No retirement

Senior citizens are increasingly under stress

Many older people are overwhelmed by the digital world.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/fizkes - stock.adobe.com)

Overworked despite retirement? Stress symptoms similar to those in everyday working life? Older people often cause themselves stress or find it difficult to cope with the fast pace of life. What's behind this and how to relax properly.

Why are you stressed, you don't have to work anymore anyway? Retired people often hear this phrase from those around them, their family and even doctors when they complain about too much pressure. Why is it that people of senior age are affected by excessive demands, even though retirement is supposed to be a time for rest and relaxation?

Studies have shown that older people are generally better at dealing with stress than younger people. However, there are many senior citizens who find the transition from working life to retirement very difficult.

Restructuring everyday life
Common causes of stress in retirement: the routine of working life is missing. When working life comes to an end, a fixed rhythm is lost. Predefined routines are missing and an unstructured lifestyle develops. You have to reschedule your free time, which some people find very stressful.

Feeling that you can no longer get anything done
Planning the day often doesn't work out in the end because too much has been planned. Older people then quickly come under pressure and get bogged down in tasks and plans. Frustration and the feeling of not being able to do even the simplest things arise.

Age and stress 
In an American study, scientists wanted to find out to what extent people's moods are worsened by stressful events and whether this characteristic changes with age: To do this, the researchers asked middle-aged adults about their mood and stress levels on a daily basis. This process was repeated after ten years.

In a second study, adults with an average age of 80 were interviewed daily for a short period every six months. The results of both studies showed that sensitivity to stress is likely to increase with age.

How can you relax?
Options include finding a new hobby, reconnecting with friends or leading a more active family life. Sport is also an ideal way for many older people to "blow off steam".

More balance through listening to music
But listening to music can also contribute to relaxation. A study by the University of Bochum (Germany) showed that the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol in the blood of the test subjects fell measurably when they listened to Mozart's Symphony No. 40. The doctors suspect that the repetitive, catchy melodies triggered this effect.

Calm down with breathing exercises
Sit or lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Concentrate only on your breath as it flows in and out all by itself. Feel how your lungs and bronchial tubes expand. With each inhalation, the body is supplied with oxygen, with each exhalation it is freed from used air.

The breath becomes slower and more even, the relaxation deeper and deeper. Try to breathe deeply into your stomach: it should rise when you inhale and fall when you exhale. Allow this process to take effect for a few minutes.