Staying Active

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Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. 

Physical activity doesn’t have to be strenuous, as long as you aren’t sitting idle all day and are getting up and moving every now and then, that's all that matters.

Some people might find it beneficial to start off with a small amount of activity and build up gradually.

Exercising regularly has countless benefits, some examples of these include:

• Improving physical fitness - this helps keep muscles and joints strong and flexible, which can help people maintain independence for longer and improve their ability to go about their daily lives (wash, dress, cook, etc).
• Helps reduce the risk of falls by improving muscle and joint strength as well as balance.
• If someone does fall then if they are fit, strong and active they may be less likely to do severe damage or harm.
• If a person does get injured then their healing time could be shortened due to them being fit and healthy.
• Increases blood flow and circulation (reduces the risk of blood clots).
• Helps people stay at a healthy weight.
• Increases brain health and improves cognition - recent studies have shown that exercise may improve memory and slow down mental decline.
• Improves sleep.
• Improves mood.
• Helps increase self esteem.
• If fitness activities are done with others, they provide the opportunity for social interaction, reducing the feeling of isolation.

Adults aged 65 and older need at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. For example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or if able, a person could do 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running. However, as a person begins to age they will notice a decrease in the amount of exercise they are able to do. At least 2 days a week of activities that strengthen muscles is advisable. It is important for a person, or those around them, to know their limits and not over exercise as that can cause more harm than it does good.

Examples of things that can help a person to stay active