Regular Exercise Is Essential For A Healthy Lifestyle

​Navigating out of the pandemic and taking charge of your health is a hot topic right now. Every day there seems to be a new study demonstrating how regular exercise is especially important for older adults – and more and more older adults are opting for an active lifestyle instead of a sedentary one. However, as we age, our needs as well as our benefits and limitations have to be considered.
 
And as your requirements change, so too does your personal game plan.
 
Our biology changes as we get older, causing seniors to have different reasons for staying in shape than younger generations, according to the National Council on Aging. Physicians and researchers say seniors should remain as active as possible without overdoing it. Exercise helps older adults live a longer, healthier and more joyous life.
 
If you have a chronic health condition, regular exercise can help you manage symptoms and improve your health. BA Seniors can help you create the pathway to help you re-engage after a year of pandemic living with reduced activity.
 
Aerobic exercise can aid you in improving your heart health and endurance and in weight loss. BAS has many classes from which to choose, including line dancing, as well as access to the equipment in our fitness center.
 
Strength training can improve muscle strength and endurance, make it easier to do daily activities, slow disease related declines in muscle strength and provide stability to joints. Flexibility exercises may help you with optimal range of motion in your joints so they can function best, and stability exercises may help reduce the risk of falls.
 
The new Strength & Tone class fills all of these needs. If you have lower back pain, you might choose low-impact aerobic activities, such as walking and swimming.
 
These types of activities won’t strain or jolt your back. Our Limited Exercise class, as well as yoga and tai chi classes, are great for lower back issues. The elliptical and recumbent bike in the fitness center can also address lower back issues. If you have arthritis, the exercises that are best for you will depend on the type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Work with your doctor or a physical therapist to create an exercise plan that will give you the most benefit with the least aggravation to your joints. Tai chi, Limited Exercise and yoga are beneficial in reducing joint inflammation.
 
Exercise improves balance for older adults. Falling down is a much bigger deal for older adults than for younger ones. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is admitted to an emergency room for a fall-related injury, and, every 19 minutes, a senior dies from a fall, according to the National Council on Aging. No two falls are alike, and preventing falls is complex.
 
Regular exercise reduces the likelihood of falling by 23%. Our Tai Chi for Better Balance class addresses these issues. Are you looking for one exercise that improves muscle strength, mobility, balance and flexibility, all of which are crucial to the health of seniors? Consider chair yoga, an exercise that provides less stress on muscles, joints and bones than more conventional forms of yoga. Chair yoga has been shown to improve mental health in older adults. Regular participants have better quality sleep, lower instances of depression and report a general sense of well-being.
 
One of the most remarkable developments in health science is the revelation that the mind and the body are closely linked. Seniors who exercise on a regular basis have improved cognitive health.
 
A study from the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation notes that regular exercise has been shown to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by nearly 50%.
 
Starting a regular exercise routine can be tough. We are here to help you create your pathway to success. To assist you in sticking with your routine, consider exercising with a friend. You might also ask your doctor to recommend an exercise program from our monthly activity listing.
 
To stay motivated, choose activities that are fun, set realistic goals and celebrate your progress.

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