Strength training is resistance training designed to improve muscular strength using external resistance in the form of weight, free weight, or your weight. It is a recommended exercise for people of all ages and is beneficial as it helps your body in several ways.
Unfortunately, some people believe that exercise in old age may over-exert you and put you at risk of extreme body pain and falling. However, it is just a myth. Individuals who follow exercise regimens or schedule healthy activities as part of their routine are less likely to fall and feel the extreme strain of aging bodies.
Strength training can improve your life’s quality regardless of age and gender. It improves your life by increasing longevity, lifting mood and brain function, and preventing illness. However, anyone above forty should consult their doctor before aerobic or strength training. This article will discuss the benefits of strength training in later years of life.
1. Physical Strength
Older adults are in dire need of gaining physical strength to retain practical body functions. People believe that physical weakness or inability to do things yourself is a natural part of aging, and they cannot prevent this. On the contrary, youcan delay aging with exercise.
Senior adults end up in nursing homes because of this misconception. Nursing homes depend on staff to keep an eye on them to ensure they do not fall and prevent injuries like bruises, bedsores, cuts, or malnutrition. In case of any accidental or intentional injury, you should seek help froma nursing home abuse lawyer because these lawyers are experts in this area and can guide you better than other lawyers.
However, this possibility underscores the idea that you should develop inner and outer strength to take care of yourself even as you age rather than relying on the goodwill of others. You can build this strength through exercise.
Senior adults need at least 150 min a week of moderate-intensity workouts because it strengthens your heart, muscles, and bones and improves your balance and flexibility. Healthcare professionals can help you recover faster with strength training.
2. Helps with Chronic Illness
One of the top advantages for people who exercise is they rarely get a chronic illness. These long-term diseases are way too common in older adults. Nevertheless, they can prevent diseases with a healthy diet and strength training.For instance, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, weak bones, and the immune system of elders can all benefit from a few days of developing their strength.
Even if you develop a severe ailment, strength training can help ease the symptoms of the disease. Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research says that elders with exercise levels higher than the recommended levelsare twice as likely to be free of diseases.
3. Improves The Quality of Sleep
Elders who exercise regularly are less likely to have insomnia. Exercise improves your sleep which is directly related to your health. People find it hard to fall into a deep sleep as they are not physically tired. However, exercising makes you tired and helps you fall asleep quickly.
4. Improves Mood
Studies have shown that aerobic exercise positively impacts the mood of older adults as well. Exercise produces endorphins, the happy hormones. Due to this, they feel confident and energetic. Strength training boosts your mood and makes you active and cheerful too. It enhances the overall routine and makes you feel motivated for the day. Ultimately, it saves you from mental health issues, for example, anxiety and depression.
5. Enhances Cognitive Function
It is common for older adults to have memory problems and reduced mental capabilities and other general functions of the brain. As they age, it gets harder to remember things, and even simple calculations seem like a task. They lose their decision-making ability and find it hard to pay attention to details. There is no doubt that brain activities help in improving the cognitive function of your brain. Physical exercise also contributes to this. It helps in improving your memory and keeps your brain functioning. Older adults who exercise regularly can prevent memory issues, Alzheimer’s disease, or other brain disorders like dementia.
6. A Better Social Life
People over 60 are usually not involved in any professional role. Instead, they spend most of their time at home, which can get lonely sometimes. Through strength training, older adults can create their social circle by meeting people with similar goals. A good social life is essential for your mental health. Getting strength training with others helps in getting rid of the feeling of loneliness. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people improves your mental health and saves you from depression and anxiety.
7. Maintains Weight
Exercise is essential for maintaining healthy body weight as it can avert many related diseases. Strength training will not only make you flexible and active, but it also helps in improving your metabolism. Exercise helps in weight loss as well as developing body muscles if needed. There are different types of exercises that you can look up online.
Conclusion
Compared to earlier times, urban lifestyles are pretty sedentary and exacerbated by unhealthy eating patterns. Due to this, it has become necessary to add strength training to your routine if you want good health to prolong your life.
After the age of sixty-five, your health starts to decline rapidly. Strength training is the best way to slow down this process. Also, studies show that exercise contributes to many aspects of health, including physical and mental health.
It is recommended that older adults aged above 65 should brisk walk for 150 min a week or run for 75 min a week. However, one should not over-exert himself when doing strength training for the first time. It always starts in small steps to gradually build your muscle strength and stamina. Sudden bursts of intense activity will result in muscle cramps, and you will become demotivated by the strain. And ultimately quit. So, ask your doctor for advice on appropriate levels of strength training feasible for you and start training.
