In May 2013, the Institute of Economic Affairs published a report on retirement. According to the report, retirement can increase the chances of depression and despair by 40%. It has also increased the prospect of developing at least one physical disorder by approximately 60%. The report is vividly explained by the BBC.
The study included a test conducted on almost 9,000 retired people across eleven European Countries. To their surprise, it was found that almost all people experienced the same mental changes. Does this mean that we all go through shocking mental changes after the work retirement?
During the first year of your work retirement you experience some positive changes in your health and mentality. However, these changes do not stay forever. The subjects' physical and mental conditions soon started fading, and they started experiencing some poor side effects of retirement.
According to BBC, some common physical and mental ailments include heart disease, hypertension, stroke, blood pressure, and some signs of arthritis as well.
There can be a variety of reasons behind the decline of health during retirement. Social and personal stimulation are two decisive factors. Many people consider the workplace as another family. They perform a lot of physical and mental activities at this place. Therefore, when this interior social association is detached, health turns down.
There can be some other reasons like money shortage, work addiction etc. A continuous workflow keeps us engaged while a decent flow of money keeps us connected with the world. A hard phase of loneliness comes when either of these entities gets removed. In other words, health gets affected when it sees loneliness ahead.
A good way to keep your life happy even after retirement is to plan your time in a way that will keep you both mentally and physically engaged. Emotional and social interaction is also key, and should not be discounted just because their benefits are not as immediately noticeable.