June 4, 2021
You can come up with a million reasons for not being physically active. Some might even be valid. But know this: stillness is bad. Roughly 3.2 million people die each year because of physical inactivity. Regular exercise for older adults is critical to good health.
Regular exercise is good for just about everyone, including older adults. Even moderate amounts of physical activity can have a big impact. Talk with your doctor first, of course. If you’ve been inactive, take it easy as you get started, say, 5-10 minutes of moderate activity each day.
The more you do to stay active as you age, the lower your chances are for things like heart attack and stroke. Your doctor can tell you what type of exercises are best, and for how long you should do them. You’ll probably shoot for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, like a brisk walk or an easy bike ride. Mowing the lawn or a heavy cleaning session counts, too. And you don’t have to do them in 30-minute chunks.
Regular exercise for older adults promotes flexibility, endurance, strength and balance. That stiffness can be alleviated with, for example, stretching exercises that target hips, legs, shoulders, your neck, your back … anywhere. Yoga can help, too. Take it easy, though, and don’t stretch so far that it hurts.
Being physically active doesn’t necessarily mean pushing around big weights at the gym or going for a 10-mile run. Do things that you enjoy and that will keep you at it. You could work in the yard, walk with friends, work in the garden (lifting and bending are great for flexibility and strength), or take a bike ride. Mix things up every so often, too, so you don’t get bored.
It’s not just about your heart. Regular exercise for older adults is good for lungs, muscles, and your entire circulatory system. It’s about benefits that can include lower blood pressure, better bone and joint health, and less chance of things like colon cancer and diabetes.
Falling can be a problem for older adults. But with regular physical activity, including exercises that promote proper balance — exercises that you can do almost anytime, anywhere — you can help prevent the falls that hurt so many older adults. Your doctor can point you in the right direction.
Regular exercise for older adults is good for your brain. Experts say not only can exercise help you stave off mental health issues like depression and anxiety, it can also help you stay on task and be better able to move from one to-do item to the next. Healthy body, healthy mind.
– Information courtesy of WebMD
