For seniors, mental and physical exercises enhance the mind, body, and soul—unfortunately, 31 million people over 50 lead inactive lifestyles. Mental and physical activities help us stay sharp, social, and healthy. But active senior living doesn’t always refer to trips to the gym. There are various ways to keep the body and mind active throughout life. Many retirement communities, such as senior care Brooklyn, provide residents with ample opportunities to stay active and fit.
Active Senior Living: The Benefits of Keeping a Busy Lifestyle
This is one reason people choose to move to such places rather than live alone – if you’re considering such a thing, look at the options available in your area. Those looking to retire or relocate to the region surrounding Salt Lake City may, for example, find that the fantastic luxury communities there, such as the Starhaven Villas in Utah, are desirable options to them. Another excellent option for seniors is garden homes, which provide a close-knit community at a lower price.
Let’s dive deeper into how an active lifestyle affects a person’s overall well-being as they age.
Active Senior Living Enhances Mental Health
Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters enable calming feelings. They help us de-stress and fall asleep at night, which many seniors have trouble doing.
Activities, whether physical, mental, or social, boost positivity in seniors. Being active releases dopamine, also known as the happy hormone. As dopamine levels increase, so does our mood.
Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which keeps cells nourished. Healthy cells aid in the growth of new brain cells, which helps the mind stay sharp.
Social engagements support brain health and reduce symptoms of dementia. Socialization reduces widespread tension, slowing the progression of dementia and other cognitive disabling diseases.
Mental exercises keep thinking skills sharp. Braining training prompts nerve cells to send messages to each other. Fast cell responses in the brain prevent memory loss, confusion, and lack of focus.
Best Ways for Seniors to Keep Their Minds Active
Seniors can stay healthy by engaging in mental and physical exercises. There are various ways to keep seniors’ mental health in tip-top shape, whether through new skills, games, or physical movements.
Learn a New Skill
It’s never too late to learn something new. Teaching your brain a new skill, such as how to play an instrument or a second language, keeps the mind active and alert.
Play a Game
Seniors can form game groups with friends. A weekly game of cards or board game night enhances cognitive skills. Brain games for seniors also increase socialization, which reduces depression and anxiety.
Senior site can also work their minds on their own. Puzzles, crosswords, and coloring books enable people to continue working their minds as they age.
Get Walking
Physically, people should be walking more as they age. Walking boosts circulation, leading to improved oxygen flow to the brain. The more oxygen in the brain, the less likely a person will feel confused or foggy.
Active Senior Living Prevents Diseases
Whether on your own or through active senior living communities, staying active prevents chronic medical problems.
Active seniors are less likely to suffer from the following:
- Arthritis
- Colon cancer
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Obesity
Physical activities lower blood pressure by improving circulation throughout the body. Exercise boosts the body’s overall immune function, which declines as people age.
It helps seniors maintain healthy body weights, stable blood sugar levels, and cholesterol rates.
Best Activities for Preventing Diseases in Seniors
Seniors can participate in aerobic activities to keep chronic diseases away. Aerobic exercises include anything that increases a person’s heart rate.
Good aerobic exercises for seniors include swimming, jogging, and dancing.
Swimming for Seniors
Swimming is a low-impact aerobic exercise that doesn’t put much tension on your body. It improves flexibility and mental acuity and builds endurance. It lowers blood pressure, boosts circulation, and reduces heart and lung disease risk in older adults.
Jogging for Seniors
Light to moderate jogging helps maintain healthy endurance levels. Physical activity leads to more vital muscle mitochondria, creating a healthier body. Those who jog three times a week are less likely to experience age-related physical declines.
Dancing for Seniors
Dancing is a social and physical activity that all seniors can engage in.
Physically, dancing boosts muscle function and decreases a person’s risk of heart disease. Mentally, social or group dancing can reduce widespread pain and tension.
Active Senior Living Leads to a Strong Body
Strong seniors are healthy seniors. Healthy muscles help seniors live independently.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in older Americans, with one in four individuals over 65 sufferings a fall yearly. However, staying active and working major muscle groups prevent injuries among seniors.
Strength training builds strong bones and muscles. The activities increase balance and coordination. I am staying active decreases the risk of a life-threatening fall.
Best Activities for Strong Seniors
Aging adults should spend two days a week focusing on muscle training and balance activities to help them stay mobile, strong, and steady. Resistance training for seniors also boosts confidence, self-esteem, and mental cognition.
Pilates, yoga, and bodyweight workouts are some of seniors’ best activities to build strong bones and muscles.
Yoga for Seniors
Yoga is a low-impact way to build muscle to prevent osteoporosis, strains, sprains, and fractures. The slow and measured yoga poses improve balance and coordination. Yoga also reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels.
Pilates for Seniors
Pilates is another low-impact exercise that creates a strong core and lower body. Core strength plays a critical role in balance and flexibility. Pilates incorporates leg, step-ups, and side circles to strengthen the abdomen and lower back muscles.
Bodyweight Workout for Seniors
Muscle loss occurs as people age, so seniors should engage in bodyweight workouts. These workouts utilize a person’s weight to counteract the effects of age-related muscle atrophy. Bodyweight exercises include squats, lunges, and hip bridges.
Active senior living comes in many forms.
Whether building balance through yoga poses or keeping the mind sharp with a group game night, people must lead active lifestyles as they age.
