Most aging adults in their 50’s and beyond, do not get enough physical activity. Exercising, especially the cardio type, can effectively improve health impairments as well as prevent some diseases. Staying physically active can also improve your mood and emotional well being. The key however is sensible workouts when you are reaching your older years, by keeping it simple and taking it slow. But it’s paramount that you keep the workout regimes consistent. Older people should find a realistic and suitable moderate exercise program.

Here Are 8 Important Reasons On why You Should Be Working Out Consistently
1. It Will Help You Sleep
Since exercising effects the body in a lot of positive ways, it’s clearly the most natural option for addressing your sleep related issues. Regular consistent and routine exercises will help in exhausting out the body physically, which ensures a natural form of fatigue forcing the body to address it with a need to get appropriate sleep.

2. Strength Training Equals Stronger Bones
One of the most critical aspects of the aging process is the general weakening of  muscle tissue and the bones themselves. So the best way to reduce stress on our bones is by increasing our muscle mass through strength related training. Strength training has shown to be safe and an effective method of reversing natural muscle loss, which supports the bones.

3. Developing A Strong Heart
For those who have a vigorous and routine cardio exercise program, it has proven that it will reduce the risk of heart disease. Other studies have show that almost any type of exercise, provided it’s consistent can be beneficial as well. These studies have shown that even a moderate exercise program that works the heart, is beneficial for those who may have existing heart disease.

4. Helps Arthritis
Arthritis is when there is inflammation in the joints, and for most of the time, it can be a painful process. Arthritis can cause searing, stabbing pain that leaves your body feeling extremely weak for days. As you age, arthritis will unfortunately develop just from the every day use of the body.

Exercising however can help with eliminating arthritis by strengthening the muscles in and around the joints, helping in reducing joint stress. While exercising should be a daily regime for everyone, it’s essential for those with arthritis or for those who want to avoid it

5. Lowers The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
A recent study reported there was a 61% lower risk for getting Type 2 diabetes in adults over 50 who exercise as little as 2 1/2 hours a week, even if the exercise was moderate.

Those with diabetes are at high risks of getting heart disease, so the effect of any type of aerobic exercise on the heart is extremely important for those who have Type 2 diabetes. There are also indications that muscle strength training which increases mass and thus reducing fat is also helpful for those with diabetes.

6. Increase Your Overall Fitness
Being physically active  everyday will naturally stimulate the immune cells that targets a lot of viruses and infections. Although exercising appears to stimulate these cells, the stimulation only appears to last a few hours. However, regular daily exercising will lower the overall risk of your susceptibility to the flu, common colds, and other viruses.

7. Increased Stamina Will Slow Down The Aging Clock
Any type of physical fitness regime allows the body to perform to its fullest capacity. Fitness will help us appear, feel, as well as act to our fullest potential. Exercising essentially gives us the capability to complete out our everyday responsibilities, energetically as well as actively, with energy still remaining at the end of the day.

8. Keeps Your Brain Active
How many times have you heard seniors say, “Pardon me, I’m just having a senior moment?” A lot of seniors are now making exercising more of a habit and routine so they can stay sharp and their educated minds don’t suffer. Studies have proven that seniors who exercise their bodies are also exercising their minds as well.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 5:17 pm and is filed under Health Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.