The study included data from 223 caregiver-stroke survivor pairs in Italy who completed questionnaires measuring spirituality, depression and quality of life between 2016 and 2018.

Survivors who scored above average on the spirituality questionnaire reported higher psychological quality of life even when their caregivers reported symptoms of depression. Caregivers with above-average spirituality scores reported better physical and psychological quality of life.

The research was published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

“Our study emphasizes the importance of viewing stroke survivors holistically, as a patient with symptoms and disabilities, and as an individual with emotional needs and part of an interdependent unit with their care partner,” lead study author Gianluca Pucciarelli said in a news release. He is a research fellow at the University of Rome.

The World Health Organization defines spirituality as a person’s perception of their life within the context of the culture and the society’s value systems, and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. Quality of life – its physical, psychological, social and environmental aspects – was measured using the WHO’s 26-question survey.

“The research demonstrates the important protective role of spirituality in illness.”

Those who scored one standard deviation above average were considered to have “higher spirituality.” Stroke survivors who scored below average on the spirituality questionnaire had lower quality of life overall, as did their caregivers with depression symptoms.

“In summary, when care partners feel depressed, something that is common for stroke caregivers, the survivor’s spirituality made the difference in whether this was associated with better or worse quality of life. This demonstrates the important protective role of spirituality in illness, and why we must study it more,” Pucciarelli said.

It’s also why, he said, there should be greater awareness about the importance of spirituality among health professionals.

The predominant religion in Italy is Roman Catholicism, which could have affected the results. Also, the study included only stroke survivors with low-to-medium disabilities and no other major health issues, so the study’s findings may not apply to survivors with more severe disabilities or other underlying illnesses.

If you dig back far, far into your brain—a la elementary school and the awkward joys of middle school—you might remember the first time you learned that everything is made of something called matter.

And within this matter are tiny, swirling, electrically-charged particles called electrons (-), protons (+),  and neutrons (neutral).Ok, I get it—you didn’t come here to relive your middle school days. And especially not your middle school chemistry class days. So, I’ll cut to the chase: it’s this same elementary-level chemistry that’s behind “earthing,” a fast-growing eco-therapy being picked up by everyone from celebs to soccer moms. And its list of benefits? Almost too good to be true…

The healing power of earthing rests in an exchange of electrons, or electrical energy, between your body and the earth.

As we go through life, our bodies accumulate “free radicals,” positively-charged compounds that we pick up through contact with pollution, pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxic substances. While positive energy is usually a good thing, an excess of this kind of positive charge can actually be really destructive, causing inflammation that increases the risk of premature aging, chronic pain, heart disease and type-2 diabetes among other conditions.

Like many things in nature, Mother Earth developed a clever trick to fix this dangerous imbalance: Earth’s surface has a negative charge that instantly neutralizes the positive charge of the body, bringing it back to a grounded state and drastically reducing inflammation.

It sounds like the perfect system…except for the fact that many of our modern conveniences disrupt this natural flow of energy between the body and the earth.

Our shoes, homes, and personal electronics can block us from receiving the balancing energy that we need, or worse, introduce even more destructive currents into the mix. As a result, the positive charge in our bodies builds up, inflammation increases, and illnesses snowball.

Enter earthing, the process of deliberately connecting to the earth’s bounty of healing, grounding electrons. In its simplest form, the only things you need to do earthing correctly are bare feet and a patch of earth—even concrete will do, as long as it isn’t treated. And just fifteen to thirty minutes of “grounded time” each day can produce results.

But for those with an already packed schedule or who live in densely-populated areas, it can be hard to find the time and the place for even a short session of earthing.

Luckily, many companies have developed earthing mats, blankets, and other devices that plug into electrical sockets to deliver that balancing flow of electrons wherever you are.

Stuck at the office but need relief from the static energy? Try a discrete earthing mat, which fits underneath your desk and can ground you through even the most hectic of days. If you’re moving around for most of the day, you might want to check out grounded sleep pads. Placed on top of the mattress, these pads deliver all of the benefits of earthing without you lifting a finger—or losing a wink of sleep.

For the low to moderate level of effort that earthing requires, it delivers an incredible list of health benefits.

