Exercise - The Best Way To Embrace Health

Exercise Your Way To A Healthier & Happier Life

Exercise and nutrition are the only two weapons required to rule the kingdom of health. Research proves that exercise not only helps with mental health and physical wellbeing but also helps you live longer. As we age, our requirements for fitness may need adjustments because of changes in the body's ability to respond or react normally; this is why it’s never too late to start an active lifestyle!

Elderly people are often forced into retirement by their own age, but it's not just the natural aging process that causes them to lose independence. If they stop doing things for themselves and become inactive, then four key areas of vitality will be lost: Endurance, Strength, Balance, and Flexibility.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 28% of adults over 50 are physically inactive. Research shows 4 out 5 chronic health conditions can be managed or prevented with exercise, and fortunately for most people in this age group, it only takes 10 minutes a day to make a difference. Staying healthy in your older years is challenging, but it doesn't have to be hard. You can keep up with a regular exercise routine. It is one of the ways to prevent chronic illness, thereby reducing the risk of elderly falls cause. It also helps you find the motivation you need from modern senior care technology that also guides senior's emergency preparedness.

Why Do Seniors Need Exercise?

Activities of Daily Living (ADL), such as eating, bathing, dressing up, and answering nature's call, require us to be physically alert and active to perform them without help from others. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), exercising is a vital prerequisite for seniors above the age of 65 to enable them to perform ADLs.

Exercise for seniors improves bone density and muscle strength, which are especially important for menopausal women. It also improves the person's heart and lung capacity and curbs the risks of chronic diseases. Physically active senior citizens also have improved balance and coordination, making them less prone to fall-related injuries.

Benefits of Exercises for the Elderly

Exercises are not only for the young but for everyone, even if you are a senior citizen. Being physically active:

• Improves your physical strength and fitness
• Improves your balance and prevents you from falling
• Provides the required energy to do your work independently
• Improves your mood and keeps depression away
• Boosts cognitive functioning
• Improves immunity and prevents chronic diseases

Nothing stops you from exercising, even if you are above 65 years. You can refer to exercise videos for seniors to help you perform your workout routine. In fact, even patients with chronic illnesses can exercise safely.

For more information on exercise routine for seniors, we recommend you to read
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Exercise-The Best Tribute To Your Health

To stay healthy during your senior years (which many people would argue is when you least want your entire day spent on exercise), you can try to be active without overexerting yourself - this way, you reap those amazing rewards while still having time for other things like catching up with friends over coffee.

Exercise Regularly - Sweat, Smile, Repeat

Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Take a walk in nature, go swimming or even dance for 30 minutes 3-4 times per week and get all the incredible benefits that come with it!

Regular exercise means more energy - Who doesn't want to feel energized, free of pain, stress, and sleep soundly? The release of endorphins during exercise is the key ingredient that will make you feel incredible.

Regular exercise is also the key to enhancing brain function. As more and more research emerges, it has become clear that there's a connection between what your body does and how you think. Seniors who maintain an active lifestyle show increased cognitive health in comparison with seniors who lead sedentary lifestyles. This could be due to anything from decreased stress levels to improved moods.

Get Going, Get Moving, Get Healthy

No matter your age, gender, or physical condition (even if you have a chronic illness), it is possible to get fit and stay healthy with just the slightest bit of exercise every day. Begin at a low-intensity level in order to find out what works best for you personally - whether that be walking around the block three times each night before bedtime or doing some gentle stretching while watching television early on weekday mornings. You may start noticing those positive impacts within days rather than weeks.

Start Your Day With A Stretch

Morning exercises and stretches are a fun way to get started. It unlocks your joints, boosts your flexibility, and also helps to manage pain. However, it is important not to get too excited that you overdo things. This might end up causing you discomfort or even discourage you from continuing the activity. The more enjoyable you find the morning routine, the longer you’ll be able to stick with it.

Make Friends With Technology

With an endless array of smartphone and tablet apps designed for seniors, you can find different exercise routines that suit your physical fitness level while simplifying the management of your regime. You might also try exploring exercise videos or group training sessions where there's plenty of others with a similar goal - stay healthy!

Balance The Exercise Game Right

It’s time to let the heart rate go up..a bit!

Balance exercises are a simple and effective way to improve your overall quality of life. They can reduce the risk of falling, increase endurance for walking and help you maintain good posture - it's all about finding what works best with your body mechanics to make sure that you're always feeling great!

Toe Stand

The best way to get your feet feeling strong and stretch out those achy calf muscles is by doing the toe stand. Place yourself near an object for stability, like a countertop or wall. Now place your toes on the ground while keeping pressure on both heels. Let your heels touch the ground. Do this exercise regularly to experience the difference!

Resistance Exercise

You can have fun and get stronger at the same time by doing resistance exercises with elastic bands found in a variety of tensile strengths. These are perfect for people who want to gain strength but don't want to spend hours exercising their muscles. Just do it once a week and regain the independence and muscle strength you had always wanted to achieve.

Single-Leg Balance

Balance is an important part of our lives. The single-leg balance exercise will help you with yours! Start by standing up straight. Hold onto a chair if you are not much used to doing this exercise. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and slowly bend one knee so that it touches the ground. Make sure that you don’t let the other knee touch the ground. Balance on a single foot for five seconds before bending down again and switching legs.

Flexibility Exercises To Smoothen Your Joints

Stretch a bit, move a bit and relax those muscles 

Flexibility workouts are a great way to keep your body's joints moving smoothly through their full range of motion. Exercises can help to reduce the risk of injury and relieve any excess stress on one particular joint at a time.  You'll develop strength, improve flexibility, and increase circulation by challenging your muscles' ability to move freely during functional movements with proper muscle control and activation when you do it.

