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Regular exercise is beneficial for both the physical and mental health of seniors. It improves their mobility, memory, heart’s health, sleep, balance and flexibility which tends to decline as they age.
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Summary • You are never too old to do workouts. See how seniors can benefit from a regular workout. • Regular exercise is beneficial for both the physical and mental health of seniors. It improves their mobility, memory, heart’s health, sleep, balance and flexibility which tends to decline as they age. • According to NIHSenior Health, a simple activity or light workout is enough to enhance the “health of people who are frail or who have diseases that accompany aging”.
However, many older adults have various misconceptions about exercises. Many of them think that workouts can make them prone to the risk of falling down while other just don't like the idea because of their aches and pains. Some seniors shy away from exercises because they think they are too old. • If you are one of those “skeptical” people, keep in mind that exercise can’t harm your aged body in any way. Instead, it keeps you in a shape and maintains your vitality.
How Exercise Benefit Senior’s Mental and Physical Health: • Below is a list of how doing daily exercises can be useful for the physical and mental health of seniors. • Physical Health Benefits: • Ideal for Weight Management: • Generally, seniors face weight related problems as they age due to decreased mobility rate. They put on excessive weight that can lead to mobility issues and heart diseases. A sudden weight loss can’t be considered good either as it can triggers depression, dementia, gastrointestinal issues and hypothyroidism. This is why maintaining an ideal weight is extremely important for seniors.
Minimizing the Chances of Illness and Chronic Diseases: • Daily workouts can improve immunity, bone density, blood pressure and digestive system, which in turns reduces the risks of Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. • Improving Mobility, Balance and Flexibility: • Exercise enhances strength, flexibility and posture, which are beneficial for balance, coordination, and minimizing the risk of falls. It also eases the symptoms of the chronic conditions like arthritis.
Mental Health Benefits: • Improving Sleep: • Exercise improves sleep quality of the elders as it reduces the stress and tires them out. Eventually, a senior can sleep soundly and feel refreshed and energetic when waking up. • Improving Mood and Self-Confidence: • Exercise makes the body release endorphins that are useful in releasing stress. Regular workout calms down anxiety, depression and the feeling of sadness.
Benefitting the Brain: • Exercise also improves the brain’s functionality, thereby minimizing memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Staying active is also useful to control brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. • What are the Exercises Ideas for Seniors? • Here are some workouts that can be part of seniors’ exercise plan: • Yoga, Tai Chi, and posture exercises for improved balance. • Walking, stair climbing, cycling, dancing for improved endurance and reduced fatigue. • Lifting weights or using a resistance band for improved strength. • Stretching workouts for improved flexibility
NOTE: • You can do simple walking and physical movements if you can’t manage to do these workouts. • Chair bound people can do chair aerobics, chair yoga and stretching to improve range of motion and flexibility. • Please consult your physician or a fitness expert to choose the right set of workouts for you.