The younger you are, the more careless you tend to be. And that’s how it’s supposed to be. But passing time inevitably makes you take care of yourself, your mental wellbeing, and your background more. From reflecting on people you spend time with to adding some little rituals to your lifestyle, like drinking more water or putting on face cream daily, there are many ways to self-improve.

So when one Redditor posed a question to older women on the “Ask Women” subreddit, “What are some underrated ways to take care of ourselves now to make things easier when we get older?” it delivered some incredible advice. So take your notes out, below are some of the most useful pieces of advice to start with today to make time and age stand on your side.

#1

Preventative care. Go to the gyno, 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.

Sunscreen! And stay out of the sun.

Take care of your skin. Can’t tell you how many posts I see from people who say they never took care of their skin and now at 50 are looking for a magic potion.

Same with your teeth.

Wear shoes that aren’t ruining your feet, knees, and back.

If you need medication and can afford it – take it. It’s easy to let things go, but your arteries, organs, brain, etc. will thank you.

Regular drinking is bad for your health and appearance. If you aren’t a regular drinker – don’t start. If you are, cut back.

Image credits: livingthemugglelife

#2

Keep making friends and fostering friendships. My former boss (retired now, in her 60s) has a group of girlfriends. 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,and she didn’t want to be alone. Most of her friends are married but they have prioritized their friendship for decades.

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#3

Not just exercise, but build your physical balance. This will be a literal life saver as you age.

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#4

I’m 48 and my biggest thing right now is getting rid of stuff. We have so much cr*p 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.

Image credits: queenoreo

#5

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

Image credits: VeeSquibbles

#6

Live intentionally. Lots of people shuffle through the daily stressful things almost on automatic. Reduce time wandering in tv shows and increase time asking questions and figuring out your needs – meditating, eating better, creating a budget instead of just guesstimating month to month. Deciding about your own personal ethics and values, establishing boundaries, and working on your mental health are all incredibly important. Challenge your beliefs and assumptions that you picked up from your parents.

Image credits: SociallyAwkardTurtle

#7

Keep going out atleast once a week even if it’s to sit at the coffee shop by yourself.

It sounds simple right??? But for a ton of us it’s really scary. Some of us hate the thought of others looking at us and judging us. Starting in 2019 I quit going out and would be afraid of people simply focusing on my nose, my scars, my makeup etc instead of my eyes.

Well I’m now just starting to go out. It’s really hard but I’m getting the hang of it. I should have kept going out and having fun often, instead of hiding away because I got too used to it and then afraid to go out. I’m only 28 !!!!!!

Image credits: jeweledmoon

#8

MOISTURIZE everyday head to toe no matter how yucky it feels. Your old hormoneless skin will reward you!

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#9

Learn absolutely everything you can about perimenopause and menopause. We don’t talk about it enough or adequately share lived experience. It all starts far earlier than most women realize and hot flashes are the very least of it. We are woefully unprepared for this process.

Also have your own money and save diligently, even if you think you can’t afford to.

#10

Drink less alcohol and coffee, drink more water.

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#11

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 challenge way too challenging, the divide cannot be bridged. Also edit old beliefs, like spiritual or religious beliefs that cause unwarranted guilt or fear or encourage narrow mindedness. Edit your possessions so you don’t have to spend so much time on stuff and so your loved ones don’t have so much stuff to deal with after you’re no longer able to manage, or are dead. Edit your money habits so that you have more stashed away and so things like on line shopping or giving money to adult kids doesn’t put a strain on your future by draining your current budget. Edit your wardrobe to keep only things you can comfortably wear and that you find appealing. While doing so let go of judging others appearances, you’ll be surprised by how much energy it frees up and how much more accepting you’ll be of your own appearance.

Image credits: TigerLily98226

#12

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.

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#13

Take care of your joints, and work on your mobility and balance. It doesn’t need to be a special workout, but doing yoga regularly, being barefoot as much as possible (to combat bunions and improve proprioception), and doing some gentle exercise like walking or swimming.

