According to surveys, almost all of us spend at least two hours lying on the couch or an armchair when we are not sleeping or working. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to rest and relax, but it is very important to stay active every day, especially after 60 years of age. Still, many seniors try to avoid any exercise at all for fear of injury or feeling too old to exercise.
The easiest way to regain some of that activity is to take a walk.
When people who are older hear that they need to exercise, they are simply lost, as many activities simply scare them, and they are afraid to start exercising incorrectly, which can only make their current health worse and increase their risk of injury.
This is partly why walking is considered an ideal workout for seniors. And even 30 minutes a day is enough to get some benefits from this type of physical activity.
The benefits that daily walking provides are:
1. Promotes longevity - a new study calculates that it is enough for elderly people to take 4400 steps a day to reduce the risk of death, and to bring additional health benefits - 7500 steps. In this case, the researchers note that it is not necessarily do it all at once, you can walk in several stages, and start with a smaller number of steps, gradually increasing them. Do not fight for records, more is not always better, especially with regard to sustainable health.
2. Helps to reduce the risk of depression - it is proven that walking can benefit not only our physical health, but also our mental health. Walking briskly for 1 hour each day instead of sitting can reduce the risk of depression by 25%, as well as improve overall psychological health in people over the age of 65.
3. Helps slow age-related cognitive decline - Physical activity is also important for brain health because it can reduce the risk of developing dementia. Regular brisk walking has been shown to increase the hippocampus (responsible for memory formation) in older adults and is associated with improved overall cognitive functioning, especially if the walk was done in company.
4. Promotes heart and lung health - walking increases cardiovascular and lung function, which is very important for people at an age, thus reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Regular walking also helps regulate blood pressure, total cholesterol levels and resting heart rate.
5. Helps maintain and strengthen muscle and bone mass - As we age, muscle mass decreases and bones weaken, so movement and exercise play a very important role after age 60. Regular walking can slow the deterioration of these conditions without putting too much stress on the joints, while providing enough resistance to maintain muscle mass without potential harm to health, unlike other more strenuous forms of exercise. It has been proven that postmenopausal women who walk 1.5-2 km daily have higher whole-body bone density and a lower rate of bone mass loss in their legs than those women who walk shorter distances.
All these side effects of walking suggest that this type of exercise is indeed a very useful form of physical activity for maintaining health in old age.
But before you change your lifestyle, be sure to consult your doctor about the permissible loads for your health condition and choose the right shoes for walking to minimize potential risks and not to harm yourself.
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