For many of us, winter can seem like never-ending gloom, with little sunshine and rainy, cold weather. And although it is nice to hunker down by a warm fire with a good book or a favorite television show, we still need to move our bodies. I know you may be thinking… it’s far too cold to exercise, right? Or is it?
For seniors, staying active during the winter months can go a long way toward staying healthy. But “active” doesn’t have to mean running a marathon — or even heading into the cold for a walk or jog. Simple exercise several times a day is enough to keep muscles and joints in shape. Fear of getting hurt is actually what causes many seniors to stay in – and be more inactive – during the winter months, but, in reality, it is really a ‘move-it-or-lose-it’ scenario.
It is suggested that seniors try and squeeze in exercise at least once a day, though more often is optimal. A lot of people, when they get older, think they can’t do something, and they stop moving forever. I say, if it feels good, go for it. If it hurts, pay attention to those signals your body is giving you. When you don’t move, your body will stiffen up, so it is important to keep moving — even if you do only tiny things every day. Start the day by stretching, whether standing or in a chair, to get the blood flowing to your heart and lungs and loosen those joints and muscles that have tightened up from lying in bed all night.
If weakness or balance is an issue, using a chair for support or try chair yoga or chair cardio classes that can be found at the local gym, or on YouTube. You can find any type of exercise videos on YouTube these days that can be pulled up on a smart TV – and many streaming services offer an exercise channel or programming, as well. Balance issues or fear of falling, that is still no excuse. Sit in a chair and move your arms, stomp your feet, bend your knees or do jumping jacks sitting down. The important thing is to keep your muscles moving.
Even arthritis pain can be stemmed by small movements. Almost all of us will experience arthritis pain at some point. Keeping our joints moving will help with that. It can be as simple as opening and closing our fingers to make a fist or making circles with our wrists to ease the pain in our hands, or flexing elbows, knees and ankles several times a day.
For those seniors who are not homebound, consider joining a walking club at the local mall or an indoor track or find a water aerobics class at a gym or community center. Water aerobics are a great way to stay active – whether in summer or winter – because seniors are in a warm pool where the resistance of the water helps joints and muscles move freely, but without the low impact of jumping around on a floor.
But keeping your body active is not enough. We need to keep our mind active as well to stay healthy. Socialization is an important piece of staying healthy and active. We all saw what isolation did to our mental health during COVID. Depression can set in when we stay to ourselves, but it can have an even bigger impact on a senior’s memory if they don’t keep their mind working, so if they can get out and join a club or exercise class at a senior center, it will do a lot for your overall health.
And while we have all heard the mantra to “check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program,” it is even more important to “listen to your body.” If you have heart or lung or a mobility issue, an individual should talk to their doctor to learn their limitations, but limitations don’t mean you should stop moving. Exercise doesn’t have to be crazy or strenuous to be beneficial. As long as you know your body and don’t push yourself too hard, movement will always make you feel better.
If you think you’re too old to do something, you are probably not. A lot is mental attitude: ‘I can do this, I am strong enough, age is just a number!
Source: Cleveland.com