Not only does the grounding effect of earthing decrease inflammation and inflammation-related diseases in the body, but it can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and promote an overall sense of wellbeing. It can even affect the viscosity of your blood—yes, the actual thickness of your blood—with a natural blood-thinning affect. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and improves circulation, contributing to a youthful, rosy glow. Plus, many professional athletes are known to sleep grounded or use grounded post-workout wraps to speed up their recovery times.

If someone who makes a living out of being incredibly fit trusts earthing to keep them going, then imagine what it can do for the average person.

If you weren’t a star student in middle school chemistry class, and don’t want to start understanding now, don’t sweat it. The great part of earthing is that it’s pretty simple to get started—and works whether or not you understand the science behind it. Just sit back, relax, get grounded, and feel the magic.

But the moon isn’t about to sit out on all of the raucous fun of 2018. In fact, she’s planned a pretty major comeback for January 31^st, a raincheck for her mellow December 31^st, one might say. And if the name of the comeback is any indication of what’s in store for the actual event, it looks like we’re in for quite the ride. The super blue blood moon is around the corner. Are you ready for it? Here’s everything you need to know.

#1 WHAT DOES “SUPER BLUE BLOOD MOON” MEAN?

(Aside from sounding really, really badass). To understand the meaning of the name, let’s break it down word by word:

+ SUPER: Supermoons are full moons that occur during the point in the moon’s orbit that brings it closest to the earth. Because of the moon’s proximity, it appears much brighter and larger than it would otherwise. Supermoons occur relatively frequently, with an average of four to six supermoons each year.

+ BLUE: Blue moons are the second full moon to occur within a calendar month. Does the phrase “once in a blue moon” ring a bell? As you may have guessed, blue moons are relatively rare, occurring only once every two to three years. Spoiler alert: blue moons are rarely blue in color. It is possible for the moon to appear blue in color, but one of the only known circumstances to make this happen is the heavy presence of volcanic ash in the atmosphere.

+ BLOOD: A “blood moon” is simply the colloquial term for a total lunar eclipse. What’s a total lunar eclipse? Typically, the moon is illuminated by light from the sun that reflects off of it, giving us that beautifully silvery glow we know and love. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon passes through Earth’s shadow, causing parts of the moon to disappear from our sight. While the moon is in Earth’s shadow, it still receives a small amount of sunlight from the sun. With less light to reflect back down to earth, the moon appears to be a darker, more reddish color; hence the nickname “blood moon.”

A super blue blood moon is simply the occurrence of all three of these events at the same time: it’s a full moon at the moon’s closest point to earth during its orbit, it’s the second full moon of the month, and it passes through Earth’s shadow.

#2 HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Though it seems unlikely with the number of factors playing in to such a lunar event, Time reports that according to retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, the last total lunar eclipse during a super blue moon was as recent as December 30, 1982. Other sources estimate that it’s been as long as 150 years since the last event of this kind, but we’re going to stick with the NASA astrophysics on this one. If you’re wondering why “super blue blood moon” doesn’t sound familiar, it might be because the naming terminology really only became popular in the last two decades.

#3 WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LUNAR AND A SOLAR ECLIPSE?

A lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse involve the same processes—they just use different pieces. During a lunar eclipse, the earth comes between the moon and the sun, obstructing the sunlight that would typically reflect off of the moon’s surface. During a solar eclipse, the moon comes in between the earth and the sun, blocking sunlight that would otherwise directly be hitting the earth. The big difference to note between the two is how you’re supposed to view them. For a solar eclipse, it is extremely dangerous to attempt to view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection. For a lunar eclipse, you aren’t looking directly at the sun’s rays, but rather a reflection of them. Therefore, there is no eye protection necessary.

#4 WILL THE SUPER BLUE BLOOD MOON ECLIPSE MAKE ME ACT DIFFERENTLY?

This is the fun part—if something as simple as a full moon can change the behavior of flora and fauna, will there be even bigger changes during a super blue blood moon? Astrological expert Susan Miller has some answers for us. According to Miller, eclipses typically accompany big life changes, both endings and beginnings. Since the moon represents personal relationships, a lunar eclipse is a particularly ripe time to see a change in an important relationship. Eclipses are also characterized by changes in illumination—you may receive an outpouring of signs or signals about your life that you haven’t noticed before.

