Many older adults do not perform enough physical activity. Some seniors avoid exercise because they do not know how to start or because chronic pain prevents vigorous movement. Incorporate exercise into your routine to maximize health benefits and make it easier to perform basic daily activities.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise boosts your heart rate and burns calories. Take 5 to 10 minutes to warm up your muscles by stretching your back, chest, arms and legs. The American Heart Association recommends that older adults perform 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day. Consider walking briskly, swimming, gardening, golf, dancing or croquet. Any activity that gets your heart beating faster counts as light to moderate aerobic exercise. As your endurance increases, lengthen the amount of aerobic exercise or boost your intensity to maximize health benefits. Always include a cool-down period of 5 to 10 minutes in which you stretch or walk.
Strength Training
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, you lose 15 percent of muscle strength each decade after age 50. Women are especially susceptible to losing muscle mass. Light strength training boosts muscle mass and improves your strength. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide a light resistance workout suitable for older adults. Begin using light weights and increasing your intensity as the resistance exercises become easier. Attend to your body and avoid overexerting yourself, which can cause injury.
Benefits
Frequent exercise improves your health by decreasing cardiovascular risk, improving blood pressure, decreasing risk of type two diabetes, lowering cholesterol, increasing bone density, alleviating arthritis symptoms and promoting weight loss. Exercising improves your mood, boosts cognitive abilities and decreases risk of chronic disease. It also makes activities of daily living easier, allowing you to continue performing enjoyable activities.
Considerations
Talk to your doctor before beginning a new exercise program to ensure that it is safe. People who have a history of heart attack, asthma, lung disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke or muscle injury may need to modify their exercise plans. Your doctor can help you craft an exercise plan that improves your well-being without risking your good health.
