11 Old Person Habits That Can Actually Make Your Life So Much Better
Don't knock these habits older people love until you try them.
Anna Stills | Shutterstock.com While many younger generations of people like Gen Zers and millennials are committed to detaching themselves from their parents’ identities, from their routines, to the values they gold, and the things they choose to prioritize crafting their lives, there are certain lessons and habits that can still prove healthy and helpful as they navigate adulthood.
Unsurprisingly, this detachment from traditional norms and behaviors perpetuated by their parents is also one of the reasons why many younger generations are going “no-contact” with older family members, according to experts like Dr. Lucy Blake, hoping to pave a more empowering and healthy way forward for themselves in adulthood. While the phrase “old person” or connotations about aging have been largely stigmatized by the same toxic standards and expectations a traditionalist upholds, there are many old person habits that can actually make your life so much better.
Here are 11 old person habits that can actually make your life so much better
1. Writing letters to loved ones
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Despite being a practice — along with reading print media, investing in postage, or sending physical mail in their daily lives — that’s relatively common only in older generations of people today, writing letters and sending handwritten notes, thank-yous, and words of encouragement can truthfully add value to anyone’s life.
According to experts from Piedmont Healthcare, writing letters isn’t just a therapeutic activity that gives writers a chance to express their feelings and connect with others, it’s also the perfect way to express gratitude — a practice that can boost happiness, cultivate a more balanced general wellbeing, and de-stress the average person.
2. Getting ready every day
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Outside of the natural feelings of happiness many people feel when they spend time investing in their hygiene and getting ready at the start of the day, studies suggest that a general aura of “preparedness” can do wonders for your mental health and confidence — even if that just means spending a few extra minutes crafting a morning routine or picking out an outfit.
While dressing up for the day and getting ready for casual events might be more common in older generations — a practice that’s become a traditional sign of respect compared to young people who may be more willing to wear sweatpants to dinner or dress casually for work — its benefits can reach across age demographics.
At the end of the day, dressing up looks different for everyone — the true nature of this healthy habit is dressing in a way that makes you feel most comfortable and confident. Dressing up may look like wearing sweats, but it could also mean committing to self-expression everyday, whether you’re leaving the house or not.
3. Taking a midday nap
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According to experts from the Mayo Clinic, taking a short 20-minute nap in the early afternoon can actually boost productivity and energy levels, especially for people working long hours during the day. It’s important to craft a routine where you’re still getting quality sleep at night, so scheduling breaks and naps early enough in the day — when they're needed — ensures you’re not sabotaging your evening routine for a quick escape.
While napping is largely stigmatized and even ridiculed for older generations who adopt the practice, the benefits can help anyone to feel more energized, happy, and motivated during the day — combating rollover projects from work into the evening or irritability in the last half of the day.
4. Waking up early
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According to experts from Harvard Sleep Medicine, aging generally narrows the internal clock enabling sleep — encouraging older adults to fall asleep earlier in the evening and rise earlier in the morning. While this habit is often biologically natural for older generations, setting up a schedule with an earlier start-time can have a wide range of benefits for people of all ages.
From combating depression and anxiety that tends to flourish in the late evening, to helping cultivate more productivity in the morning, and even boosting your general mood and happiness levels, waking up earlier in the morning — alongside getting quality rest — is one of the old person habits that can can actually make your life so much better.
5. Growing your own food
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From boosting opportunities for exercise, to nourishing your diet, and reducing stress, there’s a number of benefits to taking up gardening in your daily routine. While it might take some time and effort to learn and adopt, gardening is one of the old habits that can actually make your life so much better.
While older people tend to have more time to invest in hobbies like gardening, they don’t have to be pigeonholed as a habit only baby boomers and Gen Xers can enjoy. Especially for Gen Zers, that already prioritize nutrition, organic foods, and general wellness in their routines — spending more money on intentionally nutritious foods and grocery stores — gardening can be the perfect cost-effective way to nourish their bodies and fill their free-time with movement and intention.
