Exercise is essential for maintaining health and well-being but can be even more important for older, older, and older adults. While there may be concerns about exercising for those over 50, the benefits of an active lifestyle far outweigh the risks. It is true that these can take longer to heal and recover from injuries but moderate exercise levels are good for people of all ages.
Regular exercise and an active lifestyle for those over 50 offer a variety of health benefits that go beyond the best known ones such as improved blood pressure, diabetes and lipid profile control, prevention of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and improvement of neurocognitive function.
KEEP ACTIVE AND HEALTHY, HAVE FUN!
Getting older does not necessarily mean giving up an active lifestyle but it does mean adapting the training routine to your body.
Any fitness and activity plan for ideal seniors and seniors should include three areas of emphasis: aerobic components, strength and resistance training, and stretching and flexibility exercises.
THE MANY BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR THE OVER 50s
There are many reasons why seniors and older people need to maintain an active lifestyle ranging from preventing injury to improving mental health.
Here are 10 key benefits for active lifestyles over 50:
1 Your health improves
On a macro level, the overall quality of health is higher when you participate in exercise programs. In fact, individuals who exercise reduce the risk of chronic diseases and strengthen the immune and digestive systems.
2 Decrease and control of body weight
Exercise helps people of all ages to maintain or lose body weight. However, your metabolism naturally slows down with age, so the importance of exercise increases. The addition of cardio and strength workouts builds muscle mass and, in turn, increases metabolism and burns more calories to promote positive weight loss.
3 Stronger and healthier bones
Regular activity builds healthy bones and helps maintain your bone strength. Exercise affects these in a very similar way to muscles, making them stronger. Since bone is living tissue, it changes in response to the forces exerted on it. When you exercise regularly, your bone adapts by building more cells and becomes denser.
4 Heart and cardiovascular health
Frequent physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease and improves cardiovascular health. Adding a mix of cardio and strength training will give you an extra boost of energy that will improve your heart health. However, underlying heart conditions and inherited diseases do not go away as a result of exercise but staying active can help you maintain a higher quality of life.
5 Fight depression and negative thoughts
Living an active lifestyle and exercising often leads to a variety of mental health benefits. Exercise has been shown to help fight depression when muscle-generated mood enhancers become active by reducing stress. Maintaining activity levels can also help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
6 Prevent injuries and falls
Falls are severe at any age, but after age 50 you are particularly at risk of fractures and injuries if your bone strength and density are low. Having an active lifestyle will help you stay balanced and prevent falls by building muscle strength and improving bone health through simple low-impact exercises. It is also advisable to test bone density to know the risks of osteoporosis.
7 You will have better sleep
Sedentary individuals tend to have a harder time getting quality rest but an active lifestyle may help you fall asleep. Adding regular aerobic exercise throughout the day promotes deeper sleep by raising core body temperature and encouraging rest as you begin to cool down.
8 Reduction of hypertension
If you have high blood pressure, exercise has been shown to help lower blood pressure. Adding 30 minutes or more of moderate aerobic exercise, five times a week, will significantly reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, and decrease the risk of certain cardiovascular problems.
9 Greater social well-being
For many seniors, having an active social life can be difficult. Some aging adults are increasing their social well-being by making exercise a fun group outing with others in their communities. Whether it’s joining a walking group or attending an aerobics class, socializing while exercising keeps people young at heart and mentally active.
10 Get more focus and energy
Exercise is linked to better cognitive function and better motor skills. Physical activity is also associated with a reduction in the risk of vascular dementia in the elderly. Maintaining a regular fitness routine can help you stay focused and enable you to lead a higher quality life with more energy.
We are sure that these benefits have convinced you to live everyday life more actively, taking care of yourself.
We are ready to start! But only after receiving clearance from your doctor.
Take care of your physical and mental wellbeing with our specific programs for 50+ such as Senior Training, Silver Workouts and Invitation to Stability.