Exercise plays a pivotal role in promoting a healthy life.
Regardless of whether you're an adult or a senior citizen, a consistent exercise routine is crucial for maintaining health and vitality.
Experts consistently highlight the importance of physical activity for seniors, as it can contribute to a longer, healthier life.
What are the benefits of exercising for seniors?
- It helps to improve overall strength.
- It helps to improve balance.
- It helps to feel more energised.
- It helps to prevent or delay diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
- It helps to improve mood and fight depression.
Being a senior, one should be involved in these 3 types of training:
Cardiovascular or endurance training: Cardiovascular training or endurance training helps to improve the health of the heart, lungs and circulatory system. It includes:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Cycling
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Active sports like tennis, badminton etc.
- Stair climbing
Strength training: It helps to increase muscular strength. Good muscular strength helps to reduce the chance of getting arthritis, osteoporosis etc. It includes:
- Lifting weights
- Resistance band training
- Bodyweight training
- Suspension bend training
Flexibility: Flexibility helps keep muscles flexible and makes your limb more easily able to move. It includes:
- Stretching
- Yoga
How often should seniors exercise?
- Seniors aged 60 or older should get at least 30 minutes of slow and steady walking for 5 days a week.
- Seniors should incorporate 3 days a week of weight training. Where they can train their major muscle group.
- For flexibility, seniors can do stretching and yoga every day.
Moreover, embedding general physical activities into daily routines can offer added benefits. Simple practices can include:
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walking or cycling for small distance work.
- Walking in the garden.
Things to consider:
- Wear loose and comfortable clothes.
- Don’t forget to perform warmup before exercise.
- Stretching is important after completing a workout.
- Stay hydrated during exercise.
- Before exercising one should know their limits, do not push yourself over your limit.
- Exercise is only good when you are feeling well. Do not perform any workout in illness. Take a good rest when you’re sick, recover fully then start exercising again.
- Before starting any exercise, consult your general physician. There are some points that you need to keep in mind and why you should visit your doctor:
- Dizziness and breathlessness or short breath
- Chest pain
- Blood pressure
- Any infection
- Any joint swelling
- Any surgery
- A hernia
Remember, exercise is a gateway to a healthier, more fulfilling life for seniors, but it's essential to prioritise safety and well-being.
