Aging is something that happens to everyone. We all get older. A vast majority of us look to this period of our lives with dread and worry, but it does not have to be that way. Aging can actually be quite the positive experience. This article will offer some tips to gracefully age.

Free radicals are destructive by-products formed as your body turns food and oxygen into energy. Because they protect against those free radicals, antioxidants may help you deal with the effects of aging. Sources of antioxidants are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Blueberries, blackberries, broccoli, and spinach are particularly desirable, as darker foods tend to have a higher amount of antioxidants.

Keeping mentally active will help one to age gracefully. Mental activities take longer as we grow older, but just like a muscle, the brain can be kept fit with activity. Some popular pastimes which encourage mental activity are suduko and crossword puzzles. Doing a puzzle a day can keep brain fog away.

Try to get a good amount of sleep each day. Depending on your own body, most people need between seven and nine hours of quality sleep each day. Sleep deprivation can be tied to many diseases, especially heart ailments and depression.

Releasing endorphins is going to make you feel great. Let yourself feel emotions. Laugh and cry but be sure to laugh more than you cry. If it takes a funny movie or a funny book to bring out the laughter, take the time to watch or read them. It is the body's natural way to feel good.

Make sure you're only drinking alcohol in moderation. For those under 65, this means you shouldn't drink more than two glasses a day. If you're over 65, this means you shouldn't drink more than one glass a day. If you're going to drink alcohol try drinking wine instead since it's shown to benefit health in small doses, unlike beer or hard liqueur.

Our society is too preoccupied with money. Once we reach retirement age we can let go of this. We have the time to pursue interests like music and painting, and can gain enormous enjoyment from them. An art or craft done for the pure joy of it brings real fulfillment.

As you get age, so does your brain. Studies have shown that exercising your brain is as important as exercising your body. Memory exercises will improve the mind and help stave off memory illness or dementia. Small exercises like memorizing 10 objects as you take a walk through your neighborhood, then writing them down when you get home is a good example to the mind nimble and alert.

There are 19 foods that are considered to be must have items in your refrigerator and pantry, and they will work wonders for your health and vitality as you age. Write these down and post it somewhere in your home to keep yourself reminded to stay stocked: seafood, dairy, spinach, nuts, olive oil, broccoli, oatmeal, flax seed meal, avocados, pomegranate juice, tomatoes, tofu, yogurt, red onions, garlic, beans and lentils! It may seem like a lot but it is the least you can do for yourself and the best results you can yield from your meal planning efforts!

As stated in the introduction to this article, aging is something that is going to happen to everyone. No one can cheat death. However, the more good advice one has on the process, the easier it is to cope with the transitions and changes that aging entails. This article offered some of that advice.