It is a long-accepted belief that as we age it is appropriate (and expected) that we will slow down. We may even stop exercising altogether, but research shows that exercise for seniors can have a host of benefits. Here’s what we know and how seniors can get started exercising.
6 benefits of exercise for seniors
The following research studies add to the growing research of the benefits of physical activity at any age, but especially for seniors.
Even light exercise can improve your health
A study out of Oregon State University found that older adults who participated in light exercise were an average of 18% healthier than those who did not exercise. The study looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, between 2003 and 2006. This survey is conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Because the survey is a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population, widespread conclusions can be extrapolated from it.
Seniors who participated in 300 minutes a week of light exercise, including walking, completing household chores, and playing easy games like table tennis, had lower BMI measurements, smaller waist circumference, and better insulin measures than those who did not. This light intensity movement can include things like walking around while talking on the phone or parking the car far away from entrances to stores.
Lead author Paul Loprinzi, Ph.D. and assistant professor of exercise science and health promotion at the University of Mississippi pointed out that light intensity exercise can be an important part of a wellness program for seniors, saying:
“These findings highlight that, in addition to promoting moderate-intensity physical activity to older adults, we should not neglect the importance of engaging in lower-intensity, movement-based behaviors when the opportunity arises.”
Reduces pain and increases mobility
Not only does exercise help prevent chronic illness, increase overall health, and decrease the fear of falling, it also works to decrease pain and increase mobility.
An eight-week, low-impact exercise program designed and tested by the Hospital for Special Surgery saw dramatic improvements in pain and mobility levels among the seniors who participated regularly. Significantly, seniors in the study improved their ability to climb multiple flights of stairs; carry their groceries; and bend, kneel, or stoop. Ninety-one percent of participants felt less fatigue, and 97% reported less stiffness while completing the program.
Better sense of well-being and long-term health
A study found that older adults who continued to exercise into their 60s experienced a better sense of well-being and long-term health than those who did not.
The study was a small-scale study in Liverpool, England. Nurses helped implement a 12-week fitness and exercise intervention program. Twenty-five participants were in the exercise group, and 17 were in the control group (and received no special interventions). Study participants had physical and mental health challenges that included arthritis, dementia, and high cholesterol.
Those patients in the exercise group reported better health and an increased sense of well-being during the study.
They also found gains in strength and endurance, and they were able to stick with their exercise regimen for 12 months after the end of the study where they continued to report gains in power and strength. The exercise group felt more knowledgeable abou