5 Reasons Why It’s Important for Seniors to Exercise at the Gym
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdowns had a significant impact on the mental health of people of all ages. People who were older, especially, experienced noticeable physical and mental health declines from not being able to participate in their normal daily routines or engage socially with others.
One study, conducted by researchers at Simon Fraser University and published in The Lancet, found that older adults who were more isolated and didn’t exercise much during the shutdowns had worse mental health outcomes than those who still lived relatively normal lives. Using a variety of criteria, the researchers screened 5,219 of the 24,108 participants for depression and 1,132 for anxiety. They concluded that future lockdown measures need to be more lenient with regards to permitting social and physical activity.
As society reopens, it’s important for people of all ages, particularly seniors, to work on improving their physical and mental health. Working out at the gym, particularly in group settings, is associated with a range of health benefits. Here are five:
1. Prevent Bone Loss and Relieve Osteoarthritis Pain
Known as a “silent disease,” osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones gradually weaken; it usually isn’t identified until a bone breaks. In the most extreme cases of osteoporosis, bones can be broken from otherwise harmless actions like a minor bump or even a cough. A loss of bone density is a normal part of aging. Post-menopausal women, for instance, lose as much as 2 percent per year. However, this loss can be moderated with strength training as well as exercises emphasizing flexibility and balance.
Strength training exercises involving weights and resistance bands build and tone muscles which, in turn, create stronger bones. Strength training particularly can improve bone density in the spine, wrists, and hips, where fractures are most likely to occur during our senior years. Similarly, older adults with osteoarthritis pain can alleviate discomfort through strength training, since stronger muscles can help take pressure off aching joints and ease joint inflammation. Machines may be safer than free weights; check with a medical professional.
2. Get Flexible
Regular exercise can also help people who are older improve their flexibility, which is important for many reasons. By maintaining or improving their strength and flexibility, seniors will have better balance and coordination and, thus, will be less likely to fall and fracture their bones or suffer other injuries.
Aerobic exercises are preferred over strength training to improve flexibility. Yoga and Pilates are great low-impact exercises that can help seniors become more agile. Both physical activities are also associated with mental health benefits. Swimming, especially in a heated pool, not only helps improve flexibility but can also provide relief from muscle and joint pain.
3. Mitigate Chronic Disease
Exercise not only helps prevent chronic disease, it can also improve conditions like arthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Conversely, physical inactivity, according to a study published in the medical journal Comprehensive Physiology, “is one important cause of most chronic diseases.”
Low-intensity interval training, for example, is a great workout for seniors with high blood pressure and can lower risk of death from heart disease. Exercise also makes insulin more effective at lowering blood sugar levels, which is important for people with diabetes.
4. Improve Mental Health
Through exercise the body produces neurochemicals known as endorphins. These neurochemicals, produced in the pituitary gland and the brain’s hypothalamus, activate the brain’s opioid receptors to minimize pain and promote feelings of euphoria. Exercise also increases norepinephrine and serotonin levels. Studies have shown that these neurotransmitters can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety by improving the body’s resilience to stressors.
“What appears to be happening is that exercise affords the body an opportunity to practice responding to stress, streamlining the communication between the systems involved in the stress response,” notes sport and exercise physiologist J. Kip Matthews. “The less active we become, the more challenged we are in dealing with stress.”
Other studies have found evidence that exercise can improve mood and even decrease risk for Alzheimer’s and other cognitive conditions.
5. Social Engagement
Whether through strength training or low impact exercises like swimming and yoga, people receive many physical and mental health benefits from physical activity. However, one of the most important findings during the pandemic was that isolation played a big role in the deterioration of seniors’ mental health. By exercising in a group setting at a gym or participating in group fitness classes, seniors can get the social engagement and comradery they need to maintain their emotional wellbeing.
By engaging with others who are passionate about the same things, we create lasting bonds with others as we age; experience a greater sense of belonging, improved self-esteem, and increased confidence; and keep our minds sharp via social interaction.
