Recognizing that Men’s Health Month is celebrated in June, Benefits.gov encourages you to follow these steps to take better care of your health.
Go to Your doctor regularly:
Health.gov highlights the importance of getting a physical. Regular doctor’s visits are important for managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Monitoring your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol is critical for catching conditions early and starting treatment. Check out a list of recommended screenings at Health.gov.
Get screened for prostate cancer:
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. It’s important to start getting screened when you turn 50. If you have a higher risk for prostate cancer, talk to your doctor about starting screenings earlier.
Adopt a healthier lifestyle:
For men over the age of 50, the Cleveland Clinic offers healthy lifestyle guidelines that men can integrate into their everyday lives. These include:
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet
- Staying active through both aerobic and cardio exercise
- Getting 7-8 hours of sleep
- Not smoking
- Minimizing drinking
- Regularly going to the doctor for screenings
For additional health tips, check out our news articles “Getting Healthy in the New Year” and “Benefits.gov *Hearts* You.”
Pay attention to your feelings, emotions, and overall mental health:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, men are less likely than women to talk about their feelings and seek help for mental illness. This can cause men to cope with mental health issues through other means, such as physical aggression, drugs, or alcohol.
Men also often mistake mental illness for physical issues, such as headaches or digestive issues. The National Institute of Mental Health notes that depression is one of the mental illnesses that men are affected by but often leave untreated. Men make up over 75 percent of suicide victims in the United States. If you or a loved one is at risk for suicide, you call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you are looking for additional resources or information, we encourage you to browse our site and take our Benefit Finder questionnaire.
