It is now common and accepted knowledge that exercise is just as good for you, if not better, in your old age as it is in youth. We may have the energy and the ambition to look our best and be at our strongest and fittest in our youth, but it is this strength training that we need more in our later years. This article will examine the top 5 benefits of exercise for the elderly.
Good Bone Density and Lean Muscle Growth
Physical exercise, with specific reference to weightlifting and resistance training, is proven to improve your bone density and lean muscle growth. These are both incredibly important aspects of elderly health and, as such, it is recognized that maintaining an exercise regime that includes strength training is vital for elderly health and wellbeing.
Cardiovascular Health
As we age, the heart is one of the organs or muscles that need to be looked after. Exercise that serves to increase your heart rate and maintain a raised heart rate for the duration of the exercise is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy.
It Can Improve Social Connections
Whether the elderly person simply logs in and joins a group doing a set program or can get out to attend an actual exercise program with others, exercise has been one of the best ways for many to maintain a social life and meet others.
Better Mental and Cognitive Behavior
Exercise can even hold off dementia and diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. Many elderly use resources, such as a dementia quiz, to test their cognitive health. Then, they simply add exercise to make them feel better and keep them healthy. The more you do, the more energy you have, and the better you feel about yourself and all aspects that serve to strengthen and build your cognitive health. Then, do the free quiz again as a means of checking whether exercise can and does make a difference in the cognitive health of the elderly.
Decreased Risk of Falls, Injuries, and Even Disease
The exercise that is done by the elderly and those in their senior years can strengthen the body and muscles, making falls and injuries easier to avoid and then recover from.
It has also been widely publicized that exercise for the elderly is also the best way to prevent common diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Furthermore, any exercise is a great way to manage and prevent other old age and senior diseases.
Keep in mind that these are not the only benefits of exercise for the elderly, but the top 5 of these benefits. The best advice to take from this is that all those moving into the twilight of their years should have an established and approved (by their medical professional) exercise program that can be sustainably followed and implemented. Exercise is good for us all and yet, it is probably best for the seniors out there most of all.
