Has your doctor recommended more exercise? It’s a good idea for seniors who are aiming for more active adult living to improve their health. Walking is often a simple yet overlooked way to make a big difference.
Walking could be ideal for seniors trying to increase their activity level. This activity is low impact on the joints but undertaken regularly it can have a high impact on health. Most people are aware that walking can help with high blood pressure; but did you know it can help manage diabetes, decrease muscle and joint stiffness, prevent strokes, improve balance, strengthen bones, increase endurance, lose body fat and even lessen memory decline? Walking also has the benefit of being accessible to people of all economic backgrounds. It’s a simple but effective way to encourage active adult living.
Benefits of Walking
The biggest overall benefit is increased cardiovascular fitness. You should always mention any new exercise regimes to your doctor, but if you are struggling with your heart health it’s likely your doctor has mentioned walking to you. Unlike running or other intense cardio routines, walking is gentle yet effective. Walking just 30 minutes a day can lower blood pressure by 11 points on average. This helps reduce the risk of both heart disease and stroke. It also increases circulation, which helps bring oxygen and nutrients all over the body.
Most people know bone density can be a very serious issue for seniors. Walking can help battle osteoporosis. Risk of hip fractures have lowered by as much as 40% in seniors who walk 30 minutes or more per day.
Walking also helps fight arthritis and the increased circulation to the joints can help cartilage health by nourishing joint fluid. Unlike running or most other exercise, walking is very low impact on joints. It can also help with pain management by both decreasing stiffness as well as strengthening core muscles, which lowers back pain and increases balance. Balance can help with stability and reduce the likelihood of disastrous falls.
Walking also can help with mental health. Senior women who walk regularly have shown 8% less mental decline than non-active peers. Men over 70 who walked just a half a kilometer a day had a 50% less chance of developing Alzheimer’s! Additionally, walking can release endorphins which can help battle depression.
Walking can also help decrease loneliness since it can get you out into your community. If you start taking a walk everyday you are bound to meet new neighbors and perhaps make new friends. If you have a neighbor or family member that is also trying to improve their health it might increase both your chances of success if you walk together for accountability!
Walk Safely
Doctors recommend thirty minute walks, but if you are struggling to fit that in, start smaller. Try ten minute walks to start with and add a few minutes each day. You’ll get there before you know it! The ideal walking pace is slow enough you can still carry out a conversation, but brisk enough you wouldn’t be able to sing. However, it’s appropriate to start and end each walk at a slower pace to warm up and cool down.
Remember to keep on eye on the weather and dress appropriately. Here in India, bringing a stick or umbrella to fend off stray dogs could be a good idea. Stay hydrated; remember to take water with you. Try to limit walks to early morning or well lit areas after sun down during the hot summer months. Watch your step and try to wear supportive shoes.
Walk in Nature to Enhance Benefits
If you can walk in an area that has nature, even better. Walking in nature has shown to have terrific benefits for mental health over and above just the benefits of the exercise. If you can try to walk in a park or rural area it’ll be more beneficial than just walking through an urban landscape. However, if the weather is keeping you from getting outside, getting to a mall or other indoor area to walk is better than staying on the couch!
Technology Can Make Walking Fun
For the tech savvy senior, there is technology for the elderly (and the young!) that can increase your enjoyment. There are numerous pedometer apps for smart phones that can count your steps so you can track your activity and challenge yourself to keep your step count high. You could also purchase a fitness band which aside from counting your steps can also keep track of your sleep and even monitor your heart rate on some models.
However, even if you have no patience with gadgets, one of the best things about walking is there’s no need for fancy equipment at all! The benefits will come whether you count your steps and log into fitness apps or you just leave the house and walk with no preparations. Our bodies were designed to walk! Walking was humanity’s primary form of transport for millennia and remains a vital way to keep our bodies healthy.
Walking may be a simple exercise, but that means you have even less excuses to get out and get walking! Your active adult living can start today! Start slow if necessary and work steadily towards a healthier you, in both mind and body!