Physical Activity for Seniors
It’s not too late to improve your current fitness level, help reduce disease, improve mobility, bone density, blood pressure and a host of other health benefits just by engaging in some form of regular physical activity.
As senior citizens get older they move less, this can contribute to an accelerated decline in health. Find out the fact regarding exercise for seniors.
Attention mature adults (55 and older), this bulletin's for you! Are you currently physically active, in any way shape or form? If not, Why? Guys the only reason movements get more challenging is because you move less and less. In fact research indicates that not exercising is risky behavior. For the most part, when mature adult's abilities to do on their own start to diminish, it doesn't happen just because they have aged. More likely, it is because they have become inactive. This inactivity challenges you in for major areas; endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.
There is however some good news, research indicates that you can restore or regain some or all of these functions. Most mature adults can safely perform physical activity at some level and reap life-enhancing benefits. Studies have shown that not exercising is far more harmful to you, than becoming physical active. And guys you don't have to join a gym or lift weights to gain these life enhancing benefits, walking, gardening, swimming, tennis, golf, biking, chores, dancing and even yoga will all improve your fitness level.
Research has found that exercise and physical activity can also improve the health of people who are over 90 years old, people who are frail, or who have developed diseases that seem to accompany aging. Staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay some diseases and disabilities, as people grow older. In some cases, it can even improve the health of older people who already have diseases and disabilities, if it's done regularly (habit).
Endurance activities improve the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Some examples of endurance activities are brisk walking, swimming, stair climbing and dancing.
Strength exercises can strengthen muscles, increase your metabolism and helping keep your weight and blood sugar at healthy levels. That's important because obesity and diabetes are major health problems for older adults. Studies suggest that strength exercises also may help prevent osteoporosis. Weight lifting and body weight exercises are examples of strength exercises.
Balance movements help to prevent falling a common problem for older adults. Standing in one leg while holding on to a chair or cane can help improve balance.
Flexibility exercises help keep your body limber by stretching your muscles
and connective tissues associated with the joints. Flexibility may also play a part in preventing falls.
