Let's chat about exercise

No, not exercise to lose weight, Exercise that increases, or maintains brain volume, and may help to prevent age-related disease such as dementia by reducing the deterioration of the brain.

Recent studies in humans have shown increased cardiovascular exercise such as stationary cycling, walking, and treadmill running more than twice per week, increases grey brain matter, and slows down the deterioration in brain size - maintaining brain size and functioning into older age. Further, evidence has revealed positive effects of physical exercise on behavioural, cognitive and physical outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Studies have shown a reduced risk to developing depression in all age groups with just one hour of exercise per week.

Exercise produces endorphins — chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and improves the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Exercise relieves anxiety and depression and a 10-minute walk may be just as good as a 45-minute workout. Some studies also show that exercise can work quickly to elevate depressed mood in many people. Although the effects may be temporary, they demonstrate that a brisk walk or other simple activity can deliver several hours of relief, similar to taking an aspirin for a headache.

If the thought of exercise for physical health as uninspiring, consider the brain benefits and get your skates on!

If you need help getting motivated, or would like more information contact me and let's chat about how you can improve your overall mental health and wellbeing.

Common myths about exercise and ageing

Why exercise? I am getting old anyway!

Fact: Exercising, playing a sport or strength training in the gym will help you to feel stronger, look younger and stay active for longer. Regular exercise decreases the risk of your getting affected by a variety of ailments and illnesses – including cardiac issues, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s and senile dementia. Exercise has been known to stop the decline in strength, stamina and energy that comes with age. And even improve these. Whatever your age, exercise improves your mood also!

Older people should conserve their strength and take it easy

Fact: Many studies and years of research all agree on one thing: a sedentary life style is bad for anyone, at any age, but is specially unhealthy for people over 50. Extended periods of inactivity leads to elders not being able to do things for themselves, being less self-reliant, more hospitalizations, more visits to the doctor and more medications.

If elders indulge in physical activity they could get hurt

Fact: Wrong! Exercising regularly builds strength and stamina, stops the loss of bone mass, improves stability – thus actually lowering the risk of falling.

We are too old to start exercising!

Fact: That is the worst myth ever! No one is too old to start an exercise regime. In fact, people who start exercising later in life tend to show more positive results than their peers or younger counterparts. The reason being that if you have never exercised before, you will also be free of any sports injuries. Thus you will realise the positive effects of exercising much quicker. Just start slowly and keep going…

People with disabilities can’t exercise sitting down.

Fact: People who are wheelchair bound do face unique challenges but not being able to exercise isn’t one of them. They can do weights, stretches, chair yoga, chair aerobics, chair Tai Chi and even play chair sports (tennis, basketball, swimming come to mind). All these will help to enhance range of motion and muscle tone, cardiovascular health and flexibility.

Further reading: https://www.joincitro.com.au/news/10-benefits-of-strength-training

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