Falling and breaking a bone can be fatal when you get older.

Image credits: Zoenne

#14

Flossing -isn’t underrated but I didn’t realize receding gums were a thing until my dentist told me they do testing on your gums after a certain age. And that can cause all kinds of problems. Take care of your teeth!

Image credits: crazynekosama

#15

look around your house. Especially if you are a home owner. I have a ten year plan to make my home handicap friendly before I retire. I want even floors, friendly to wheelchairs. Showers without a lip to trip over. My water heater is in the spider dungeon, I plan to move it upstairs. The siding needs repaired and the roof replaced before I am on a fixed income. Correct the drains so I don’t have to blow them out every 6 months, put in sprinklers so I don’t have to move hoses. And the big one, wish list more than to do list, get solar panels.

#16

Exercise. It’s easier to get in shape when you’re younger and then hold onto that rather than try to get better strength/endurance at a later time.

My dad used to say that to me all the time, and I was like… Whatever. But then I finally started working out regularly when I was 28 and in the years since it’s been easy to keep up a decent fitness level with much less effort.

One of my friends never exercised either because she thought of it as only something you do to become thinner and she was naturally very thin. Now we’re in our late 30s and she struggles to stand on public transit or walk for an hour without a break. I only go to the gym about an hour a week these days but on vacation I can walk for hours without stopping

#17

Streching! For the love of god stretch yall lol Mental games or actives to.keep your mind alert. Downsizing stuff. Getting items that have convenience like a laundry basket with wheels… a place to live with no stairs or wider doors in case you need a wheel chair. Walk in shower so you dont have to step over tub edge. Love yourself

Image credits: sexibeautiful1726

#18

Sun protection, not only to look more youthful but as skin cancer prevention. 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.

Image credits: brbgottagofast

#19

Lift weights. Putting on muscle is like savings in the bank…. Make deposits now because one day it will only be withdrawals.

#20

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.

Image credits: Speerjagerin

#21

I started eating a Cbd gummy before bedtime, and I haven’t slept so well in years. So glad I found out about them!

Image credits: Particular_Case_1739

#22

Be kind to yourself and your changing body. I look back about the years I hated myself and now I think about how kind I am to by body now and all the things it has allowed me to do.

Face lotion. I don’t have a 6 step skin care routine but I moisturize all the time. Makes me feel better.

Buy and wear comfy shoes.

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

#23

I’m 68 years old. In my youth, I did not take care of my skin. I grew up thinking that a suntan made you look healthy. I’m very fair, so I didn’t tan—I burned and then peeled. I started caring about my skin when I was in my late 30s. Sunscreen, cleansing oils, serious moisturizers, and ceramide capsules. Every day, two or three times a day, depending on what I’m doing. I also drink lots of water.

Now, I like to think that I must be doing something right, because my skin looks pretty darn nice for a woman of my age.

Start taking care of your skin while you’re young. No tanning booths, no sitting in the sun for hours at a time. Find a skincare routine that works for you, and stick with it.

#24

I’m a nurse in aged care. Don’t smoke, eat healthily, don’t lead a sedentary lifestyle, nurture healthy family relationships and for crying out loud have a will and make your wishes legally binding if/when you can’t advocate for yourself. If we are lucky to grow old and have mistreated our bodies or have estranged/step families, it is a f*cking nightmare for those looking after you if you didn’t have your sh*t together when you had your faculties.

#25

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

Image credits: TigerLily98226

#26

Invest your money early. It may seem hard when you are in 20’s but it’s so important for financial independence. Life happens…staying in a relationship because of financial dependence on another is misery. Financial independence is pure and utter freedom. Making decisions based on your needs & wants and not out of fear is life changing.

#27

Regular stretching and going to a physiotherapist to help with my back and shoulder pain. I have so much more pain now from sitting at a desk all day that I have to be proactive and do those stretches and get massages or physio so I don’t become totally incapacitated from a sore back.

