As we age and our lifestyle starts to slow down, so can our energy levels and maintaining the motivation to keep fit and exercise can wane. However, exercising in your twilight years is just as important as when you are a spring chicken with research suggesting it can add years to your life, not to mention improve the quality of life.
Even if you weren’t a gym junkie in your younger years, it’s never too late to start exercising with health benefits for seniors that rival most medication. Seniors who exercise not only benefit from the positive physical side effect but may also experience increased mental alertness, improved energy levels, better sleep and elevated mood.
Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Tim French says, “Managing your weight as you get older can be a challenge as the metabolism slows down, lifestyle becomes more sedentary and often chronic disease rears its ugly head.
Many of our senior clients benefit from weights training in addition to low impact exercise such as hydrotherapy, helping to building muscle mass whilst burning calories.”
“We also see a lot of clients with chronic illness who have experienced the wonderful benefits of exercise, improving their immune systems and blood pressure whilst reducing risk of further complications,” says Tim.
But before we get too excited, if this message has motivated you to put on your joggers and start running, stop right there. It is important, at any age, to consult a doctor before commencing any new exercise regime, particularly if you suffer from chronic disease or have ongoing injury.
As exercise physiologists, we love taking people on a journey to wellness and relish in seeing how exercise as part of a holistic plan, can improve physical (and mental) health for people of all ages. We have extensive training into the mechanics of the human body and understand how exercise can reduce and improve the impacts of disease or injury. If you are interested in improving your physical and mental health, peruse our website to find out how we can help you achieve your personal best.