The benefits of physical activity and exercise are undisputed. With age, however, exercising often falls to the wayside.
Are you an older adult who has given up on being active? When was the last time you did an exercise?
Exercise doesn’t have an age limit; it offers a number of health benefits for everyone regardless of their age. Especially for older people, exercise can play a major role in improving their quality of life. It can help with chronic conditions, keep the body and mind sharp, and positively impact one’s memory and overall mood.
So what’s stopping older adults from sweating it out?
Common Misconceptions About Exercise For Older Adults
#1. Exercise Can Lead to Injury in Older Adults
It is normal and understandable for older adults to feel hesitant to push their physical strength. While this fear is realistic, there are several precautions that older adults can take to reduce the risk of injury.
Age-appropriate exercise, when done right, can help strengthen your agility, balance, and strength, thus reducing your chances of falling. For example, Tai Chi is an excellent exercise for older adults that is known to help increase balance.
Proper exercise can also help strengthen weak bones and help with conditions like osteoporosis.
#2. I Need Doctor’s Clearance to Exercise
If you have any existing conditions, then you certainly should check with your doctor whether there are any exercises you should avoid. But, otherwise, just because you’re old does not mean you will need a doctor’s clearance to exercise.
Just remember not to overdo it, and take things slowly.
#3. Exercise Can Lead To a Heart Attack
While there have been cases of individuals suffering from a heart attack during or after exercising, it is extremely rare. Exercise offers numerous benefits that far exceed this small risk.
Even if you have an existing medical condition like diabetes, arthritis, or heart problem, exercising is still a good idea as it can make you healthier, both physically and mentally.
#4. I’ve Never Exercised Before; It’s Too Late to Start Now
There’s no right or wrong age for exercising. Even if you’ve never done any rigorous physical activity in your life, it’s never too late to start.
Doing simple exercises even at a much later stage in your life can reduce various health problems such as boosting muscle strength and helping with mental health concerns like dementia.
Advantages of Exercise For Older Adults
Now that we’ve addressed some of the most common myths surrounding exercise for older adults, let’s take a look at some of the major benefits you can gain by exercising.
Exercise Allows You To Retain Your Independence Longer
Exercise can help you maintain and improve your strength and agility, which can help boost your independence and the way you want to live your life. By improving your physical health, regular exercise can help ensure that you are no longer dependent on others.
This self-reliance is essential for your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Exercise Improves Your Overall Mood And Mental Health
Being active has been scientifically proven to boost your mood while reducing anxiety and depression. Exercise increases your endorphin levels, releasing “feel-good” chemicals in your body, so you feel happier and more content with your life.
Additionally, exercise makes your central and sympathetic nervous systems work together, allowing you to respond to stress better.
Exercise Leads To Better Sleep
Lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep is one of the common concerns among older adults. But regular physical activity and exercise can help fix that!
Regular exercise can help balance your circadian rhythm. So, when you feel tired after being active, your body will know that it is time for some snooze. Exercising can also help with sleep disorders like sleep apnea and even insomnia.
Exercise Boosts Brain Activity
Improving your mental health is often one of the main priorities, especially in old age, and exercise can strengthen your brain in more ways than one.
Cardiovascular activities can lead to creating new brain cells or neurogenesis, which can boost your brain performance. This reduces the risk of cognitive decline and even dementia. Exercise can thus also help you retain creativity and maintain your mental energy.
Exercise Fights Common Diseases
Regular exercise, especially for older adults, can help fight common diseases like diabetes and heart illnesses. Being active promotes better immune function, which is essential as older adults are at a higher risk of being immune-compromised.
Light exercises like walking are a doctor-recommended solution for preventive disease management.
Exercise Reduces The Dangers Of Falling
When you are an older adult, your risk of falling is higher because of reduced cognition and compromised coordination. One fall can lead to various physical and health disasters including a broken hip. In most cases, older adults also take a long time recovering from a fall.
Exercise can strengthen your flexibility, coordination, and balance — which play a vital role in reducing your risk of falling.
Exercise Helps With Social Engagement
Whether you are part of a senior walking group or prefer to visit your local fitness center, exercise can keep you from being lonely and depressed.
For older adults, it is critical to maintain your social ties because it helps you have a sense of belonging and purpose. Exercising provides an excellent opportunity to socialize, make new friends, and make physical activity more fun and enjoyable.
Exercise Options for Older Adults
If you’re new to exercising, it can feel a little overwhelming not knowing how to go about making it a habit. But, exercising doesn’t necessarily have to include weights and strength training, although they are very beneficial.
The best option is to look for a trainer or gym dedicated to older adults who can guide you to the best exercises based on your age and health concerns.
But, if you’d like to start small, here are some excellent physical activities that will make you fall in love with exercising:
● Brisk walking with your dog
● Yoga
● Nature hikes + photography
● Cycling
● Hiking a short trail
● Neighborhood-exploration walks
Conclusion
Exercise is not restricted to the young. Older adults can benefit from regular exercise in a number of different ways, both physically and mentally.
We hope this article has addressed your common concerns about exercising as an older adult and encourages you to be more active to reap a wide variety of health benefits.