Overhead Side Stretch

Have you felt like your back has been bothering you lately? Well, it might be time to stretch out all that tension! Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Now slowly raise your hands over the head and lean to your left. Do it gently and not in a hurry. Hold on to that position for around 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat the same for up to 3 seconds on both sides.

Cross Arm Stretch

Ready to feel a stretch? Put your right arm across the upper body and try holding it by your left shoulder or keep it straight up with your left hand. Hold this for a few seconds until you feel that good, deep tension in your shoulders! Repeat on the other side too.

Knee To Chest Stretch

Knee-to-chest stretches are a good way to tackle those bothersome backpains. To do them properly: lie flat on your floor or mat and slowly bring one of your knees towards yourself as far up as possible. Hold it there for 10 seconds with both hands before repeating with the other leg.

Also Read: 10 Healthy Ideas To Handle Everyday Stress

Yoga Exercises- The Best Way To Love Yourself

Seek peace and build strength within yourself

Yoga is a great way for seniors to stay in shape and remain healthy. A holistic focus on physical, mental, and spiritual well-being can help prevent the onset of dementia, as yoga helps reduce stress levels to a great extent. The stretching and breathing techniques, along with meditation, have been proven effective at relieving anxiety. It also helps in improving body strength for those who might find aerobic workouts too strenuous or impractical given their age or disability status.

Breathing Exercise

It’s time to unwind. Close your eyes, take a breath normally as you usually do, and relax as you exhale. Exhale slowly filling up with air from the bottom of your belly to the top of your chest.  Concentrate completely on your breathing pattern and continue the process. Try to repeat this exercise 5 minutes daily, and soon you’ll experience serenity like never before.

Child Pose

While doing yoga, if you need a feel-good break, go for the child pose. This is more of a resting pose. Kneel down in a tabletop position and then drop your butt back on your lower legs until they are as close to the ground as possible. Now lower your head and rest the forehead on your yoga mat or floor. Your arms can rest by the side of your body. You can even try stretching your arms out beyond your head’s level. Hold this posture until you completely feel relaxed and repeat it whenever you take breaks during yoga practice.

Virabhadrasana 

Virabhadrasana is also known as the warrior pose. It is a graceful pose that requires you to stand on one leg and then bend your other knee at a 90-degree angle in front of it while keeping both feet parallel with each other. To execute this move effectively, be sure to brace yourself by rooting down all four corners of your foot into the ground for stability and lifting your hands up.

Baddha Konasana

The Baddha Konasana or butterfly pose is great for seniors because it provides a gentle stretch that doesn't overwhelm the knees. The easiest way to do this exercise is by sitting up straight and tall, bringing your feet together with open knees out to the sides. To deepen the stretch, you can fold forwards without rounding your back. Try holding this pose for around 8 breaths to get the best results.

Exercise- Points To Keep In Mind

Don't push yourself too hard when exercising because it might cause soreness and fatigue. If you are feeling tired or experiencing pain, talk to your doctor first before continuing your routine exercise. Keep an eye out for the below-mentioned symptoms:

• Pain or pressure in the chest
• Difficulty in breathing
• Excessive shortness of breath
• Difficulty in balancing the body
• Dizziness/ Light-headedness
• Nausea

What Are the Exercises That Seniors Should Avoid?

Many mainstream workouts are not ideal for older adults because they are better suited for younger adults looking to bulk up or shed weight within a limited time frame. Such workouts will put an unhealthy strain and worsen chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and atrophied muscles. Indulging in an ill-suited workout will also affect your posture and gait.

If you're over 65, you should probably avoid the following exercises:

• Squats with dumbbells or weights
• Bench and leg press
• Long-distance running
• Abdominal crunches
• Upright row
• Power clean
• Deadlift
• High-intensity interval training or HIIT
• Rock climbing

Simple Tips to Create a Comprehensive Exercise Plan

What is an ideal exercise plan for senior adults? Irrespective of age, the best exercise plan is one that's comfortable and enjoyable for you to do on a regular basis. To build your ideal workout plan, you can:

• Work with a certified trainer or physical therapist
• Customize your workout based on your physical abilities and choices
• Add variety to your routine and make it fun
• Have a workout partner or friend to give you company
• Schedule walks with your spouse or pets
• Pair exercises with your daily routines (such as walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift)

Queries You Should Be Asking Your Doctor 

• Can I continue my exercise routine? Is it safe?
• How much time should I spend for exercising? When can I move to the next stage?
• Are there any exercises, postures, or activities that I should completely avoid?
• Will my current health condition affect my exercising abilities?
• What kind of exercises should I opt for?
• Even though I strictly monitor my diet, I’m still overweight. Should I start exercising to reduce the weight?

What is the recommended frequency of exercise for elderly adults?

Experts recommend at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week for those above 65 years. There is also a range of motion exercises for seniors to indulge in for an hour and fifteen minutes every week. This includes simple exercises such as brisk walking and jogging. Experts also recommend flexibility exercises for seniors, like strength training at least twice a week. Exercises for flexibility and balance should be done every day.

The Closing Note 

Self-care during pandemic situations is very crucial. If you’re not already active, we recommend starting slowly  Take it easy and start with exercises that are familiar to your body. Nothing can make or break fitness goals faster than an avoidable injury or a medical condition. So be careful about how quickly you get started! Make sure to talk to your doctor if you are over 50 years old and have been inactive for long periods of time (you may need different advice!). It’s never too late to start, we are always here to assist if you have any questions regarding good nutrition and fitness!