Welcome back to Age Wise, exploring the science of improving physical health and mental wellness at every stage of life. I’ve got several links to point you to below, but first…
In case no English teacher ever drummed this into your head: Active verbs (he sits on his ass; he runs) are “more direct and vigorous,” as Strunk & White put it in The Elements of Style, than passive verbs (he is sitting on his ass; he is running). Same goes with getting older: Active is way better than passive. This came to mind when I saw this tweet from Patrick Roden, PhD, a nurse and advocate for aging well:
I’m not sure exactly how Roden intends this to be interpreted, and I don’t want to steer your takeaway. But here’s what jumped to mind for me:
Aging is a verb, and active is better than passive.
Clearly, active is the choice I advocate. If you’ve followed me for long, you know I’m a big fan of movement, plain and simple. Some is better than none, and more is better than some. My hope today is that you’ll latch on to my twist of Roden’s phrase, and make it your own.
Aging is a verb, and active is better than passive.
If you need some encouragement, check out any of my get-off-your-ass articles:
Also, when you’re being active (and even when you’re not) be sure to hydrate. New research, which I wrote about on Medium earlier this week, adds to much evidence that drinking enough water (which many people do not—especially older people) is crucial to proper functioning of the mind and body, and vital to long-term health:
The new study reveals that over time, people who don’t drink enough water on a regular basis tend to age more quickly, develop chronic illnesses ranging from heart disease and diabetes to dementia, and die younger.
The article also debunks some myths about how much you really need to drink, and explains how to know if you’re getting enough.
If any of this stresses you out, check out this helpful new gem, also on Medium, in which I talk with a stress expert who’s got some first-hand experience in dealing with stress:
Your support makes this free newsletter possible. If you find it useful, please consider forwarding it. You can find more of my health and wellness writing on Medium. Also find me on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin. And if you ever feel tired, unfocused, stressed or cranky in the afternoon, check out my book, Make Sleep Your Superpower.—Rob