Good Lifestyle

If you feel like you are the only person to spend more time alone As you get older, it turns out that you are far from it. According to the survey on the use of the time of the American Labor Department, which has been transformed into a practical graphic and widely shared, most People are more and more isolated from others over the years.

The time you spend with children, family members and friends decreases regularly after thirty, letting you spend most of your time with your partner (if you have one) and colleagues until retirement . At the age of 70, people spend an average of an hour with friends and their non -joint family members and spend an average of eight hours a day, suggests the investigation.

In the end, it can take a serious toll On our mental and physical health. In fact, in 2019, the United States general surgeon declared the loneliness of a public health crisis.

However, loneliness is not inevitable - the fact that this is so widespread means that there are many other people in the hope of connecting themselves, just like you. By stopping to think and deepen your current relationships - and consider where you could find new ones - you can considerably increase your chances of staying well connected in your upper years. Ready to relaunch the process? These are the seven best tips for repairing solitude after 50, according to therapists.

In relation: The 5 easiest ways to make friends in their fifties .

Loneliness is a feeling , and you don't really need to be alone to feel it. Approved therapist Suzette Bray, LMFT, says that you compare to others with a more busy social life can let you feel alone even when you are surrounded by others.

To remedy it, she suggests normalizing the idea that everyone Sometimes feels alone and that your own feelings of loneliness do not indicate a failure or insufficiency of your part.

"Recognize that everyone's journey is unique and that it is normal to feel alone sometimes helps to alleviate negative judgment and opens up space to take measures to reach out and connect," says Bray Better life.

If your feelings of loneliness have been triggered by a death, a divorce, retire , Change the dynamics with your growing children, your health or any other reason, try to offer you some understanding and compassion before trying to solve the problem.

Then Bray suggests embracing a new chapter of self -discovery by sampling different activities. In addition to helping you identify new passions, this can help you create links with other people who have similar interests. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"So often, the elderly have devoted their life to work, to child care and to take care of even older parents, finding themselves without much idea about what they like to do," explains Bray. "The sampling of many new activities can help people understand what they like and can lead them to find companions who also like these activities."

She adds that it is important not to wait for others to start doing the things you love. "Taking the initiative to engage alone can lead to unexpected opportunities to meet new people. It also strengthens self -confidence and independence, reminding you that you don't need to count on others for accomplishment and social interaction. "

In relation: The 10 best senior dating sites to help you find love .

Volunteering attenuates the feelings of loneliness in several ways: in addition to being an opportunity to meet new people, this can also remind you of the more virtuous side of humanity, building a shared meaning and positivity.

"Offer your skills or interests to a local organization with which you resonate," suggests Ray Christner , PsyD, NCSP, ABPP, specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy at His practice In Hanover, Pennsylvania.

You don't know where to start? Colleen Marshall , MA, LMFT, vice-president of clinical care on the therapist's research site Two chairs , said to take stock of your passions, past and present.

"Maybe it is to read to the children of the library, or help with your local animal shelter, or volunteer in your local hospital," she said. "Often, the skills you have in your professional life can also help non -profit organizations."

Sometimes there is no reason perceptible to our isolation - we simply separate because of the requirements of our daily life. If you have noticed that the annoying life of significant social connections, plan time to reach out and reconnect, suggest Bray.

"We want to connect, but that does not happen in one way or another," said the therapist. She notes that past relationships can be "particularly enriching" because your shared history is likely to offer instant conversation and mutual interests to explore.

In relation: 6 mindfulness tips to feel incredible every day retired .

Marshall says it is also crucial to continue to develop and deepen the relationships you already have, even if you only have a few. She recommends planning these chances of connecting at least once a week to help get momentum.

"It could be with a friend, a family member, a little child or really anyone who is important to you. Having a visit regularly planned for connection can help deepen a relationship that you already have and remind you When you might feel alone that you have a press someone you care about coming soon, "she said.

"If the person you want to connect cannot do it every week, think of several people who could be in your schedule so that you have at least one contact point per week for a significant recording," it adds She.

Just as you may feel alone in the presence of others, there are also ways to strengthen your proximity feelings when you are alone. Bray suggests trying a "loving kindness meditation" when your loved ones are far away.

"This meditation practice consists in sending wishes many vows and positive intentions to various people: yourself, your loved ones, knowledge (think of the barista or the bus driver, the postman or the guy in the street), defying individuals in our lives and, finally, to the world as a whole, ”explains Bray.

"This form of meditation goes beyond calming the mind; this nourishes a feeling of compassion and love for oneself and for others, reducing the solitude and the softening of loneliness", it adds She.

In relation: 10 incredible volunteer ideas that will make you happier after 50 .

Christner says that writing can also help repair your feelings of solitude after 50. Although even private journalization Can make you feel less alone with your thoughts, he recommends using it as a way to reach out to others.

"Writing words is so powerful. It means more than ever at that digital time," he said. "Send the notes of your loved ones. A personal and handwritten note can make someone's day. He can include a memory with the person, an expression of gratitude or words of encouragement."

There is a good chance that you will also do a little less solitude.