#28

Never stop learning, always put women friends first in your life. Always invest in community. Save as much as you can because life is brutal. You will be fired just for being a woman. While pregnant or after you just bought a house. Never share a bank account with a man. Never let a man convince you that he should go to school first or to have a baby first or quit your job. It doesn’t matter how much you love a man, they will always find ways to benefit the most out of a relationship. People will tell you its a horrible way to think. But you will be uneducated, broke and homeless sooner than later (after 45). And when it’s later, you’ll be too old to work or go to school. Age discrimination never stops for women, but it gets substantially worse after 30 onward.

#29

Don’t wait to make memories. Do it now. Go out with that friend. Go away for that weekend. Go to that concert. Watch that play. Call that friend. Hug your mum, dad, children, dog, cat, whatever.

Do it now. Don’t regret what you have done because you might regret what you haven’t.

#30

Keeping a clean and organized space makes me feel so much calmer. I never understood what my mom meant by this when I was a teen but I get it now.

#31

Getting enough sleep and sleeping 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.

#32

– Sunblock;
– Dental hygiene, which includes daily floss and mouthwash;
– Drinking water regularly; and
– Getting enough sleep.

Image credits: 0l0l00l

#33

Love your husband. Even if he’s a giant PITA sometimes. Its a gift to have a partner when you get older. Especially if overall, you have a good one. Being alone for 20 years is not good for anyone.

#34

I read a book called ‘Phosphorescence’ which talks about finding something that brings you joy, that you can immerse yourself in and escape to, particularly when life gets really tough. For me that has been diving. It’s taken me to such places of wonder and led me to both new friendships and remarkable adventures. I’ve dived with great whites and leafy sea dragons, manta rays, cuttlefish and octopi, frolicked with endangered sea lions and floated with dwarf minke whales. I only wish everyone with time on their hands could find their own phosphorescence.

I’m 60 next month and got my advanced diving certification in 2020 after only diving a handful of times since getting my open water when I was 55. I’ve now done close to 100 dives and been on multiple live-aboard dive expeditions and have many more planned all over the world. I also plan to keep learning and developing my diving skills and knowledge of the underwater world.

#35

Most people start experiencing cataract changes by age 50. If there is a chance you will grow old in your current home, start improving the lighting.

Look after your vitamin d levels. It is important for building bone density.

#36

Daily walking, my senior parents also find this one essential to their daily routines. Even just 20 minutes makes a difference and I feel so much better now that I’m walking more. I think everyone gets wrapped up in the gym or intense cardio for exercise but it really doesn’t have to be that intense.

#37

Spend less time worrying about how other perceive you and care more about how you perceive yourself. If you spend a lot of time trying to be pretty on the outside you are probably going to be pretty freaked out when you get to middle age and the things you thought were your best features physically will start to “melt” . Even if you are above average in the looks department, the attention from others, will wain. Don’t depend on your looks. Work on your interests, work on your kindness, grow your inner world. These things will help develop friendships that will last and relationships that are more intimate. If you worry that you have to be pretty to attract a partner remember when you fall in love with someone they turn into the best looking person ever.

#38

Save money for retirement. Stretch. Develop hobbies that will be fun in retirement. Learn.

#39

Become single

Study after study has proven that marriage has a detrimental affect on a woman’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Married women also enjoy less time for hobbies, careers and friends. Meanwhile the opposite is true for men. Marriage and cohabitation is designed to take from women and give to men.

#40

This is one that people probably don’t think about. Never stop bathing in an actual tub. We probably all take showers the vast majority of the time but we should still be using the bathtub. My mother who has always showered for years can no longer maneuver herself in and out of the bathtub to soak in a bath. She’ll have to wait and ask for help from one of us if she wants to take a luxurious bath. It’s one of those lost “skill sets” that I don’t think she’ll ever get back.

#41

Financial stability is so important. Making sure you’re putting something away now for the future.

#42

Start tretinoin/retin-a around 26 if your skin can work with it.

#43

I’m not sure what you consider older but I’ll give my two cents.

