Many factors including genetics, not smoking, quality of health care, diet and social engagement — play an important role in successful ageing, but proper exercise helps protect against numerous age-related conditions including heart disease, sarcopenia (the loss of muscle associated with ageing) cancer, obesity and loss of cognitive function.

Any physical activity will have health benefits, an international research team found that swimming, aerobics and racquet sports (such as badminton, tennis and squash) were associated with significantly reduced risk of death from all causes and particularly from cardiovascular disease.

Why Exercise Matters?

It can help you live a longer, healthier life because it canKeep your bones, muscles, and joints healthy

• Decreasing the chances of getting diseases like diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis
• Lower your blood pressure
• Manage stress and enhance your mood
• Ease symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Lower your chances of heart disease
• Manage chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes by helping with things like stamina, joint swelling, pain, and muscle strength
• Also, help with your balance, so you’re less likely to fall and break bones.

 How much Exercise?

As you get older, you may be a bit afraid of exercise. Maybe you think you might hurt yourself or that you have to join a gym. Or you may not be sure what exercises you should do.

What matters is, you have to get started!

How to get started?

There are two ways of getting started: Exercise and Physical activity.

Exercise is a planned activity like swimming, aerobics classes etc. Physical activity is the way how you plan your movements during the day: like walking the dog or gardening. Adding both to your routine will help you stay healthy and live longer. However, always check with your doctor before suddenly being more active.

You should start feeling stronger and active in just a few weeks. Then if you think you are ready, you can go to the gym or community centre and take water aerobics or dance classes or strength-training exercises.

(Inputs:  Mr. Girish Joshi -Co-Founder & Managing Director, Healthxp)