29/03/2024 3:38 PM

sundeliandliquor

Crackle Fashion

Older Women Are Sharing The Life Hacks They Wish They’d Known Sooner, And They Might Just Change Your Life

Table of Contents

It’s an inevitable fact of life that we’re all getting older. In fact, you’re a little older right now than you were when you started reading this sentence. ~Time~, am I right?

Casual Friday Productions / Walt Disney Pictures

Well, let’s talk about the things we can do now to help us later on! Redditor u/secretid89 asked, “Older women: What are some underrated ways to take care of ourselves now, to make things easier when we get older?” Here are some of the best responses:

1.“If you don’t have the energy to do a full workout, do the bare minimum to get your blood moving, whether it’s walking or doing a quick squat-push up-sit up cycle.”

A woman stretching with her dog

2.“MOISTURIZE every day, head to toe, no matter how yucky it feels. Your old skin will reward you!”

u/_Monk_3288

3.“Financial stability is so important. Make sure you’re putting something away now for the future.”

u/FridaMercury

4.“Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, and go to bed at a regular time.”

“I sleep a lot better if I’m consistent with the time I go to bed, and I find I’m less tired if my sleep is regular versus getting up at various times.”

u/crazynekosama

5.“Keep making friends. My former boss (retired now, in her 60s) has a group of girl friends. They vacation together, go golfing, shopping, dining, etc.”

“I commended her on this, and she explained that her husband is a lot older than her, and she was aware that he would likely pass away before her. She didn’t want to be alone. Most of her friends are married, but they have prioritized their friendships for decades.”

u/salsasandwich

6.“Sun protection! Not only will it help you look more youthful, but it will also aid in skin cancer prevention.”

Someone putting sunscreen on their hand

“A wide-brimmed summer hat, sunglasses, and a full-sleeve rashguard are my go-tos when I’m at the beach. I might look a little nerdy, but it beats getting sunburnt and having a dozen new moles pop up on my back.”

u/brbgottagofast

Boophotography / Getty Images/iStockphoto

7.“Wear earplugs in loud areas. Have earplugs handy for unexpected loud situations. If you find yourself in a loud situation with no earplugs, then do your best to get away.”

“There are even earplugs designed to allow some sound through, so you can still hear important things. I have better hearing than a lot of people around my age  — it’s awesome. Conversations will be a lot less frustrating for you in the future if you plug your ears.”

u/Speerjagerin

8.“Embrace and enjoy the body you have right here, right now. You know who thinks you look great? You, 10 years from now.”

“Focus on all the things it can do, and all the parts that work well and don’t hurt. This body you’re maybe way too critical of now will likely be a body you’ll think of fondly in the future, so you may as well treat it fondly now.”

u/TigerLily98226

9.“Nuture your old friendships. The older you get, the more precious it becomes to have friends who knew you in different stages of your life.”

u/queenie_sabrina

“I’ve been through a lot of friends. Without intending to, I discarded my good friends to please others that are no longer in my life. Care for those who were always there for you.”

u/mjigs

10.“Drink less alcohol and coffee, and drink more water.”

Iced coffee crossed
out, and a glass of water with a check over it

11.“Listen to your body. Pushing yourself to extremes does you no favors later. Rest when you need.”

u/Naptimeis4ever

12.“Get rid of things you don’t need.”

“I’m 48, and my biggest thing right now is getting rid of stuff. We have so much crap, and I don’t want my kids to get stuck cleaning it all out at some point, hopefully in the very far future. It’s a normal amount of stuff, but my dad had barely any ‘stuff,’ and it still took weeks to go through.”

u/queenoreo

13.“If you have the means to, schedule an annual physical and be up to date on your Pap smears.”

“Even if you are in the US, most insurance companies will fully cover preventative services, which include annual physicals and Paps. They are awkward, but it’s very important to catch things early. It’s easier to treat things early than wait until it’s almost too late.”

u/stygian_shores

“Preventative care. Go to the gynecologist, doctor, and dentist regularly. Get those Pap smears, mammograms, cleanings, etc. If you can get a skin cancer check every couple of years, do it.”

u/livingthemugglelife

14.“If you have the means, go see a therapist if you are even entertaining the idea of one. It WILL help you.”

A woman talking to a therapist
Zinkevych / Getty Images/iStockphoto

15.“Look around your house, especially if you are a homeowner, and make a future to-do list. I have a 10-year plan to make my home handicap friendly before I retire.”

“I want even, wheelchair-friendly floors and showers without a lip to trip over. My water heater is in the spider dungeon, and I plan to move it upstairs. The siding needs to be repaired and the roof needs to be replaced before I am on a fixed income. Note these things in your home.”

u/Ember357

16.And finally, “Don’t be afraid to edit your life. A couple years ago, after being upset when two different friends posted yet another unsettling untrue thing on Facebook regarding vaccines, and social justice, I realized I just don’t want to be a fact checker for my friends.”

“I also quit Facebook. I used to challenge myself to have friends who didn’t share all my political and social views, but the last six years have made that way too challenging, and the divide cannot be bridged.”

u/TigerLily98226

Older women of the BuzzFeed Community, do you have any life hacks like these that we missed? If so, tell us about them in the comments below.

Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.