Each lunar event is also closely tied to the astrological sign in which it occurs. This super blue blood moon belongs to Aries, the sun sign. Like their mascot the ram, Aries are characterized by fierce leadership, individualism, and determination. If you’re an Aries, this is your time to let that Aries flag fly: own your independence and use your fire to take charge of a new and exciting relationship or project. If you’re not an Aries, you can still learn from that Ram-like persistence: suit up, take up that task that you’ve let sit on the back burner for too long, and start the new year with impressive productivity!

#5 WHERE AND WHEN CAN I SEE IT?

The super blue blood moon will be in the sky from sunset on January 30^th to sunrise on January 31st. The peak of the eclipse will be at 5:29 am PST, or 8:29 am EST on January 31st, meaning that west-coasters will have the best chance of a clear viewing. Eastern portions of the U.S. will not be able to see the full eclipse due to the rising sun, but will still likely be able to observe the some of the other signatures of the event, notably the bigger, brighter moon, throughout the night.

Imagine that you could work on an app that better informs financial decisions to help users get out of debt; imagine working with technology that helps patients and doctors better manage illness and health; imagine being stuck in the rain with a crappy umbrella and allow the experience to spark the curiosity that leads to a better design – these problems are amazing!

Problems are amazing because of the innovative and creative solutions that often follow. There are so many big, juicy problems out there that remain blank canvases just waiting for the answers to improve the quality of life for us all.”

The problem that often hobbles problem-solving, however, is the “I can’t” mindset, which we all suffer to a greater or lesser extent, she says. It’s the hurdle separating problem recognition and imagination. But if we can get past “I can’t,” we enable wonder, curiosity, creativity and, sometimes, groundbreaking innovation, Patel says.

How do we overcome the “I can’t” mindset? Her I offer a brief summary of my creative- and innovation-enabling process for individuals and teams.

• Believe you can or, if needed, get unstuck. If you believe that you are creative, good. You’re going to need that creativity, so just trust yourself. If you don’t, trust in a process that begins with “Why?” If you’re stuck in doubt and “I can’t,” then attack it with “Why?” – “Why do I feel stuck?” It’s a great device for questioning and can help you understand the root cause of an issue. “Why?” sheds light on a usually irrational belief of “I can’t” and begins to liberate your mindset. The factor causing self-doubt gets put into perspective, enabling you to move on.
• Shift the way you see “The Problem.” The shift is deceptively simple and is similar to how we can get unstuck. Problems are usually perceived to be much bigger than they really are, causing intimidation and avoidance. Be sensitive to this intimidation, and train yourself: rather than allowing anxiety to take root, allow yourself to see problems as an invitation, or challenge, to keep asking questions. See problems as an opportunity to change your mind about what you think is possible.
• Ask, “What if?” There is a technique to “What if?” Creativity is like a muscle. A well-designed workout matters. So we created one to help people access and strengthen their creativity muscle. Think of this workout as high intensity interval training. Is it the only way to access the muscle? Of course not. But it works. The workout starts with a silent warm-up ideation round of three minutes, followed by a sharing round with a team, repeated three times. In the silent ideation, you write down as many “What if?” or open questions as possible. Participants come up with ideas at the same time and write them down, so louder and more vocal people don’t have an advantage. A necessary general guideline in this sharing process is positivity – show support for good ideas or voice that you have a similar one in mind, and keep the vibe open and friendly with other positive language.
• Manage the creative momentum. While collective brainstorming and discussion can be fun while yielding group bonding, the more important takeaway is that the process has helped participants get out of their own way to grab and distill the best ideas that are out there. Having too many ideas can be its own problem, so it’s important to deduce and connect the best ones.

By now, “I can’t” looks pretty ridiculous and unnecessary. This is a lesson that not only yields creative solutions for one problem, but a general principle with which to address all problems … or, rather, opportunities.

Mona Patel (www.motivatedesign.com ) is the CEO and Founder of Motivate Design, a user-centered design agency based in New York City. Motivate Design helps clients discover customer needs and design solutions that meet those needs.

