There are lots of things that seniors can do to improve their health, but experts agree that the most important thing that seniors can do to protect their health as they get older is build healthy daily habits. Small healthy habits that are part of a senior’s daily routine will not be difficult for seniors to do and over time those healthy habits can have a big impact on a senior’s overall health. According to doctors and researchers that specialize in senior health, here are four of the things that seniors should be doing every day to improve their health now and safeguard their health in the future.

Seniors should be eating a healthy breakfast every day that has complex carbohydrates and protein. Many seniors are technically malnourished because they aren’t eating enough during the day. It’s important for seniors to start the morning with a healthy breakfast so that they are getting the energy, vitamins, and minerals that they will use to get through the rest of the day.

Whole wheat toast with peanut butter, eggs with vegetables, or cottage cheese with fruit are all fantastic breakfast ideas for seniors. Protein shakes are also a good option for seniors that don’t like to eat a meal in the morning.

Exercise is something that some researchers call the fountain of youth for seniors. Seniors should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. That doesn’t mean that seniors need to have a very strenuous workout daily. 30 minutes of biking, walking, or yoga can do wonders for a senior’s health. The key to getting the most out of exercise is for seniors to exercise consistently. If they are not exercising every day then it should be most days.

Physical therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy can all help seniors maintain the muscles and movements they need to have in order to continue aging in place. Seniors should be doing some type of therapy most days of the week. Many seniors like to rotate and do physical therapy, speech therapy , and occupational therapy on different days during the week. That way they don’t get tired of the therapy and they are challenging themselves to do something different each day. And most types of therapy including physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy can be done at home so seniors don’t need to make a long trip into a medical office to do their therapy exercises.

Exercise, good nutrition, and good sleep are the three pillars of good health for seniors. If seniors can make it a daily habit to eat well, exercise, and get at least eight hours of sleep they will feel great and have a much better chance of avoiding serious illness as they get older. For better sleep seniors should have a strict bedtime and make sure to turn off the TV at least 30 minutes before they want to go to sleep.