Don't Lose It! Use It! The Importance of Senior Exercise

As we age being physically active on a regular basis is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Multiple medical studies have shown that exercise provides many health benefits for older adults. Even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the quality of life for people who are frail or have diseases that accompany aging. Being regularly physically active helps the mind and body to stay strong enough to maintain your independence for as long as possible.

Being Inactive Can Be Risky

Some seniors can be reluctant to try to exercise regularly because they are afraid that exercise will be too hard or that physical activity will harm them. It’s good to remind your loved one that “taking it easy” is even riskier to their health. In most cases when seniors start to lose their ability to do things on their own it’s not just because they have gotten older. Health declines when a person’s activity declines which can lead to more doctors’ visits, hospitalizations or more medications.

Exercise Helps Prevent or Delay Disease

Study after study has shown that staying physically active and exercising regularly can help to prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities. In some cases, exercise is used as an effective treatment for many chronic conditions. Seniors with arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure or have difficulty walking all benefit from regular exercise.

Exercise Helps Manage Stress & Improve Mood

Not only can exercise help the body but it can also help the mind. Even regular, moderate physical activity can help to reduce stress and improve overall mood. And staying active may even help reduce feelings of depression. Studies also suggest that exercise can improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Difference Between Physical Activity & Exercise

You may wonder what the difference is between physical activity and exercise. Physical activities are activities that get your body moving such as gardening, walking the dog and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Exercise is a form of physical activity that is specifically planned, structured, and repetitive such as weight training, tai chi, or an aerobics class. Including a balance of both in your life will provide you with health benefits that can help you feel better, retain your independence and make life more enjoyable as you age.

Increasing Your Breathing & Heart Rate

Endurance exercises are activities that increase your breathing and heart rate for an extended period of time. Examples are walking, jogging, swimming, raking, sweeping, dancing, and playing tennis. Endurance exercises will make it easier for you to walk farther, faster, or uphill. They also should make everyday activities such as gardening, shopping, or playing a sport easier.

How Much, How Often?

Refer to your starting goals, and build up your endurance gradually. If you haven’t been active for a long time, it’s especially important to work your way up over time. It may take a while to go from a longstanding inactive lifestyle to doing some of the activities listed below.

For example, start out with 5 or 10 minutes at a time, and then build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance activity. Doing less than 10 minutes at a time won’t give you the desired heart and lung benefits. Try to build up to at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of moderate endurance activity a week. Being active at least 3 days a week is best.

Going Further

When you're ready to do more, build up the amount of time you spend doing endurance activities first, then build up the difficulty of your activities. For example, gradually increase your time to 30 minutes over several days to weeks (or even months, depending on your condition) by walking longer distances. Then walk more briskly or up steeper hills.

Safety Tips

• Do a little light activity, such as easy walking, before and after your endurance activities to warm up and cool down.

• Drink liquids when doing any activity that makes you sweat.

• Dress appropriately for the heat and cold. Dress in layers if you're outdoors so you can add or remove clothes as needed.

• Wear the proper shoes.

• When you're out walking, watch out for low-hanging branches and uneven sidewalks.

• Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at night, and be aware of your surroundings.

• To prevent injuries, use safety equipment such as helmets for biking.

• Endurance activities should not make you breathe so hard that you can't talk and should not cause dizziness, or chest pain or pressure, or a feeling like heartburn.

Indoor Activities

Don't let bad weather stop you from exercising. Here are some options for exercising indoors.

• going to a gym or fitness center and using the treadmill, elliptical machine, stationary bike, or rowing machine

• swimming laps

• joining a water aerobics class

• dancing

• performing martial arts

• bowling

Outdoor Activities

Use your exercise program as a chance to get outside and enjoy nature. Here are some ideas for being active outdoors.

• biking, hand-crank bicycling, or tandem biking

• horseback riding

• sailing

• jogging or running

• skating

• snorkeling

Activities around the House

You don't need to leave your house to be active. Check out these ways to exercise at home.

• gardening

• heavy housework

• exercise DVD

• sweeping

• raking

• shoveling snow

Walking or Rolling

Walking or wheelchair rolling are simple ways to be active. You can do it alone, with friends, even with your dog! Try one of these types of walking or rolling to get active today.

• Nordic walking

• hiking

• walking the dog

• mall walking

• wheelchair rolling

• race walking

Sports

Sports are a great way to motivate yourself to be active. Competition and teamwork can inspire you to work harder and to keep up your commitment to exercise. Try one of these sports.

• tennis

• golf

• pickleball

• hockey

• seated volleyball

• wheelchair basketball