We lose 5 percent of muscle mass every 10 years after age 35 so it’s important to do resistance/weight training.

Also, I was told by a massage therapist that if everyone did yoga he would be out of a job.

So in short do a little of weight training and yoga each week.

Also, take care of your knees. Take things easy when exercising and doing sports. A knee injury and any other kind is no joke. Also, the best way to make injuries less painful is physical therapy/ exercising the muscles so they can hold your knee or whatever else you injured in place. Hopefully, it will help you not to have surgery.

Another thing is go see the therapist if you even entertain the idea of one. It will help you. Ignore the stigma. I’ll recommend some of the books my therapist(s)/counselors recommended. I wish I read the books years ago:

Boundaries Boundaries In Dating Boundaries In Marriage Inner Bonding The Courage To Heal Safe People Getting The Love You Want

On another note start budgeting. I would recommend using YNAB or another budgeting software. It’s worth the money. When it comes to money I would recommend reading I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

#44

Learn to set and hold a boundary. Learn how to really listen. And prioritize your mental health – only YOU know what’s really going on in your head.

#45

Dental health, with emphasis on gum care! Go do check ups with your dentist once or twice a year, your future self will thank you

#46

If you have the means to, especially if you live in a country with universal healthcare or have decent health insurance, 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 includes annual physicals and Paps. Paps 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.

#47

I’ve always exercised and tried (lol with a bit of up and down) to not put on loads of weight just so I don’t have to struggle walking later, sleep and getting rid of bad stress

#48

Don’t believe everything you see or hear. The longer I live, the more I recognize the hyperbole and promises all over tv, radio and internet as just noise to tune out. Reserve judgment and avoid hysteria. It helps your mental health immensely to screen out noise and test assumptions rather than jumping on bandwagons.

#49

Keep moving. Think of it as an endurance thing rather than an athletic thing – joints that are regularly moving and then resting will last longer than joints that slow down or stop for extended periods of time. The older you get, the harder it is to get range of motion back. A physical therapist helping me come back from a frozen shoulder led to my realization that retaining painless joints is important, and doing so doesn’t have to be painful or even athletic – simple movements on a daily basis keep you limber. If you want to train at the gym, go for it, but if you don’t learn simple ways to keep those soft tissues in motion and keep the limbs pain free.

#50

Protect your pelvic floor muscles (especially if you have given birth).

#51

I want to point out targeted low level activity/exercise specifically for reasons described below.

Regular body maintenance in terms of stretching and strengthening (especially core). My doctor finally figured out the source of my severe lower back aches that I’ve been getting for the past 4-5 years (started around age 37 – to be fair to him I took forever to talk to him about it). Weak muscles. I always knew it was important to exercise in general because “health” but never really understood anything more specific than that. When we hear about “you need to exercise more” it’s usually with the focus of weight loss/maintenance, cardiac health, or weight lifting “cause muscles”.

I understand there are a million reasons to be active but please note that here is one more. Exercising doesn’t need to always be about losing weight or being the vague general state of “healthy”. Sometimes we just need to keep things tuned up to avoid potential problems down the road.

#52

I’m not that old but if you’re a teenager who can put your leg over your head: f*cking stop it right now and get tested for hypermobility and connective tissue disorders

Your best bet is to start strength training now. When I was growing up they always said NOT to do that because you’ll snap your spindly little bendable joints and sh*t, but it turns out all that has changed and they have realized it’s much better to build up your muscle instead of tone it,

#53

You will only be happy if you are completely independent. If you haven’t figured out how to be happy on your own, don’t add a partner. If you are desperate for a partner go to therapy to work out your way to happiness. Smarten up on finances and start investing in stocks or ETF as early as possible. Never combine assets with a partner instead have one shared account and keep individual accounts from which you pay an equal percentage to cover shared cost. Your financial independence will make you happier than a partner.

#54

Don’t be afraid of hormone replacement therapy if your peri-menopausal symptoms are rough. HRT got a bad rap from shoddy journalism, but it’s quite safe if done correctly and monitored by a doctor.

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