Our nation’s birthday is over—the parades have past by, the last of the potato salad is in the fridge, and the final firework has been detonated. And, we have an entire weekend left to bask in the sunshine and warmth of mid-summer—a great time to relax and enjoy ourselves.

Relaxation is important—especially for women over fifty. Overwork and over stress can be toxic to our bodies and our minds. A temperate, well-adjusted lifestyle, one that honors the need for restoration and renewal, is crucial for healthy living after the hormonal shifts of menopause.

In fact, the two main components of the body’s autonomic nervous system—the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous systems—are both greatly affected by stress. As the autonomic nervous system impacts every organ within the body, our thoughts and actions ultimately govern the workings of our heart, lungs, brain, digestive tract, and other vital organs. So too much stress can wreak havoc with our health—definitely not good at all!

Many boomers report they can no longer push themselves as they once did, and that they require more “down time.” Margaret Mead once remarked, “Leisure and the cultivation of human capacities are inextricably interdependent.” As Mead was the woman who identified the happy realities of menopausal zest, she realized, even the sauciest of postmenopausal women, needs a bit of rest and relaxation to revive and refresh.

So, take some time off; grab a good book and settle into your hammock for an afternoon’s read. You deserve to stretch out, ice tea in hand, and simply relax—summer is a terrific time to be on the feisty side of fifty!

14 Responses to “Women Over 50—De-stress Yourselves!”

Stress KILLS—and that’s no joke. This is a great post because you can never emphasize too much the importance of relaxing and having some quality “me” time.

I also love the recommendation of grabbing a good book. That means ladies need to pick up a copy of “Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age” and enjoy a good laugh for about an hour (that’s how long it’ll take to read it, if you read it non-stop).

It is so true…I am still energetic and active..but find the energy does not last as long as it used it…So a little pick up nap of ten minutes really helps and revives me..So a little cat nap in the afternoon is refreshing…carol stanley http://www.spectacularlifeaftersixty.blogspot.com/ author “For Kids 59.99 and Over”

I read this as I just woke up from a nap! I’ve been pushing myself for weeks on my website revamp and have fallen asleep on my computer twice in the last week! That’s it – time to get some much needed rest.

This sounds like heaven to me. Of course, it may be when I get to heaven before I get to relax. The Baby Boomer Retreat was the last time I had a day to stretch out. I laid on the beach and went to sleep for 3 1/2 hours. I burnt to a crisp, but I got some quality sleep. Vacating and relaxing aren’t necessarily synominous. LOL I might have to settle for a nice long bubble bath. That can relieve stress, too.

Oops, I didn’t read this in time. I’m in the middle of packing to move, so I’ve forgotten what relaxation is. It’s Sunday night and I’m finally taking some time for myself – and naturally I’m using it to check into my favorite blogs. Better late than never.
Sue

Relaxation is truly the key to maintaining a healthy body (and mind). I know if I don’t find the time to relax, my body will force me to do it, by giving me a cold (so that I have to take it easy). Just got over a cold. Lesson learned!

I find this is especially good advice when you are navigating the medical and care giving systems on behalf of an elderly parent as I have been doing for the last two months. Thank you for reminding us about the important of leisure and taking care of yourself!

You are so right! Relaxing is the best and how many of us don’t give ourselves permission to just sit!Reading a book is my most favorite thing to do. In a hammock, on the sofa, in a chair, on the floor–if there’s something to read, I’ll get comfortable!