As an executive coach and transformational leadership expert and the, author of The Thriver’s Edge:  Seven Keys to Transform the Way You Live, Love, and Lead, I know that it’s challenging not to fall into old patterns of behavior when we get back on the treadmill of daily life. And usually, it’s because our goals and resolutions feel like chores rather than things that make us feel happier, more productive, and more fulfilled. Here, I identify the key actions you can take to operate at your peak every day so you can thrive in your life and career and be the best person you can be in the coming year.

• Be Grateful. Identify what you have to be grateful for today!

Action: Each day, take a few minutes to pause and think about all you are grateful for: Your loved ones, the roof over your head, plenty of food to eat, your friendships, good health. Really think about each thing and take a few moments to relish the feeling.  Then get a notebook or journal and write your blessings down every day.  If you have a challenging day, go back and review them.  This is a fail safe way to lift your spirits!

Practice: Make a Gratitude Jar. Every time someone in your family has something good happen, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the Gratitude Jar. Then once a month, create a family ritual during which you pull out the jar and one by one read all the wonderful things that have happened during the past few weeks. Feel the joy and gratitude for all the good things that have transpired. These little victories will inspire you to continue this practice each month.

• Be Present. Tune in and be 100% present for yourself and someone else!

Action: Practice being present for at least ten minutes each day. This can be as you’re eating a meal, helping your child with homework, participating in a conversation at work, or playing with your pet. Practice being present with those around you. Really be there. Listen to them without any agenda except being fully present. Appreciate them for who they are and how they enrich your life.

Practice:  Once a week share an “appreciation meal” with your family or friends. During this time together, have each person share what they have learned about themselves and each other by being more present to one another. Let each person know what you appreciate about him or her.

• Focus on Your Purpose. Feel more connected to your purpose today!

Action: When we lead busy lives, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and forget about the reason we do what we do every day.  That’s why it’s important to remember and to focus on your purpose. Think of the difference that you’d like to make in your world. Maybe it’s being the best teacher you can be, or the most effective parent, or helping people to grow and develop if you are a manager of others.

Practice:  Practice seeing and feeling your connection to your purpose by taking one action each day that helps you feel more deeply engaged with the reason you’re here. If you’re a teacher, then help someone in classroom learn something beneficial. If you’re a manager, then seek out and facilitate a development opportunity for someone on your team. If you’re a parent, then make it a point to let your children know how much you love them and appreciate the wonder that they bring to your life. Revel in the joy of knowing how instructive you are in the process of watching your children learn and grow.  Whatever your reasons are for doing what you do, take one action each day that helps you feel renewed and recommitted to your passion, purpose and mission.

• Move Your Body. Feel more connected to the magnificence of your body!

Action: Practice moving your body, from stretching to walking to more vigorous exercise. Feel the power you have in your muscles and in every step you take. Feel how vibrant you are now, knowing you’re getting even stronger with each movement. 

Practice: Each day, turn off the TV, leave your phone behind, and get outside and take a walk, even if it’s a walk to the cafeteria on your lunch break at work. Breathe in the air, notice the beauty around you, feel the power in your steps, feel your connection to the ground beneath your feet.  Realize and be thankful for the magnificence of your body to take you wherever you want to go.

Spend more time being and less time doing

• Quiet Your Mind.  Spend more time being and less time doing!

Action:  We’re called human beings for a reason, but many of us have forgotten how to “be” in a world of 24/7 demands.  Carve out a few minutes every day to stop “doing” and simply be still.  Learn how to savor the silence, listen to the rain or even stare into space.  Hit the reset button on your inner hard drive at least once a day by being still. Notice what you notice when you’re quiet that you aren’t able to hear when you are caught up in the fray.

Practice:  Practice getting up 5-10 minutes earlier than your normal wake-up time each day.  This way, you aren’t losing productive time, so you won’t have an excuse not to do this.  Sit up in your bed with your back straight or find a chair in a place where you won’t be disturbed.  Set a timer on your phone or on your alarm for 5-10 minutes.  Close your eyes.  Focus on breathing from your abdomen, rather than from your chest.  Breathe in and out of your nose.  Notice where you feel your breath most prominently on your inhale and your exhale.  If you mind wanders, bring yourself back to your breathing by focusing on the sensation of your breathing until your timer goes off.  This practice will give you at least 5 minutes a day just to be.

• Appreciate Your Abundance. Identify where in your life are you truly abundant!

