Month, a time to focus on physical, mental, and emotional health, and encouraging individuals to prioritize their overall well-being.  Self-care is the intentional act of supporting your own well-being’ this is not just helpful, it's essential!

Did you know that stress can play a major role in how you feel overall? The following are steps you can take to reduce stress and develop healthier habits that can positively impact your health and happiness.

Strive to eat healthy meals and snacks. Limit sweets such as baked goods, candy and regular soda as they often contain a high amount of sugar. Adopt a diet that is well-balanced and rich with various fruits and vegetables.

Drink water. Staying hydrated is important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dehydration may cause overheating, mood change, unclear thinking and more.

Develop healthy sleep habits. Try to get approximately eight hours of sleep each night. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day will help you get into a routine.

Make time for fun. Take part in an activity or project that you enjoy and look forward to doing.

Exercise on a regular basis. Walking is a good form of exercise as it helps you maintain mobility. Try to walk for 30 minutes a day, at least three times a week. (Be sure to check with your health care provider first.) Exercise not only keeps you physically healthy but it can also improve your mental health since it reduces stress hormones and can improve your mood.

When it comes to self-care, older adults should also make fall prevention a priority.

In the U.S. one in four older adults report falling each year, according to the CDC.

For older adults, maintaining strength and having good balance are key to fall prevention. There are a few specific exercises that can help you build your strength and improve your balance. Talk with your health care team about strength and balance exercises that would be best for you.

In addition to staying strong and improving your balance, there are other measures that older adults can take to help prevent falls.

Be sure to have regular health check-ups, including vision and hearing exams. Chronic health conditions such as arthritis and diabetes, as well as vision or hearing loss are factors that can increase fall risk. Additionally, be sure to check your medications as some have side effects that can make you tired or lightheaded which may increase your risk of falling.

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) offers several programs that can help you improve and maintain health and well-being. For example, OCES’ Healthy Living Programs include Healthy Eating for Successful Living in Older Adults, A Matter of Balance, and Fall Prevention programs.

To learn more about OCES’ programs and other resources that are available, visit ocesma.org.

 

Sources:
CDC Healthy Weight and Growth. (2024, January 2). About Water and Healthier Drinks.  https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/index.html

CDC Older Adult Fall Prevention. (2024, October 28). Older Adult Falls Data.  https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html

National Council on Aging. (2024, June 26). 6 Steps to Help Prevent Falls in Older Adults. https://www.ncoa.org/article/6-steps-to-help-prevent-falls-in-older-adults/

National Council on Aging. (2025, May 30). Get the Facts on Falls Prevention.  https://www.ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-falls-prevention/