Even if it’s just a small herb garden, sometimes investing in a hobby with a tangible output — that can nourish your mind and body — is more powerful than people give it credit for.
6. Keeping a diary
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A study published in the Family Medicine and Community Health journal, suggests that expressive writing and gratitude-based journaling can be incredibly beneficial for mental health — acting as a de-stressing, emotionally regulating, and grounding habit amid even the most chaotic routines.
While journaling has become more popular for younger generations dialed into conversations around emotional intelligence and personal growth, there’s still a number of people who are turned off to the idea of keeping a diary, however, it truly is one of the old person habits that can actually make your life so much better.
Of course, journaling and keeping a diary isn’t just beneficial for general wellbeing and mental health — experts suggest it also has powerful benefits for aging demographics, helping to combat dementia risks in a profound way.
7. Eating an early dinner
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Although there’s always been a stereotype that older people tend to eat dinner much earlier than other generations, it’s often true that older Gen Xers and baby boomers who’ve retired or are working less have the freedom to eat whenever they’d like. Assuming many are naturally going to bed earlier than younger generations, it makes sense that they’d change their eating habits to accommodate for those shifts.
However, there’s benefits to eating dinner earlier in the evening, according to a study published the Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism, from helping with healthy weight loss, to combating spiked blood sugar levels, and promoting a better quality of sleep throughout the night.
Coupled with the poor sleep and physical distress late-night eating often sparks, other experts suggest that eating an early dinner can promote a more balanced psychological baseline, as well.
8. Limiting screen-time
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While nearly half of Gen Xers rack up over 8 hours of screen-time a day, older generations like baby boomers are much less likely to spend the majority of their day on their phones. In fact, baby boomers have the least amount of screen-time compared to other age groups. While it may not always be intentional to limit the time they spend on technology devices or social media, it’s one of the old person habits that can actually make your life so much better.
According to experts from Mayo Clinic, limiting screen-time not only boosts your general mood, mental health, and physical wellbeing, it can also free up time to invest in social connections, community, and hobbies.
Especially for people that replace their endless doomscrolling with a walk outside, time spent with friends, or investing into personal hobbies, limiting screen-time can be incredibly beneficial.
9. Celebrating often with friends and family
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It’s no surprise that prioritizing social interaction with hobbies and intentional planning can boost your wellbeing — numerous studies and investigations have illuminated the power of social connection and community on mental, physical, and emotional health. Despite that knowledge, finding ways to prioritize this kind of in-person social connection isn’t necessarily a strong suit of many younger generations.
From small get-togethers, to hosting casual dinner parties, and celebrating small accomplishments in their inner circles, prioritizing social connection and community is something that older generations tend to do well. Many of the old person habits that can actually make your life so much better revolve around a sense of social responsibility and community.
While Gen Zers and other young people may spend more money on experiences and go out to eat more often, older generations — fueled by traditional social norms and financial goals – tend to be more intentional with making these outings a celebration or a special occasion.
10. Reading newspapers and magazines
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Nearly half of older generations still get their news from print media like newspapers or magazines, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center, however there’s a number of alternative benefits and opportunities these traditionally “old person” habits offer.
From being less prone to distractions — like a social media news site or platform may be on online — to bolstering cognitive skills, and providing opportunities for growth with reading comprehension, making time to digest print media can actually be an underrated healthy habit for younger generations hyperfixated on their phones.
11. Taking casual walks
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Feeding into the inherently competitive nature of society today, many Gen Zers and younger generations can’t help but to commercialize their hobbies, overextend themselves trying to be experts at everything they try, or outshine others by doing the most, having the most hobbies, and overworking themselves.
However, many of the old person habits that can actually make your life so much better revolve around mindfulness — taking a breath, reconnecting with your body and mind, and investing in relaxation.
You don’t have to track your steps or train for a marathon to adopt a habit like casual walks in the middle of the day. Not only are they helpful for productivity and energy levels, they can promote a happier attitude and balanced mental state.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.