 Action: When it comes to money and material things, enjoy what you have and make the most of it rather than always wanting more. Are there places where you spend money on things you don’t need? Where can you create experiences rather than buying things?

Practice: Instead of going out to dinner or getting take-out, how about staying home one night with the family and creating a meal together. Cook together, sit down together, and enjoy one another’s company without any electronic devices or television to distract you.

• Pay it Forward. Help someone else! Do it!

Action: Do something nice for at least one person every day that enables you to extend yourself to others without the expectation of anything in return.  What are the small acts of kindness that can make a difference in someone else’s life that require minimal effort to do?

Practice:  Every day, practice delivering one act of kindness and notice how that makes you feel.  For example, pay the road toll of the person behind you. Smile at strangers and watch them smile back at you. Hold the door open for someone else. Buy a colleague a cup of coffee.  Let someone in front of you in your lane of traffic who wants to move over even when you’re in a rush.

As 2016 begins, I AM grateful for my family – well, in my case, that should be families. I have several.

At age two, I was abandoned by my original biological family and spent time in an orphanage and foster care until I was adopted at age four. But let me just go on record here and say, I’m grateful for my original family. Without them, I wouldn’t exist – and I’m quite fond of existing.

My adoptive family took me in and nurtured me into adulthood. I’m grateful for the stability and example of responsibility, respect and hard work they showed and taught. I’m also grateful for the introduction to a loving God they provided.

I’ve now been married for thirty-one years and have formed my own family. I’m grateful for the patient love of my wife and for how she balances me in so many ways. She has believed in me and motivated me in ways I did not experience before marriage. And though we do not have children, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have a role in the lives of nieces and nephews (both biological and not) who provide a way to pass something of value into the next generation.

Recently I went on a search to discover my biological roots and have connected with biological members of my family I hadn’t known about in my prior half-century of life. These folks have offered a new dimension of family that most adopted folks don’t get to experience – but some of you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m grateful for these “new” family members for the history and identity they bring to my life and the way they explain the on-going wonder of the nature vs. nurture debate.

But it strikes me that around most of our family tables this year, there will be a feeling that if we are not completely grateful for a part of our family, we can’t express any gratitude at all. The shadow part of them overcomes whatever light there may be. I’ll resist this dualistic approach to gratitude because, in my case, it would severely limit my ability to give thanks for my many blessings.

I’m able to be grateful to my biological family for giving me the gift of life, while at the same time not being grateful for the abandonment. I’m able to be grateful to my adoptive family for their inclusion of me and their many positive examples, without pretending to appreciate their overly harsh discipline or lack of emotional support. I can be grateful to my wife for decades of love and support while at the same time acknowledging that marriage is a challenge and gets messy sometimes.

As you ponder what you are grateful for this year, allow yourself to hold both extremes of every relationship at the same time. Each of us has a shadow side and each has that side of us that absorbs and reflects light. The fullness of gratitude is being able to celebrate the light, without the fantasy that the light won’t reveal a shadow.

Go forth and plot goodness.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of manifestation and placement. It is the study of how, through strategic arrangement, you can enhance the quality of your life and create more balance and harmony within your environment, which, in turn, can help you feel younger. Feng shui also works on an energetic level with the five Chinese elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The anti-aging secret behind these elements lies in their placement—where you place these elements in your home can influence your physical and psychological health, thereby affecting your ability to feel younger.

How Feng Shui Can Make You Feel Younger: Feng shui is full of hidden anti-aging secrets that are relatively new to western society. These practices can help you feel younger because they serve as effective stress management techniques.

Stress is one of the leading causes of aging, and psychological stress can have a detrimental impact on the body. Approximately 80% of serious illnesses and conditions can be linked to stress, including obesity, heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, inflammatory bowl disease, high blood pressure, and seizures. There are several other ways stress can affect your health, wellness, and ability to look and feel younger, such as insomnia, headaches, memory loss, hair loss, acne, back pain, immune function, asthma, lack of sex drive, and premature aging.

When your space is balanced and organized, which can be achieved through the stress management techniques in feng shui, the world around you will run more smoothly. The better your stress management strategy is, the more likely and better equipped you are to maintain your health as you get older, and the healthier you are, the more likely you are to feel younger. Keep reading for anti-aging secrets and techniques to using feng shui to eliminate stress, bring more peace and harmony into your life, and ultimately, feel younger.

