Exercise for Seniors: Top Benefits & 3 Easy Workouts

It’s no surprise that physicians recommend maintaining an active lifestyle as we age. Regular exercise benefits seniors and older adults by strengthening their immune system, boosting their mood, and improving their overall health.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) found that exercise reduces the risk of physical impairment in older adults due to an important connection between muscle strength and overall mobility. For older adults with lower fitness levels, the NIH recommends adding exercise gradually, to help prevent injuries.

For most seniors, it’s safe to include exercise as part of a daily routine, but always check with a healthcare provider if you have any questions.

How Exercise Benefits Older Adults

Seniors get many benefits from exercise, and it’s easy to integrate activity into their daily routine. The National Council on Aging describes the life-changing benefits of exercise, including:

• Mood Improvement

  Exercise can reduce stress and improve your overall mood by increasing feel-good endorphins in the brain and reducing cortisol.

• Chronic Disease Prevention

  Regular exercise can help prevent type 2 diabetes, reduce and prevent high blood pressure, potentially prevent some cancers, and mitigate symptoms of existing chronic disease.

• Healthy Weight Maintenance

  Consistent exercise and a balanced diet can aid in weight maintenance for older adults. Just a few minutes of simple at-home exercises for seniors is an easy way to get started.

• Bone Loss Prevention and Arthritis Relief

  Strength training has been shown to help increase bone density, which can help stop bone loss. Regular exercise can even strengthen the muscles surrounding joints impacted by arthritis, and help relieve arthritic pain.

• Immunity Strength

  Studies have shown that regular exercise helps boost our immune system and helps prevent complications associated with COVID. Even 30 minutes of physical activity three days per week has been shown to help reduce comorbidities associated with infectious viruses.

Getting active with your senior can benefit both of you, and is a great way to spend quality time together.

Easy Workouts for Seniors

Make sure to check with your senior’s healthcare provider before starting any workout program to ensure it’s safe for any specific health needs. If your loved one has osteoporosis or other bone issues, some exercises will need modification to keep your senior safe and healthy.

Once you’ve verified everything is good to go, try these three easy senior-safe workouts.

• Pilates

  This exercise provides low-impact strength training for seniors and can be modified for all fitness levels. It focuses on building stability, core strength, intentional breathing, mindfulness, and flexibility.

• Yoga

  Similar to pilates, yoga for older adults is low-impact and focuses on balance, breathing, and core strength. Try these beginner yoga poses for seniors.

• Walking

  Get up and get outside! Walking is a great light cardio workout for seniors. In addition to being excellent exercise, walking can help improve your mood by providing a change of scenery, fresh air, and quality time with loved ones. If it’s icy, make sure to get a pair of traction spikes for your shoes.

Ultimately, working out and staying active will help improve the health of you and your loved ones.

Want to schedule workouts and share your health biometrics with loved ones? It’s easy with the Avanlee app—download it free today in the App Store and or on Google Play.