Benefits of Exercise for Older Persons
By Linda Warner
Printed in the Effingham Daily News, December 21, 2001
The National Institute on Aging has identified "lack of physical activity" as a major public health enemy, which consequently adds to disease and disability in people of all ages. Former astronaut and Senator John Glenn suggests that, "You are never too old to get in shape." He does suggest that modifications in an exercise plan may need to be made due to aging, such as walking instead of jogging because of excess stress on the knees and other joints.
The National Institute on Aging, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, lists the following five facts about exercise.
- Exercise can help older people feel better and enjoy life more, even those who think they're too old or too out of shape.
- Most older adults don't get enough physical activity.
- Lack of physical activity and poor diet, taken together, are the second largest underlying cause of death in the United States. (Smoking is the #1 cause.)
- Regular exercise can improve some diseases and disabilities in older people who already have them. It can improve mood and relieve depression, too.
- Staying physically active on a regular, permanent basis can help prevent or delay certain diseases (like some types of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes) and disabilities as people grow older.
Who should exercise? Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity to improve his or her health. A good rule of thumb, according to the National Institute on Aging, is to talk to your doctor about an exercise plan before beginning it if you are a man over 40 or a woman over 50 and you plan to do vigorous activity. Also, if you have a chronic disease, it is best to check with your doctor before beginning exercise. Often times, as is the case with cardiovascular disease or diabetes, you can still exercise which in turn may improve your condition.
The research of the National Institute on Aging is aimed at improving the health of older people. They have found that regular exercise and physical activity are very important to the health and abilities of older people. When people lose the ability to do things independently it is often blamed on aging, when in actuality it usually happens due to becoming inactive. Older adults who become inactive lose ground in four major areas that are important for staying healthy and independent. Those four areas are endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.
Endurance exercises are activities that increase your breathing and heart rate. In other words they help your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Increasing your endurance builds stamina for independent activities like climbing stairs or shopping. To build endurance do at least 30 minutes of physical activities on most or all days of the week. If you prefer, divide your 30 minutes into three shorter sessions of 10 minutes each.
Swimming, bicycling, gardening (mowing & raking), walking briskly, mopping the floor, golf without a cart, and dancing are all examples of moderate activities for the average older adult. The following activities are of a vigorous nature and should only be done by those who have worked up to them: shoveling snow, walking or bicycling up hills, swimming laps, hiking, and jogging. Strength exercises build your muscles to assist you in doing more independent living activities. Although you might not notice it as it happens, most people lose 20 to 40 percent of their muscle tissue as they get older.
Strength exercise can at least partly restore muscle and strength as well as increase metabolism, regulate weight and blood sugar, and possibly help prevent osteoporosis. Depending on your condition, you might need to start out using as little as 1 or 2 pounds of weight, or no weight at all. It is important to do strength exercises for all of your major muscle groups at least twice a week. For more specific information on muscle building exercises see a local personal trainer or order "Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging." Ordering information is given below.
Balance exercises are important as they help prevent falls which is a common problem in older adults. There is a lot of overlap between strength and balance exercises. Some simple balance exercises are standing on one foot; possibly holding onto a chair with your hand at first, then using only a finger grasp, and eventually having a chair nearby for support if needed. Side leg raises and toe raises help in increasing balance as well.
Stretching exercises are thought to give you more freedom of movement to do the things you need to do and the things you like to do. It is important to stretch after you do your regularly scheduled strength and endurance exercises. Always warm up before stretching exercises to prevent injuries. Some simple stretches are arm circles, shoulder and neck rotations, and wrist and ankle rotations. As you progress, know that stretching may feel slightly uncomfortable but not painful.
The Institute on Aging suggests the following safety tips on exercise:
- Start slowly. Build up activities and level of effort gradually.
- Avoid holding your breath while straining muscles. This is of particular importance if you have high blood pressure. The rule is to exhale while lifting weights; inhale during relaxation.
- Use safety equipment suggested for activities to keep you from getting hurt.
- Drink plenty of fluids when doing endurance activities that make you sweat.
- When bending forward, bend from the hips, not the waist.
- Make sure your muscles are warmed up before you stretch.
- None of the exercises should hurt or make you feel really tired. You might feel some soreness, a slight discomfort, or a bit weary, but you should not feel pain. . . in fact, in many ways, physical activity and exercise will probably make you feel better.
What should be included in your exercise plan? It is important that you choose activities that you enjoy so they become a natural part of most days. The more you enjoy what you are doing the greater the chance these activities will become part of your daily routine. If you enjoy the water then find a place where you can do water exercises or swim laps on a regular basis. Maybe walking is more your style. If so, then go for walks. Sometimes exercising is easier to do when you have an exercise partner. Since Illinois offers the best of all four seasons, it is often difficult to do outdoor activities all year long. The Effingham area does offer some indoor alternatives that you can locate by checking in your phone book.
In 2002, make every effort to build endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility to enhance your feelings of well-being.
"Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging" can be found on the internet at www.nih.gov/nia or by calling the NIA Information Center at 1-800-222-2225.
This article is based on topics chosen by the Effingham County MHASI Team sponsored by the Senior Outreach Program at Heartland Human Services. The program focuses on people age 60 and older, their families, and caregivers. For more information contact Linda Warner at 217/347-7179.