Anti-Aging Secret #1:  Remove Electronics From the Bedroom to Feel Younger

There’s no doubt that improved sleep makes you feel younger, both in the short and long term. The bedroom is a sacred space, according to feng shui practice; however, most of us populate this space with TVs, computers, and wireless devices. They could be the cause for your sleepless nights because they contain electromagnetic fields, which can cause brain and nervous system interference.

If it is necessary for them to be in your room, keep them hidden by placing them in an armoire or cabinet. If you’re really determined to use feng shui to feel younger, it’s best to have an office for your computer and work equipment, while your TV stays in the living room.

Anti-Aging Secret #2:  Declutter Your Life and Cleanse Your Home to Feel Younger

This feng shui tip to feel younger can reduce stress in your life by helping you clear through the physical clutter, which can help reduce mental strain. It’s important to notice how a chaotic and untidy room can lead to feelings of chaos in other parts of your life. Is dirty laundry piled on the floor? Are there outstanding bills and to-do lists scattered on the kitchen counter? The first step to feel younger is to clean cluttered spaces, forcing you to deal with outstanding tasks; this allows other areas of your life to be sorted out as well.

It might be time to get rid of what you no longer need or use. Aside from decluttering, a regular purging practice of old stuff can also help release any old emotions that may be weighing down on you—dealing with emotional pressure is an essential stress management technique to feel younger. Furthermore, it allows for new opportunities and relationships to manifest in your life. Try donating your old belongings to a Goodwill store, or give them to someone who you know can make good use of them.

Anti-Aging Secret #3:  Add Peaceful Feng Shui Objects to Feel Younger

Decluttering your home makes space for new things that are more effective in your efforts to feel younger. That doesn’t mean replacing everything you eliminated, but adding peaceful objects that follow feng shui guidelines can do wonders for stress management.

Try a Himalayan crystal salt lamp; place one in your bedroom and one in the living room. They help calm and neutralize the “electro-smog” in the air, helping to reduce the allergens and irritants in your home. The pictures and art you place on the walls also reflect your environment—if you want to feel younger, choose pictures that will encourage and empower you to work towards that goal.

Anti-Aging Secret #4:  Embrace the Feng Shui Elements to Feel Younger

Each of the feng shui elements is believed to influence the energy (or chi) of the space it’s in, and each one represents a particular part the body, a color, an object, a direction, a season, and a certain characteristic about your life. Knowing the influence of each of these elements can help you utilize them differently in your efforts to feel younger.

• Wood—Liver, colors green and blue, trees, west, spring season, family, growth

• Fire—Heart, color red, fire, north, summer season, fame, expansion

• Earth—Stomach, color yellow, actual earth, center, harvest season, overall health, stability

• Metal—Lungs, color white, metallic objects, west, fall season, children, communication

• Water—Kidneys, colors black and midnight blue, south, winter season, career, concentration, stillness

Placing symbolic representation of these elements in sections of a room can help you target certain things in order to feel younger. For example, putting something yellow (Earth element) in the middle of a room can help soothe your stomach and improve overall health. If you’re looking for an easy way to feel younger, making subtle and mindful feng shui changes will help you take control of your life.

Jon Yaneff, a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada, writes for Agein.com where this article originally appeared. He is currently taking his passion for holistic nutrition to the next level, studying at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition on a part-time basis.  

Thankfully, retirees can find companionship in a variety of places. Although it takes a little effort, it’s completely worth it! According to a recent study published by PLOS Medicine, maintaining a strong social life can benefit your long-term health as much as avoiding cigarettes does.

So in the name of health, happiness, and camaraderie, here are nine great ways for you to find companionship during retirement:

1. Adopt a pet. Adopting a pet is a common option for gaining a companion during retirement, but did you know that caring for a pet actually has health benefits? According to the American Psychological Association, pets are important sources of social and emotional support, especially for those facing significant health challenges.

Not only do pet owners show lower stress levels, but they also have a greater sense of purpose. You can even take your pet companionship one step further by mingling at local dog parks, attending charity walks, or volunteering to visit patients at local hospitals!

2. Find a hobby. It’s hard to switch up your daily routine, but trying something new or picking up an old hobby could be just the thing you need. Having a hobby makes you part of a community of like-minded people.

