Now that I'm in my mid 70's and with numerous health issues plaguing me, which keep me pretty much confined to my home, I feel that each day is way, way too long. The only lucky thing I have going for me are my cooking abilities. However, I can no longer cook anything I wish . ( health issues.) Every day, outside of cooking, the only thing I do is watch movies and a bit of TV. Darn it anyway, I am so bored. I wish I could sleep longer, but there is a limit on how much I can sleep.
You should try to live your life the best you can, and enjoy every minute. Of course, with only about 4 hours of daylight, I get to sleep a LOT if I so choose
For many oldsters, the very thought of going to a gym is daunting at best but it’s really a cool thing to do. We have a lot of seniors with various health issues who go to our gym and to say that the mental attitudes are Way above the norm would be an understatement. A good laid back gym is a good place to spend some time, get to know people and improve one’s body and mind.
The days do seem longer in the winter, even though they are actually shorter now. In the summer, I can go outside in the yard and do things, plant some flowers and veggies, sunbathe, paddle around in the little backyard pool, stuff like that. Now, it is cold, wet, and dreary outside; so I am mostly inside as well. I hate cooking, and Bobby mostly cooks what he wants to eat and I cook what I want, and neither one of us spend much time in the kitchen anymore. I usually check Twitter to see what the latest news is, and then read the forum for a while. Since I do not watch television, I sometimes knit and listen to a podcast, or just browse online to learn new things. Youtube information tutorials are one of my go-to places for learning stuff. My Apple Watch alerts me to walk each hour, so I pace back and forth through the house for 5-10 minutes each hour, and at the end of the day, I have accumulated enough steps for 2+ miles of walking. The walking really helps me to feel better, even though it is just back and forth in the house for a few minutes at a time.
Winter Solstice is upon us, so the daylight hours are at a minimum here north of the Equator, but yes, the days seem longer. The only days I enjoy are the ones when I can watch college football. I'm an Ohio State grad, so I'm excited about the upcoming games for the National Championship.
@Richard Whiting I am 72 and my health is shot, my body is worn out, and my attitude is below acceptable social behavior, but the days just go way too fast. I credit keeping my mind busy with writing, playing music, exercising, walking, and just being a royal pain in the patoot to others, plaguing the internet with my dribble. Distraction is the name of the game. Keep your mind busy and body active.
Although days are shorter in the winter, they seem shorter yet because there are more things that have to be done, such as shoveling snow, uncovering cars that have been buried in snow, and taking care of other problems related to cold or to snow. Since these tend to be things that I don't like to do, they have the effect of shortening the amount of time that I have to do things that I want to do. To be sure, there are plenty of things to do in the spring, summer, and fall, too, but they tend to be things that I enjoy. I don't get the idea that you're asking for advice, @Richard Whiting, but I think you need to look for things to do. Rather than simply watching television, take some classes on something that might hold your interest or that might lead to a hobby. There are plenty of online classes, many of which are free. You're not going to earn a degree from them, but you could potentially learn more than you would if you were in a degree program. What better way to keep your mind agile and involved than learning something? Maybe there are hobbies that you can do. Hobbies don't have to be demanding of strength or agility. I can't suggest anything because I don't know what you're interested in or capable of. Writing can be fun, and you don't have to be working on the next great American novel in order to enjoy writing. I don't know. I'm just throwing things out there for whatever they might be worth. If nothing, then feel free to ignore it.
Winter days can be boring; it feels like we are cooped up in the house with freezing weather. Of course, you're in Mexico... right? So your weather is pretty nice compared to a lot of us. Do you have a garden? For years I wanted to learn to make artisan breads, so last year I decided to finally give it a go. I had a fun time making all kinds of breads and rolls because like you, I love to cook. Unfortunately I gained 10 pounds in about 8 months so had to give my baking pans a rest. But I also gained some new skills and I still love to bake bread. There are lots of cooking/baking/fermenting/whatever threads in the kitchen section. Maybe you could join in and add your expertise. Do you have any interest in fermenting? There's an active discussion about that, and I recently tried my hand at fermenting pickles. (They turned out horrible so it's back to the drawing board. ) For some reason the holidays always seem to bring me down a bit; I get melancholy so I need to keep myself occupied.
@Richard Whiting , there is always the choice to spend more time here on SoC. We are quite an entertaining bunch..................................................... sometimes. Would you like to tell us more about your health problems? Sometimes it helps to have somebody to share our story with. Not that we can solve the problems but we can "Listen".
Unfortunately, the desire to sleep the days away can be a sign of depression or SAD. Usually, a good daily walk or taking up a new hobby (as has been mentioned) or joining a group in which you can make new friends or acquaintances may help. You apparently do courses online, so that's a good thing, but it doesn't give you a lot of chances to meet new people.
I have IBS-D , a miserable bowel disease and T-2 diabetes and I am almost completely deaf. It is a rare day when I can leave my apt to even go grocery shopping. Even then I must wear diapers because I can't control my bowels unless I go without food for 18 hours. It has been years and years since I've had a conversation with anyone. I have been to a specialist Dr, and had many, many tests, including colonoscopies. The IBS-D is incurable .
I would click 'Like" on this but I don't want you to think I like your problems. I have heard of IBS but I don't know much about it. Does what you eat have any effect on it?
I can understand your depression. Whether your disease is incurable is a question for debate despite what you have been told, but it is certainly treatable if you can afford the drug treatments.
Yes, somewhat. Refried beans do occasionally help, but not always. Any diary product and/or gluten product makes it worse.