A time for rest, maybe, but also a time for rejuvenation: numerous recent studies document how seniors who remain active typically live longer and healthier into old age. A health-minded, active lifestyle can change your life. You are never too old to start now!
Why Staying Active Matters
Health Benefits: It’s important to get exercise at any age, but it’s particularly important as you age because it can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk and effects of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, maintain mobility, and lower the risk of falls. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) five times a week can make a difference.
Mental Health Benefits: The mental boost from staying active is just as impressive: exercise whenever possible is a great way to lift your mood because endorphins are released to help you feel better. Also, staying active through regular exercise can help lower your risk of depression, banish stress, and help you sleep better. It can also help keep your brain sharp by lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Social Benefits: Engaging in exercise can provide a means of socialization, whether it be through joining a walking group, going to a yoga class, or signing up for dance lessons, there are many ways in which we can connect with others and build a support network with our peers.
What the Research Says
Seniors who engage in regular physical activity have proven health benefits. One study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 1995 found that adults over the age of 65 were 30 percent less likely to develop serious chronic conditions if they were physically active than if they were not.
How to Get Started and Stay Motivated
Beginning with gentle, low-impact activity such as stretching or water aerobics can work wonders If you’re not in the habit of being active, it’s important to begin slowly. This will help you avoid injury and gradually work your body up to more intense activity.
Set Goals: Make attainable goals that inspire you. Walking a certain number of steps every day or mastering a new exercise routine are goals you can set and, with practice, achieve.
Find the Right Activity: Choose activities you like. Whether you prefer working in your garden, playing pickleball, swimming in a pool, riding a bicycle, or taking a tai chi class, the harder it is to get yourself to continue, the less likely you are to do it. Have fun and stay motivated.
Overcoming Challenges
Fear of injury or inadequacy can inhibit activity, as can a lack of knowledge on what to try. Check with your healthcare providers and our Wellness Team at Trinity Landing about what activities are appropriate for you. They can provide recommendations based on your health status and fitness level.
You are never too late to adopt a healthy, physically active lifestyle; every single step you take, consequently, contributes to a better, more fulfilling life. Lace-up your shoes and step into a healthier life!