Physical Fitness and Exercises for Senior Citizens

As we age, our physical and nutritional demands keep changing. Exercise and nutrition are essential parts of a healthy lifestyle throughout one’s life, and regular exercise is especially important for seniors. It is great to see how now-a-days, more seniors are opting for an active lifestyle instead of a sedentary one. This article will show you the importance of physical fitness and various exercises for senior citizens along, their benefits and a few exercises that may be hazardous to seniors’ health.

Why Physical Fitness Matters for Senior Citizens

Once an adult crosses the age of 60, exercise plays a larger role than just being physically active. This is because being physically active makes it easier to perform day-to-day activities such as bathing, dressing, getting into or out of a bed or chair and moving around the house or a neighborhood, etc. Physically active older adults are also less likely to fall, which can lead to serious injuries. We cover this part in detail in the following sections.

Health Benefits of Exercises for Older Adults

Women start losing bone density and muscle strength as they age due to menopause and other hormonal changes in their body. Exercises help to avoid this from occurring to a large extent. Moreover the heart and lungs help promote overall health and offset some risks for chronic illnesses and disease, let’s walk you through the benefits of exercises for older adults in detail.

More Physically Active Means More Independence

Seniors that exercise regularly are less likely to depend on others, as regular exercise promotes an older adult’s ability to walk, bathe, dress, and use the restroom by themselves, independently. Self-reliance is a priority for most of us, and exercise is one of the best ways to maintain independence for older adults.

Exercises Improves Balance

We all must have heard older adults losing their balance and injuring themselves. Losing balance or falling down is a much bigger deal for older adults than younger ones. It is shocking to know that every 11 seconds, a senior citizen is admitted to an emergency room for a fall-related injury, and every 19 minutes, a senior dies due to a fall injury (according to the National Council of Aging). Preventing falls is very complex yet essential, and regular exercise reduces the likelihood of falling to a great extent.

Helps Prevent Diseases

Some of the common diseases among the older adults are heart disease, osteoporosis, depression, diabetes and are often deadly. However, adopting a more active lifestyle can reduce the unpleasant symptoms of these diseases if you already have them or can contribute to the prevention of these diseases. 

Boosts Energy

Being inactive makes you feel unenergetic or tired (even as a young adult). Exercise promotes the release of endorphins, which are essential neurotransmitters linked to pain mitigation and promote a sense of well-being. Endorphins combat stress hormones, promote healthy sleep, and overall, make you feel more energetic.

Improves Brain Function

Health science has discovered that the mind and the body are much more closely linked than we know. A healthy body means a healthy mind. Exercises for senior adults improves cognitive health, moreover a study from the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation has stated that regular exercise can also reduce the risk of developing Alzheimers or Dementia by nearly 50%.

Different Exercise Types for Senior Citizens

Before you get started with an exercise routine, make sure to visit a physician to check which exercises are ideal for your current fitness level.

Simple Cardio Exercises

Cardio exercises are simple and easy to perform irrespective of your age. Getting into a routine of daily simple walking is also a cardio exercise because it gets your heart pumping. You can also opt for senior citizen’s aerobics for an overall cardio experience. 

Stretching 

As you age, your muscles tend to become stiff and lose their flexibility, and hence stretching exercises can loosen your stiffness making you feel more free, enhancing your range of motion. Some of the simple stretching exercises that can be performed are- neck stretch, upper back stretch, ankle rotation, knee lifts, heel raises, shoulder blade squeeze, etc. You can perform these anytime of the day, as per your convenience.

Balance Boosters

Balance exercises are one of the most essential exercises for senior citizens as they can help build strength, improve posture, stability, and coordination. Balancing boosting exercises can reduce your chance of falling or losing balance. It’s also important that older adults feel self-assured in the movement patterns to avoid being anxious or be fearful about falling. Watch the video to know the different balance boosting exercises that can be performed at the comfort of your home:

Chair Yoga

Chair yoga is a low-impact form of exercise yet crucial for the health aspects of seniors, as it improves muscle strength, mobility, balance and flexibility. Chair yoga is one of the most convenient exercises for senior citizens as it puts less stress on muscles, joints, and bones than more conventional forms of yoga.

Chair yoga has also been shown to improve mental health in older adults, along with better quality sleep, lower instances of depression, and a general sense of well-being. 

Watch the video to know some of the basic chair yoga exercises you can perform. 

Resistance Band Workouts

Resistance bands are meant to add resistance to workouts with reduced stress on your body. These workouts are easy, user-friendly, and accessible for beginners and ideal for at-home exercise. Additionally, these exercises are ideal for strengthening your core,  in turn improving your posture, mobility, and balance. 

Free Weight Exercises

Strength training exercises have various benefits and have shown to reduce the symptoms of diabetes, osteoporosis, back pain, and depression, etc. contributing to a higher metabolism and enhanced glucose control. Dumbbell exercises are some of the best ways for seniors to strength train, if they are performed cautiously with the proper precautions. Some of the easy dumbbell exercises that can be performed are- tricep extension, bicep curl, overhead press, front raise, etc.

Pilates

Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise that includes breathing, alignment, concentration and core strength and typically involves mats, pilates balls, and other inflated accessories to help build strength (without the stress of higher-impact exercises). In older adults, Pilates have been shown to improve balance, core strength and increase flexibility. Mermaid movement, Side circles, Food slides, Step ups, Leg circle, etc. are some great pilates exercises for older adults.

Body Weight Exercises

Muscle loss can be devastating, as it can lead to hormone problems, decrease in the ability to metabolize protein, and other problems. Body weight workouts are one of the best ways to reduce the effects of muscle atrophy in older adults. Most body weight workouts just require a mat to soften impact with the floor. Squats to chair, Stepup, Bird dog, Lying hip bridges, Side lying circles are some of the body weight exercises that can be performed by older adults, depending on their fitness levels.

Exercises to be Avoided

Types of workout that can be performed by older adults can also vary on their individual fitness levels. General exercises performed by younger adults are not suitable for senior citizens such as Squats with dumbbells or weights, Bench press, Long-distance running, Abdominal crunches, Deadlift, High-intensity interval training, etc. These popular workouts put an unhealthy strain on older adults with joint pain, atrophied muscles, posture problems or issues with balance. And hence adults above 60 years of age should avoid these mainstream workouts.

Exercise Plan to Follow

The best exercise plan is not just one you feel comfortable doing, but one you enjoy and look forward to performing it regularly. It is best advised to work with a trainer, or a physiotherapist to create a plan that’s customized as per your individual physical abilities and preferences.

Adding variety can help keep the exercise routine fun and interesting. You can also tag a friend or a pet along to keep yourself motivated. You can also pair simple exercise as a part of your daily routine, for example- getting up and down from your chair 10 times before you sit down to have your lunch/dinner.

A fitness tracker to monitor activity levels, heart rate, sleep routine etc. can also be considered to use for senior citizens.

Take-Away

Exercise is important in all phases of life, but for seniors, it’s absolutely essential especially for maintaining independence, apart from other benefits.

Variety is the key to determining the best exercises for seniors. A combination of strength training, mobility exercises, balance exercises and aerobic activity can be planned and added to the routine with suitable intervals. Suggestions and advice can be endless, however, the best exercises for seniors are the ones they want to do willingly, and would be consistent about it!