One common theme that keeps recurring while talking about senior care is the importance of exercise. There are many benefits to this, both mental and physical. Still, a lot of people believe that they cannot or should not exercise. The majority of people that think this are incorrect, though, which means they have a lot to gain by exercising themselves. Knowing how to exercise safely, and which exercises are going to be best for you will give you a big advantage toward improving your health and having more enjoyment in your life. Exercise for the elderly has for too long been a mystery, when in fact, it can be pretty simple.
That last part might seem strange. As adults, we tend to put a negative emphasis on exercise. We all know that it’s beneficial to us, but we also know that not a lot of people really enjoy exercising. You might be surprised to learn that the people that don’t like exercise are definitely not doing it right. Exercise, according to the writer George Sheehan, is the adult version of play. So, exercise is supposed to be fun and enjoyable for us. Yes, it is still providing all of the health benefits that we’ve heard about, but exercise should be fun for us to take part in.
What do you enjoy doing? Do you like sports or games? It might not be possible for you to go out and run a marathon or play some football, but there is likely a modified version of this that you can do. Instead of running 26.2 miles, maybe you can walk for 20 minutes a day. Instead of lining up on the football field, perhaps you could wheel yourself around while watching a high school game. These are little things, but they help improve your strength and cardiovascular systems. These things lead to better health, stronger muscles, and fewer illnesses and injuries.
If you have a problem area you would like to work on, focus on the things you like to do for that part of the body. If you’ve been having issues with balance while walking down the hallway, building strength in your legs is important so that your muscles can compensate for this and keep you on your feet and upright. Just remember to check and make sure that you aren’t going to be doing more damage than good with the exercises you do by checking with a doctor first. A medical professional will also be able to recommend a few good ideas of exercises that will help you out so that you can exercise more intelligently, too. From there, it’s your job to spice things up and keep yourself enjoying it while you establish a routine.
Exercise isn’t always fun, but it should never be boring. There are so many things that you can do to build strength and health, and you could conceivably go a month or more and never do the same exercise twice. Find what works for you and is doable with your health situation and the positive results will establish themselves.
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