The winter season is fun and joyous for many of us, but it may be hard on the elders in your family; the freezing climate has its own toll on them. Your elders deserve to be taken care of, during difficult times. By putting a little amount of effort you can change the stressful times into a joyous margazhi month for your elders. Here are ways by which you can help your elders this margazhi.
Margazhi
Margazhi is a tamil month that starts from mid december and goes till mid january. This is the month when the temperature will be the least during winter. This is the time of the year where our elders are more prone to diseases like cold, fever and even seasonal affective disorder.
SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is a form of depression that affects a person at a certain time, every year. This is caused due to the change in season and temperature. Some of the common symptoms of SAD are anxiety, irritability, lack of concentration, social withdrawal, sadness and fatigue.the cause of SAD is doubted to be the hormone change during the season, but the exact cause is yet to be found.
How does margazhi affect elders mentally?
Physical Constraints
Due to the freezing cold temperature our elders tend to spend their time in a single place instead of moving around, which respectively reduces their physical movements. Unlike the new generation people, our elders like to be physical and meet people in person, constraining them from those physical activities will affect them mentally and will lead to depression.
Digestion
Unlike summer the digestion process in our body during winter is much slower, which might not be a problem for younger people but in the case of elders, this can lead to illness like stomach upset, dysentery, etc. The pain and irritation from these diseases can easily manipulate the mental wellness of our elders.
Interaction
Our elders are people who had it as a habit to be social among their neighbours and people around them. But margazhi is a month where people find it comfortable to stay inside their house and keep themselves comfortable. As a result it severs the communication between our elders and their surroundings, which can make them feel lonely.
How to overcome these mental illnesses?
Get sufficient sunlight:
Get out of the house and go for a morning walk. Feeling sunlight on your skin will increase your body’s serotonin level, which helps in the balance of your mood. This will prevent you from getting into depression.
Do exercise regularly:
Exercise is the best way to heat up your body, this will be soothing during the winter season. Doing exercise regularly will keep you active and will refresh your mind and will also help in digestion. This will keep you away from feeling lonely and depressed.
Follow proper diet:
Having food which is rich in nutrients and is easy to digest are the best way to gain all the energy you need to help yourself through the day. This will help in keeping your mind healthy and active.
Thus margazhi is one of the crucial months where it is very important for you to take care of your elders and make them feel comfortable and relaxed.
Author: Team 60PlusIndia
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