It is Never Too Late to Exercise

Written by iHeartKhmer, December 14, 2022

Exercise is considered to be a necessary building block for a healthy life but most of us either do not realize its importance or do not find enough time to take regular exercise. The result is that middle aged and old people end up ruining their neglect for exercise. They go by the general myth that any person who neglects exercise during his prime misses out on exercise forever. This misconception is based on the argument that aged people do not have enough reserves of energy to do exercise and that they are better off conserving their remaining energy. However, medical science has overwhelmingly proven that regular exercise can still be helpful for people even if they start in the later half of their lives.

It is generally known that the metabolism system in human body starts to get weaker as the body ages. This increases the chances of obesity in old age alarmingly. This is where exercise for the aged people can be very beneficial as it burns calories to keep a check on their body weight. So, despite a weakening metabolism system those old persons who regularly take exercise can maintain their body weight. Furthermore, exercise pacifies the effects of different diseases among old persons as regular workout not only strengthens the immune system but also does many other useful functions such as improving the digestive system, ensuring better blood circulation, reducing the chances of a heart attack, helps control diabetes and much more.

Apart from having physical benefits, exercise also provides a lot of mental or psychological benefits to the elderly. Not only those who take regular exercise are able to sleep better, but it also imparts self confidence and relieves a person from depression which most old people suffer from. Over the years research has also pointed to the fact that the chances of memory loss and other mental conditions arising among old people can be controlled by simply doing exercise. So we can safely conclude that elderly people should never resign to the fact that they are too old to adopt exercise as a habit, instead they should try their best to maintain their health by working out regularly.

But one has to take into account the fact that elderly people do face some problems in working out in a phase of their lives when their bodies are fragile and susceptible to injuries. As a result, experts believe that starting off slowly is the way forward for them. While this rule applies to any person looking to do regular exercise irrespective of his or her age, it should be followed religiously by old persons since their body needs to get accustomed to the pressure of exercise gradually. You certainly cannot make up for the lost time by taking up spending four to five hours a day in the gym!

There are some precautionary steps that need to be adopted by the elderly before they seriously think about working out. To start with medical clearance from a physician is a must for any person who is past his or her prime to adopt exercises. This is important because a doctor can tell after doing a thorough medical checkup of a person if he or she should avoid any particular exercises. At the same time people suffering from certain diseases such as diabetes need to have a proper medicine and diet plan that is in sync with their workout plan.

Cardio endurance exercises can be a good starting point for any senior citizen to start workout on a regular basis. Such exercises help regulate the blood flow inside the body, increase endurance levels and facilitate body movements. From walking to stair climbing and so on, these exercises are quite simple and highly beneficial for any senior. From there onwards, seniors can think of adopting strength training exercises which involve repetitive body movements and lifting of weights. Further down the road, flexibility and balance exercises need to be brought in the exercise plan. Finally, it is always important to keep in touch with your physician, to get your medical check ups on a regular basis and visit your doc on the first sign of any trouble during a workout session.