3 Ways to Keep Active Throughout Your Older Years

Growing old is a bittersweet experience. On one hand, you get to see your family grow and pass down the knowledge you’ve collated over the years to them; on the other, your mobility gradually decreases and everyday tasks may become harder than they used to.

Staying active isn’t just important in your younger years, but an active lifestyle is also essential the older you get in order to keep you healthy and strong. This doesn’t have to involve intensive exercise such as running – there are many activities you can partake in that are just as beneficial yet lower impact.

Keep reading to learn how you become more active in your mature years.

Walking

A simple movement that many of us do daily, walking is a great way to stay fit without being too strenuous. The key is to walk at a manageable pace that still gets your heart rate going (known as aerobic exercise). This will keep your heart strong, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes and diabetes.

As you age, your bones become more brittle, hence why so many elderly people suffer from hip fractures and other injuries. Walking also helps to strengthen your bones (as well as your muscles), making movement easier and reducing the likelihood of such injuries occurring.

On top of that, walking is a great way to get out in the fresh air and socialise with others, as well as boost your mental wellbeing. Whether it’s going on regular walks with a friend or joining a local walking group for your age group, walking can encourage you to meet up with people and reduce the loneliness that many older people face.

Swimming

Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise out there, targeting all areas of your body. Being a gentle form of exercise, the buoyancy of the water allows you to exercise without causing the joint pain you may experience when partaking in other activities, since there is no pressure on your hips, knees or spine.

This also makes it a great form of physical therapy, so if you are someone who requires an electric stair lift at home or suffers from osteoarthritis, then swimming offers you a way to remain mobile and active without having a high-impact.

Since swimming works all your major muscle groups, it is great at retaining your muscle mass, which is gradually lost as a natural process of ageing. By keeping your arms, legs and most importantly your core strong through swimming, you will have improved posture and stability – ultimately reducing your risk of falls and back problems.

Yoga

As well as aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you mature into your older years. Yoga is one such example of this that is not too strenuous yet still boasts bountiful benefits for your health and wellbeing.

The gentle, measured movements and stretches of yoga are a great way to stay flexible as you age, without experiencing the strain often caused by high-impact cardio exercises. Remaining flexible is ideal for keeping a good range of motion and improving your balance, reducing your chances of falls and making general tasks and activity easier to complete.

Stairlift Companies Warwickshire

If you stay active in your old age, but still need that little bit of extra assistance at home to make the discomfort of walking up the stairs easier, then you need Alfix.

Based in Warwickshire and serving locations around the South, we offer domestic stair lifts for purchase or rental. Whether you’re looking for a standard straight stairlift or require the spatial consideration of a curved stairlift, email us today at mail@alfixstairlifts.com or call us on 01926 334848 for your free consultation.

We strive to satisfy your accessibility needs with comfort and convenience.