Easy Habits for a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life
April 16th, 2025
The Open University (OU) is launching a UK-wide month-long national challenge and we’re encouraging carers in Tower Hamlets to take part.
Similar to Dry January but for ageing well, Take Five to Age Well starts on 1st May 2025.
As Professor Rose Anne Kenny highlights in her book Age Proof, research has shown that 70-80% of ageing rate is largely determined by environmental factors (non-genetic) until we reach 80 when genetics starts to have greater influence. Many of these environmental factors are within our gift; we can live longer, healthier lives by making small changes. The earlier the better and never too late.
Top Tips Include
-
- Stand on one leg whilst brushing your teeth – this is great for balance that becomes more and more important to avoid falls.
- Drink a glass of water before every snack and meal – this will help you stay hydrated (our thirst response weakens with age due to cognitive changes and so you need to proactively drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty).
- Choose a new vegetable you wouldn’t normally buy from the supermarket and look up a recipe that uses it.
- Mix your nuts – have a helping of mixed nuts and seeds that you eat over the day.
- Spend 5 minutes doing something creative: draw a picture, play an instrument, do an origami online tutorial.
- Offer to walk someone’s dog – spending time with animals is calming and walking in nature is good for the body and brain.
- Learn something new! Check out Open Learn for a range of courses for everyone.
- Suggest a regular neighbourly meet up – invite people (this could be existing local friends) over for a cup of tea or sit outside for a natter – knowing your neighbours keeps you connected and builds a safer, happier community.
- Have a laugh! Laughter is great for our brain – the dose of dopamine stimulates the synthesis of new proteins in the brain, it also reduces stress and boosts mood. The average 4-year-old laughs 300 times a day, whereas the average 40 year old laughs 4 times a day.
- Have a positive attitude: we know a positive attitude to ageing is beneficial but don’t worry if you don’t yet feel that way. Our mindsets can change; by learning to reject fatalistic beliefs and embrace some of the changes that come with age, we might mitigate increased stress responses that arise from exposure to negative ageing stereotypes and we could become more motivated to exercise our bodies and minds and to embrace new challenges.
The Take 5 Challenge
Carers Centre Tower Hamlets is one of 400+ other collaborators supporting the Take Five challenge and encouraging carers to participate. Anyone sign up to a month of healthy habits that will boost their health and wellbeing.
Launching on 1 May and taking place during the UN’s Decade of Healthy Ageing, the Take Five to Age Well challenge will build a UK-wide movement of people committed to ageing well behaviours, with a lasting impact on their health and wellbeing.
Check out their website for more details.
