Study shows retirement is good for your health
A huge Australian study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine has confirmed what most retirees knew all along – that retirement is good for you. Researchers from the University of Sydney followed the lifestyles of more 25,000 older Australians as over 3,000 made the transition to retirement.
Dr Melody Ding, the study’s lead researcher, found that those who retired went on to live a healthier lifestyle than those who remained in the workforce. “During the study period, retirees increased their physical activity by 94 minutes per week, compared with 32 minutes among non-retirees,” she told The Conversation. “Retirees also became less sedentary, with a reduction of 67 minutes of sitting per day, compared with 27 minutes among non-retirees.”
It was also discovered that retirees gained 11 minutes of sleep while those who kept working lost 4 minutes. Furthermore, retirement had an astounding effect on female retirees who smoked, with half quitting when they left work – that’s double the rate of those who remained in the workforce.
Dr Ding was inspired to undertake the research when it came time for her mum to retire. “My mother still lives in China and they have mandatory retirement for women at age 55. When she turned 55 she was really anxious about stopping work – she felt like she was not as valuable,” she said. “So I thought I'd like to find some positive information about retirement.”
The findings are encouraging, but it’s up to each individual to figure out when it’s the right time to stop working. Dr Ding has provided some great tips on how to make a smooth and successful transition to retirement.
- Embrace the idea of retirement – Try and change your attitude towards leaving work. Rather than seeing it as something ending, think of it as something else beginning – a new life of freedom.
- Prepare yourself – start finding new things to occupy yourself with. Learn a new skill, pick up a new hobby and find your passion. When it comes time to finally say goodbye to work, you’ll have a whole new set of activities to keep yourself busy.
- Find meaning in your life – some retirees can be stuck feeling like they’ve lost their value once they stop working. That’s why it’s important to realise your job isn’t what makes up your identity. Finding joy, whether it’s from family, friends or fun activities, is the best way to keep your sense of self even after you retire.
Have you retired yet? What advice would you give to those approaching retirement? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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