As we’ve already mentioned in our article on exercises for senior citizens, it’s never too late to start living a more active lifestyle. It’s a common misconception that exercise becomes optional once you get older. In fact, the opposite is true. Exercise becomes even more vital to maintaining good health for people who are advanced in age.
Now, we understand if you need a little more information on this considering how difficult exercise can be once you get older. To help you out with this, we’ve prepared a brief list of the four most significant benefits that exercise can bring to senior citizens and aging adults.
Prevents Diseases
The older you get, the more prone you are to diseases and other health issues. Luckily, there is a way to help prevent this. Just like with younger people, exercise can have a dramatic effect on a senior’s physical health. Regular exercise goes a long way when it comes to improving health and preventing illnesses. Indeed, as long as you are consistent with it, exercise can boost the health of seniors to the point wherein it helps prevent diseases. In fact, research has found that seniors that participate in some form of fitness classes or aerobic exercise improve the immune system as well as overall cardiovascular health.
Decreases the Risk of Falls
Once people start getting older, they also become more prone to slips and falls. In fact, 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries every year. This can be potentially disastrous as it can leave senior citizens with potentially life-altering injuries. Regular exercise can help keep this risk to a minimum. Through regular exercise, seniors can regain some of the strength and balance that they’ve lost over the years. This will go a long way when it comes to preventing accidents and injuries.
Boosts Mental Health
While physical health is important, seniors also have to prioritize their mental health. Aside from aiding with physical health, exercise also has a slew of mental health benefits attached to it. This can be particularly useful for seniors as they are prone to mental health issues. But how does exercise do this? Well, exercise produces endorphins that act as a stress reliever. To add to this, exercise also promotes good sleeping habits and can help seniors deal with insomnia.
Aids Cognitive Function
Lastly, regular exercise also improves the cognitive functions of senior citizens. In fact, research shows that exercise can potentially slow the rate of mental decline by 10 years. This is especially useful for seniors as they are prone to cognitive decline and illnesses that can make life significantly harder for them. Considering that 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline is something that you’ll want to keep at bay for as long as humanly possible.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you better understand the benefits of exercise for seniors and older adults. Through exercise, senior citizens can improve just about every aspect of their lives. As you can see, exercise improves both the physical and mental health of senior citizens. Remember that you don’t have to be dependent on others to experience your life to the fullest.
Looking into exercises for senior citizens in Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ? Check out Eightlimfit today! We are committed to sharing the wisdom of yoga, personal training, senior exercise programs, life coaching, and motivational stories.