40 or ‘the big four O’ as it’s also known is a milestone birthday for many of us guys. Indeed, it’s often when we start to think of our future health and begin to realize that the invincibility of our youth was something of an illusion. The good news is there are plenty of actions we can take to maintain and even improve our health after we hit 40. Just read on to find out what they are.
Eat better
Everyone loves a burger and fries from time to time, but too much-processed food high in saturated fat isn’t going to do you any favors in the long run, especially after the age of 40. That is why your diet needs to be packed with healthful whole food instead.
Whole foods have not been processed. This means they still contain all the important elements like nutrients and fiber, and nothing else like sugar or extra fat has been added.
Replace white bread and pasta with wholemeal, and up your intake of legumes, vegetables, and fruit, and you will be well on your way to a more healthy diet.
Get enough sleep
You already know that sleep matters and its importance only increases after the age of 40. Indeed, while many people easily burn the candle at both ends in their 20s, you will find that this is almost impossible to do regularly after 40 unless you want to end up asleep at your desk!
To that end, getting into a regular sleep routine is one of the most important things you can do. That means going to bed at the same time each night, as well as giving yourself some time away from screens before you go to sleep.
Address any hormonal issues
It’s also very important for men to address any hormonal issues or imbalances, especially after the age of 40, as this is a time when they can become more pronounced and can be responsible for all sorts of issues like weight gain, mood, and heart health that can impact your health and quality of life.
Happily, it’s easier than ever to get treatment for male hormonal issues with services like the one Recovery Delivered offer. This is because they provide online expert consultations that can be completed from anywhere, and will send TRT treatments to your local pharmacy so you can easily pick them up, making the whole process fast and easy.
Exercise regularly
As we age, it is even more important that our days contain regular exercise. Although it can be all too easy to just give up and spend all of our time sitting, especially if we have a desk job. Unfortunately, the adage ‘use it or lose it’ applies here and the less we do the less we will be able to do as we get older.
With that in mind, it will pay dividends to build physical activity into your daily routine. Invest in a standing or treadmill desk if you can, or break up your day with plenty of micro walks. Also, be sure to focus on strength and flexibility training as this will not only keep up your muscle density but your bone density as well.
Kick the habit
We are all human, and that means many of us can struggle with habits we wish we did not have such as smoking, drinking, or other addictions. Of course, such activities can have a huge impact on our physical and mental health, especially once we hit 40.
To that end, dealing with any harmful addictions is paramount. The good news is that you do not have to kick your habits alone, as there is plenty of support out there in the form of counseling, medication, and even peer support groups that connect you with others that are in a similar situation and can offer you insight and help.
Meditate
Last, of all, meditation is a great activity to take up to improve health, both physical and mental. Meditation is all about training your mind to focus on a specific anchor. Of course, your mind will try to get you to think about other things, present distractions, and the like, but true meditation is the process of always returning to that anchor but in a very gentle and compassionate way.
The benefits of meditation include that it allows you to quiet your brain enough to get in touch with your body, so you can keep better track of what is going on there. Meditation can also be very good for managing stress, as it provides us with the tools to defuse the unhelpful stories that roll around in our heads and act more in line with what we value.
