The great thing about health is that it can improve if you work on it. No matter how old you are, exercise and aging should go hand in hand. There are too many benefits to exercise not to take advantage of it. Of course, exercise doesn’t have to mean running 10 miles a day, but just increasing activity can help aging individuals to live higher quality lives and have more energy!
The Benefits of Exercise and Aging
Exercise offers benefits for anyone, but it is especially helpful to aging individuals. This is because actively engaging in exercise can increase energy and strength, allowing aging individuals to do more throughout day to day life. Having more strength and energy allows people to do things they otherwise would be unable to like performing household duties, engaging with family members and even decreasing the risk for fall-related injuries. Exercise also helps to manage moods and sleep because it increases the development of bodily endorphins that help us to relax by calming nerves. Proper sleep and mood regulation are vital for a quality and healthy lifestyle. Additionally, exercising can help greatly reduce an elderly individual’s chance for developing or progressing chronic diseases such as heart failure, diabetes, chronic back pain, asthma and arthritis.
Start Small to Gain Large Rewards!
Exercise doesn’t have to mean heavily sweating for hours every day. Actually, simply walking enough throughout the day can provide you with the benefits of exercise that you may be looking for. The benefits of walking can include a help with balance, maintaining a healthy weight and even relief from inflammation pain caused by conditions like arthritis. Many individuals who take up walking in their elderly years see a reduced progression of aging symptoms and even reduced the risk of developing chronic illness. For starters, walk around your neighborhood for 20 minutes, three times a day. If you feel up to it, up the walking time and distance after a week or two and keep walking!
Get a Gym Membership
Looking for a way to increase balance and strength while also making new friends? Invest in a gym membership! Many gyms offer classes for elderly participants like water aerobics, cycling and strength training. Being able to go to the gym is a nice change of setting to perform a workout routine or just a great excuse to get out of the house and meet new people while also getting your daily exercise time in!
Get your Exercise in around the House!
Don’t like being around lots of people while you try to exercise? Although gyms are a great way to meet exercise needs, there are plenty of ways to get daily exercise in without even leaving the house. Do you have stairs in your home or apartment? Climbing and descending stairs is a great way to increase the heart rate and gain strength. Just make sure to choose a stairwell indoors with a handrail for safety measures. Another great way to work out from home, increase lymph circulation and increase muscle strength is jumping exercises. Utilize a small trampoline or jump rope for a few minutes a day and see how you feel! There are hundreds of thousands of ways to exercise. Any movement can help elderly individuals feel better and remain healthy. Find what you like best and stick with it to stay healthy, happy and strong! Remember, exercise and aging go hand in hand for a better tomorrow!
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