Every person needs physical activity regardless of their age. Exercising can help a person gain a lot. Inactivity is the most significant problem seniors face. If older people remain active, they can continue to do many things they enjoy. When they stop moving around, they need to see their doctor more and will be hospitalized more frequently. In addition, they will need more medications.
Four Types of Exercise
Individuals living in senior communities must ensure they get all four types of exercise. Focusing on one kind won’t be enough for keeping yourself active. Aerobic exercise is needed to get the heart pumping and the lungs working. This exercise helps blood get to the muscles so they work more efficiently.
Strength training helps retain muscle mass. Muscles are used to complete daily activities, including carrying groceries and lifting objects. This training also helps build strong muscles and manage weight.
Seniors need to stretch regularly to remain flexible. When a person doesn’t stretch, their muscles shorten. They may find bending and picking an object off the floor difficult, or they may fall more often.
Balance exercises also help prevent falls, which can be devastating to seniors. The systems that help maintain balance break down as a person ages. Balance exercises can help to prevent and reverse these losses. Senior living communities recognize this and offer classes focusing on the four types of exercise.
The Benefits of Staying Active
Seniors need regular exercise to remain independent as long as possible. This exercise will help them have more energy to do the things they love while improving their balance. Exercise can also help to manage and prevent certain diseases, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Seniors who exercise regularly sleep better and experience less stress and anxiety.
Regular exercise helps a person manage their weight and control their blood pressure. Their mood will improve, and they won’t feel depressed as often. Some people also see an improvement in their cognitive function.
Emotional Benefits
Seniors also see emotional benefits when they exercise regularly. Exercising with others in the senior living community is a great way to get emotional support. A person can get up and move around when they are alone to combat anxiety, stress, and depression or find a friend and get a workout in together. Regular exercise gives a person more energy so they can do things they love, and they will sleep better at night. People who exercise regularly feel more in control of their lives.
Activities to Try
Senior living communities understand the importance of regular physical activity. They may offer exercise classes, such as cycling, so residents can increase their breathing, get their hearts pumping, and boost natural chemicals in the body. Dance classes are an option in many communities, or residents may walk around the grounds.
Yoga is an excellent way to relax and get into shape. These exercises can be modified to meet the needs of residents, and the breathing exercises benefit all. Some people prefer tai chi, however, as it is a way to meditate while moving. They slowly shift their bodies while taking deep breaths, relaxing them.
Any physical activity for seniors is good. One person might choose to play a game of tennis, while another person opts to garden. The goal is to find an activity the person enjoys and engage in it as much as possible. Those who do so find they don’t feel as if they are exercising. They are simply enjoying life.
