Mall walking
Popular across the US or Canada, walking through sprawling shopping centres – or malls – is a great way to get some exercise when the weather outside is too warm or chilly.
Stretch
A daily stretching routine can help you stay supple, improve mobility and flexibility. Find a yoga or pilates class in your area. Or look up the five-minute wake-up workout on the NHS website.
Gymnastics
You don’t need to be turning cartwheels. A chair-based gymnastics exercise programme pioneered in Japan and South Korea has been found to have significant benefits for those living with dementia.
READ MORE: The Scottish athletes proving age is just a number
Reminisce
Research by the Open University revealed that looking through old family photograph albums can boost our mood more than watching TV, listening to music, drinking alcohol or eating chocolate.
Attitude of gratitude
At the end of every day jot down three things you feel grateful about. They don’t need to be huge: it could be a simple as a coffee and cake with a friend or watching the birds in the garden.
Do a jigsaw
Putting together a jigsaw can improve memory, hone coordination, develop critical thinking, enhance visual perception, heighten creativity and increase dopamine production in the brain.
READ MORE: The Scottish athletes proving age is just a number
Make a rainbow on your plate
I don’t mean Skittles or M&Ms. Eating different coloured fruit and vegetables provides your body with a range of health-boosting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Benefits of horticultural therapy include helping lower blood pressure, stimulating brain activity as well as reducing stress and anxiety. You can also grow healthy fruit and vegetables (see above).
Watch quiz shows
Don’t just sit idly staring at the television – try to beat the contestants to the correct answers. If watching TV isn’t your thing, play quiz-style board games instead.
READ MORE: The Scottish athletes proving age is just a number
Never stop learning
Make every day a school day and challenge yourself to learn new things. If technology is your nemesis, tame it by setting aside an afternoon to master that computer, iPad or camera.
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