Whether you join a local theater troupe, a gardening club, or a knitting circle, meeting new people on common ground makes socializing easy. And if you enjoy a hobby that’s less likely to be done in a group setting, use your interests as a conversation starter to connect with new people.

3. Join a gym. It’s common knowledge that regular exercise provides mental health benefits, but joining a gym also has social benefits. Similar to picking up a new hobby, going to the gym directly connects you with others who have similar interests. You can build a strong friendship by enduring something difficult with another person. So put on your shoes, grab a towel, and hit the gym!

4. Find a pen pal. Writing to a pen pal is a great way to expand your circle of friends, brush up on your writing skills, and organize your thoughts. It also helps you recognize the great things going on in your life, and it gives you an outlet to share your expertise and learn new things. Online resources such as International Pen Friends and PenPal World can help you connect with people across the globe.

5. Join (or start) a club. Joining or starting a club is easy — all it takes is two people who are willing to meet regularly. Once you start, you can invite others to join in.

For example, maybe there are few opportunities in your area for retirees to get together and socialize. You can get into the routine of going to dinner every Wednesday night with a small group. Then you can start inviting more people. Even if you don’t know much about these people, you’ll have scheduled times to get together, talk, and build lasting friendships.

6. Learn something new. It’s never too late to learn something new! Taking classes not only furthers your education, but it also gives you a scheduled time to meet new people. Whether you’re learning a new language, auditing a college course, or trying out pottery for the first time, learning something new opens up opportunities to meet people outside of your established social circle.

7. Pick up a part-time job. Although it might seem crazy to re-enter the workforce, finding a part-time job can meet your companionship needs during retirement. A job provides a structure for your day, a consistent set of cohorts, and an opportunity to help people. Plus, you’ll have some extra money for fun activities!

8. Volunteer. If you’re not keen on diving back into the workforce, volunteering is a great way to help others and meet new people. Check with schools, libraries, animal shelters, and churches for volunteer opportunities. Volunteering allows you to learn more about your community and see what others have to offer.

9. Connect with local seniors. Make lasting friendships by getting involved with your local senior center. Whether you’re enjoying a weekend getaway with companions or a Friday evening at the symphony, tapping into local senior resources can provide a variety of activities and opportunities to meet new friends.

No matter what you do to combat loneliness during retirement, know that you’re not the only person facing this challenge. By doing online searches or using tools such as Boomerly that connect retirees all over the United States, you’re sure to find the social opportunities you need to fulfill your companionship needs so that you’re not lonely during retirement.

Annie Doisy is a reverse mortgage expert who helps seniors enhance their lives by taking advantage of the equity in their homes. Annie creates retirement and personal finance content to inform homeowners on how to access the equity in their homes. She believes that staying well versed in all types of mortgages is necessary, regardless of your or your company’s specialty.

A release from the association quotes lead author Paul J. Mills, PhD, professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California, San Diego, as saying, “We found that more gratitude in these patients was associated with better mood, better sleep, less fatigue and lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers related to cardiac health.”

The release explains that gratitude is part of a wider outlook on life that involves noticing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. It can be attributed to an external source (e.g., a pet), another person or a non-human (e.g., God). It is also commonly an aspect of spirituality, said Mills. Because previous research has shown that people who considered themselves more spiritual had greater overall well-being, including physical health, Mills and his colleagues examined the role of both spirituality and gratitude on potential health markers in patients.

The study involved 186 men and women who had been diagnosed with asymptomatic (Stage B) heart failure for at least three months. Stage B consists of patients who have developed structural heart disease (e.g., have had a heart attack that damaged the heart) but do not show symptoms of heart failure (e.g., shortness of breath or fatigue). This stage is an important therapeutic window for halting disease progression and improving quality of life since Stage B patients are at high risk of progressing to symptomatic (Stage C) heart failure, where risk of death is five times higher, according to Mills.

Using standard psychological tests, the researchers obtained scores for gratitude and spiritual well-being. They then compared those scores with the patients’ scores for depressive symptom severity, sleep quality, fatigue, self-efficacy (belief in one’s ability to deal with a situation) and inflammatory markers. They found higher gratitude scores were associated with better mood, higher quality sleep, more self-efficacy and less inflammation. Inflammation can often worsen heart failure.

