Retirement is an important turning point in the life of a senior. What to do with so much free time? It's worth being creative and finding a hobby that will not only take time, but also provide a lot of fun and benefits for the overall well-being of the body.

It is common for people to feel lost, insecure and even isolated or depressed after retirement. We are firmly speaking to not such phenomena! In all of this, the pensioner's own activity plays a large role, as he can organize his time creatively.

Growing plants

This can be done in all conditions, even if you don't have a balcony. It is worth starting with ordinary potted plants, the more so as some (e.g. pteroflower, dracaena, sansevieria, Sternberg's herb, ficus, ivy, aloe) have excellent air-purifying properties. If someone feels they don't have a "hand" for flowers, they can start with easy-care succulents. Among them there are also beautifully flowering specimens, e.g. Kalanchoe.

In the kitchen, you can start growing herbs. Fresh will become an important addition to the diet, rich in nutrients. It will be even easier to grow plants on a balcony or terrace. Vegetables (such as tomatoes, onions, radishes, beet leaves, various types of salads, and even peppers and cucumbers) and fruit (strawberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, citrus in pots) are already here. The bigger the balcony, the better the possibilities! Garden owners have many more options for spending their time. You can do almost everything here, and outdoor activity combined with exercise helps to maintain vitality until late in life.

Reading crime fiction

In fact, every book is a kind of "better" hobby than fruitless spending of time, for example, in front of the TV. But why are crime fiction particularly recommended? The reason is simple: they require a lot of mental activity to follow intrigues, solve puzzles, combine various facts and search for the perpetrator together with the narrator. This greatly delays the risk of dementia! Criminal literature is thriving. We have a choice of both great Polish authors and the already cult Scandinavian literature - with Camilla Läckberg, Jo Nesbø or the late Stieg Larsson at the fore.

Education in various forms

AlreadyThe European Union itself promotes the idea of ​​life-long learning, which allows you to cleverly retrain before retirement or to fill in gaps or broaden your horizons after leaving your professional career. It is worth checking what offers for seniors have been prepared by the local government. In addition, the so-called universities of the third age with an educational offer for the oldest generation. There is also nothing to prevent you from starting to study regularly. For who said that the university has a certain age limit for students? You should also remember that science constantly activates the brain, which allows you to maintain its full efficiency until late in life.

Foreign languages ​​

It is never too late to learn a foreign language. The more so because such mind training not only broadens our horizons, but also brings a lot of benefits to the brain. Learning new words and grammatical structures translates into creating new nerve connections. In addition, it delays the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from Concordia University conducted research according to which learning and using foreign languages ​​translates into a greater density of the cerebral cortex and gray matter. Put simply, learning a language activates areas of the brain that may be affected by dementia symptoms. Another thing is that knowing a foreign language - one or more - allows you to feel more confident when traveling, which is another way to spend time creatively in your retirement.

Traveling further and closer

Retirement is a lot of time that was often missed during increased professional activity. So let's make up for the shortcomings of travel! The more so as the travel offer for seniors is growing, and many countries have an infrastructure that is perfectly adapted to the needs of slightly older travelers - for example, it is about efficient public transport systems. And where is it worth going? The best answer would be… everywhere. For example, you can start with Croatia, where you can relax in an interesting way for a little money, and combine everything with visiting beautiful cities such as Zadar, Split or Dubrovnik. Other recommended European destinations are Italy, rich in monuments and landscape attractions, pleasant and quite cheap (for the West) Portugal or less hot countries - green Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavian countries (these are, however, expensive!). Further destinations? You can start your adventure with Asia in Thailand, which is famous for its great openness to tourists and the power of natural and cultural attractions, metropolitan Singapore with great public transport, or in Japan to get to know a country known for its longevity. if somebodyprefers a more lazy sightseeing, great opportunities are provided by the Canary Islands (a friendly climate!) or the beautiful Caribbean islands. It is also worth exploring native sites as intensively as possible. Sometimes, in the immediate vicinity, there are true cultural or landscape gems that we are wrongly forgetting about.

Creative cooking

They say we are what we eat - and there is a lot of truth to that. A he althy diet has a huge impact on the functioning of the body in all respects. Therefore, in retirement, it is worth taking a closer look at your eating habits. As the years go by, the risk of many diseases increases and the diet can be taken almost like a medicine. However, there are plenty of inspiring nutritional plans. The Mediterranean diet with the we alth of fresh vegetables, fish, seafood and beneficial olive oil is considered one of the he althiest in the world. You can also be interested in something more distant, namely the Japanese diet - especially in the edition from the Okinawa island. Contrary to appearances, exotic ingredients are very easily available. We can often find them even in local stores or popular discount stores. With the help of an appropriate menu, you can also take care of good brain activity (the so-called DASH diet) and the cardiovascular system (MIND diet). Fans of Polish cuisine also have a lot of he althy options to choose from, as long as they just reduce the fat content on a daily basis, avoid red meat and processed products, and focus on vegetables, fruits and whole grains. In Polish cuisine, we also have rapeseed oil that is beneficial to the body and a we alth of groats - including buckwheat and millet. In a word, everyone will find something he althy for themselves!

Discovering new technologies

Digital exclusion is a very serious problem among seniors. Of course, it's not about using a laptop or smartphone for many hours, but everyone is aware that the Internet is a source of interesting information, helpful advice or simply movies and series - much more valuable than what TV sometimes offers. That is why it is worth breaking through and taking advantage of the benefits of modern technologies. Sometimes it is not easy, because there may be a fear that something can be easily damaged or destroyed - here also young generations play an important role, which should properly take care of their parents or grandparents. Discovering the digital world together is also a good way to strengthen intergenerational relationships. Computer classes are also offered at universities of the third age.

Sport for seniors

In retirement, the condition does not always allow for practicing every sport. Nevertheless, physical activity is very important to keep for longyears of he alth and vitality. What sports should seniors pay attention to?

Nordic walking- simple walking with poles, recommended for everyone, hassle-free, allowing you to spend a lot of time outdoors. Benefits of Nordic Walking? Even 90% of the muscles work, and the joints are not loaded in the same way as during a normal walk.

Swimming- perfect for muscles, joints and bones. It does not burden the spine, allows you to relax, burn calories, improves the endurance of the body and ensures better condition. Only benefits!

Cycling- a way to burn unnecessary calories. It has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart. The body gets oxygenated because time is spent outdoors. The bike also works for the spine and joints, which ensures even better condition.

Gymnastics- simple stretching exercises that give your muscles more flexibility and help your joints work well. They also ensure better motor activity of the body.

Homemade "do it yourself"

DIY and all DIY activities (do it yourself) is one of the most dynamically developing trends, incl. in the subject of home and interior. So why not dedicate yourself to it in retirement? We can independently renovate cupboards or tables close to the heart, repaint a piece of furniture, replace the upholstery on a worn-out chair or frame pictures close to the heart in an interesting way. One of the simpler techniques is decoupage - with the help of glue and napkins designed for this purpose, you can make beautiful decorations on furniture or accessories.

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