Summary
Caring for your mental health in retirement
Mental health has an impact on all aspects of your life from how you think, your emotions and our actions, to relationships and work. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. “It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in" the WHO explain.
“It is an integral component of health and
well-being that underpins our individual and
collective abilities to make decisions, build
relationships and shape the world we live in,”
the WHO explain.
Major life changes such as retirement can impact your mental health. In fact, there are many factors that affect our mental health. For example, AustralianSuper’s Retirement Confidence Index shows that those who are married or in a de facto relationship, have dependent children, own their own home or have a university degree enjoy better mental health overall.
Also being a woman helps too, with figures showing that women enjoy better mental health than men. "We found that women feel more socially integrated, and we know that’s associated with better mental health," says one of the report’s authors, Dr Fernanda Mata, a research fellow at Monash’s University’s Behaviour Works.
Here are some basic things you can do to help maintain your mental health2:
- Eat healthy foods where possible
- Exercise regularly in a way that suits you
- Spend time with people you care about such as friends and family
- Be involved in your community
- Get enough sleep
- Do things you enjoy
- Manage your sense of security
Tips for managing your mental wellbeing
Mental health is made up of four dimensions, namely emotional health, social health, psychological health and well-being3. Nearing and starting retirement can be an exciting time. But whatever your retirement looks like, it is a big lifestyle change. The adjustment to your new lifestyle, as well as the drop-in activity, could affect some people’s mental health.
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The AustralianSuper Monash University Retirement Confidence Index (RCI)3 found that health and wellbeing are one of four key factors that affects a person’s retirement confidence - that includes mental health. We know that staying on top of your mental health and wellbeing is good for us. But it can be difficult to know exactly what to do. Here are some steps you can take to maintain your mental wellbeing:
Spend time with people you care about
Keeping in touch with those that matter to you plays an important role in maintaining your mental health. So it’s no surprise that the Retirement Confidence Index (RCI) found that social factors impact your retirement confidence.
The RCI also found that women and those who were married or in a de facto relationship were more socially connected. That’s because people with partners or friends have a person to talk to and make plans with. Staying connected to the people you care about can help you with stressful moments3.
25% less likely to retire early
25% less likely to retire early
Among workers in their 50s, being active in a community association is linked to a 25% reduction in the likelihood to retire earlier than planned3.
Exercise regularly in a way that suits you
Physical activity releases feel-good chemicals into the body, like endorphins and serotonin. These chemicals make you feel good, lift your mood, increase your energy levels and improve your sleep. That’s why getting active every day is great for your mental health. Some easy ways to get a little more exercise are taking a walk in the morning, getting off the bus a few stops early, or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
How much exercise is enough exercise4?
Age 18 to 64
Age 18 to 64
Be active on most, preferably all days with at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.
Age 65 and over
Age 65 and over
Be active on most, preferably all days with at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day.
Staying connected in retirement
Confidence in retirement isn’t only about how well you have planned or saved. As you move into the next phase of your life, it’s important to stay socially connected. Social connectedness is defined by the quality of social interactions and social support that a person experiences. In the time after work, family friends and community connections help retirement wellbeing.
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Strong social networks can help people overcome stressful situations and allow them to adapt more easily to retirement and boost their retirement confidence. AustralianSuper’s Retirement Confidence Index found that those over the age of 60 who frequently meet with their families and friends experience an easier transition into retirement - when compared with those who don’t have strong social networks1.
If you’re yet to retire, you can start building your social connectedness now. And if you’ve already retired, you can give your retirement confidence a boost by maintaining an active social life. Some of the ways you can do this are volunteering in your community, joining social and hobby groups, and taking lessons or classes to learn new skills are excellent ways to be more socially connected2.
Social connectedness isn’t just about meeting and talking to people. It’s also about the quality of those connections. Ensuring you have relationships with people who you get along with, can relate to, and that energise you are just as important as the frequency of contact.
Retirees in Australia are staying relatively well-connected, but it’s important to maintain and sometimes increase this level of social connectedness.
Meeting new people
Meeting people can be hard when you’re not working any more. One way to find like-minded people is to get involved in your local community. You can volunteer, learn a new skill, join a book club, find your local community garden, take your dog to a local dog park, or get involved with local organisations such as libraries.
- Around half (49%) of older people had participated in physical activities for exercise or recreation
- Around half (49%) had attended a movie, concert, theatre or other performing arts event
- 3 in 10 (30%) had visited a public library
- 1 in 4 (24%) had visited a museum or art gallery
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023), Older Australians, AIHW, Australian Government.
Improving existing connections5
You might have some people in your life that you’d like to be closer with. Now is a great time to reach out and find out what they’ve been up to. You could meet up for a coffee or even invite them over for a meal.
Giving your friendships time and attention, including actively listening to your friends and showing interest, empathy and enthusiasm in their lives, will help strengthen the bond between you.
The benefits of volunteering6
Volunteering in your community can benefit your mental health. Volunteering Australia found that there is a strong link between volunteering and better mental health as it gave respondents a sense of purpose and more quality social interaction.
Meeting and offering support to other people creates a positive emotional state and replaces emotions that cause stress. They also found that volunteering creates meaningful social roles and a position in the broader community, suggesting an increase in purpose and belonging that leads to an increase in happiness.
As you age, the relationship between volunteering and mental wellbeing becomes stronger. According to Volunteering Australia, volunteering was most associated with positive mental wellbeing for people over 70, giving you plenty of reasons to get out there and volunteer in your community.
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Important Information
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023) Older Australians, AIHW, Australian Government & National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-22 - October 2023.
- 5 Self-Care Strategies to Maintain Good Mental Health - October 2021
- Source: The 2022 AustralianSuper Monash University Retirement Confidence Index. Based on answers from approximately 3,000 people aged 50 and over. Retirement scores are compared to the Australian average, estimated from the key socio-demographic variables captured in the study.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (2020-21), Physical activity, ABS Website, accessed 1 December 2023.
- Making Friends - Better Health Channel - Victoria State Government
- Evidence Insights - Volunteering Australia 2021