What surprised the researchers about the findings, though, was that gratitude fully or partially accounted for the beneficial effects of spiritual well-being.

“We found that spiritual well-being was associated with better mood and sleep, but it was the gratitude aspect of spirituality that accounted for those effects, not spirituality per se,” said Mills.

To further test their findings, the researchers asked some of the patients to write down three things for which they were thankful most days of the week for eight weeks. Both groups continued to receive regular clinical care during that time.

“We found that those patients who kept gratitude journals for those eight weeks showed reductions in circulating levels of several important inflammatory biomarkers, as well as an increase in heart rate variability while they wrote. Improved heart rate variability is considered a measure of reduced cardiac risk,” said Mills.

“It seems that a more grateful heart is indeed a more healthy heart, and that gratitude journaling is an easy way to support cardiac health.”

But most of us, apparently, aren’t able or willing to admit that we’re inclined toward such seeking, says Jim Starr, a computer programmer, hospice volunteer, and “Jersey Yogi.”

While there are a number of anecdotal examples any of us can point to in order to see the truth of our unfulfilled seeking, there are more formal studies to illustrate the point, he says.

Only 8 percent of those who make New Year’s resolutions achieve their goals, according to research from the University of Scranton. By this time of year, most of us have given up, even though we still long for change.

On a different but related level, studies from Pew and Gallup indicate that the spiritual beliefs of many Americans especially young Americans, are in transition.

Last year, the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans grew to 22 percent, according to the Public Religion Research Institute. And, the classification of “spiritual but not religious” is estimated to be as high as 24 percent, according to Newsweek/Beliefnet Poll Results.

“Though stats like this can be boring, what I believe these studies indicate is that, while we scurry from one commitment to the next – priorities toward money, worldly rewards and, most of all, our presumed sense of identity – we seem to be missing a feeling of significance,” says Starr, author of “Jersey Yogi: The Unintentional Enlightenment of an Uptight Man,” (www.JerseyYogi.com).

“I don’t think most of us are automatons – robots that are mechanically conforming to ‘what we’re supposed to be’ – but I think many are living something like an automaton lifestyle. Meanwhile, there are many cues about our experiences, day after day, that offer insight to the significance many of us so desperately seek, but don’t know how to find.”

Starr details some of those cues and offers suggestions.

•  Trust the beautiful videos you gravitate toward online. Some people think we’re too obsessed with frivolous kitten videos online; “I don’t,” he says. Videos and stories of beautiful acts of kindness and ultra-cute babies and animals are all over the online world. These feel-good posts put people in touch with their heart, the ultimate organ of transformation. If only for a moment, we see what’s possible for ourselves, and it’s not because we don’t care about important news topics. The sweet beauty of those kittens is really our own.

•  You don’t have to run away from your instinct for compassion. Often, during the course of an automaton-like lifestyle, our hearts may leap forth during the most inconvenient moments in public. A coworker may share a difficult experience at work; we may be moved to tears imagining the life of a homeless person on the street; an elderly person may have trouble rising from their seat; a child may be crying – but how often do we fully embrace these feelings in the moment?

“Many of us seem to be afraid of ourselves, and each other, during these moments of vulnerability,” Starr says. “If you’re not willing to openly show your compassion, at least have the heart to embrace the feeling from within.”

•  Find curiosity in the tiny cracks of your protective shell. Many of us are so completely immersed in a humdrum existence that the idea of transformation seems like a ridiculous fantasy. The irony, however, is the idea that the lifestyle and ego-based identity so many of us take on is somehow set in a deeper reality. Just because we are conditioned by a lifestyle deemed practical by external standards doesn’t mean that path is more real. Often, it’s the tiny but deep cracks of vulnerability that yield deeper truth and strength within our selves.

Jim Starr is an author, philosopher, certified Rolfer and avid student of the human condition. Currently residing in Colorado, he is also a computer programmer, hospice volunteer and amateur musician. A Rutgers graduate and true native of New Jersey, Starr plays plenty of handball and has won the Colorado state championship in his age division numerous times. He has lived the story of Jersey Yogi: The Unintentional Enlightenment of an Uptight Man, (www.JerseyYogi.com).