The Secret to Healthy Aging: Stay Active

No matter your age or stage in life, you may be wondering how you and your loved ones can preserve and maintain good health. One answer is quite simple: stay active!  What better time to spotlight the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle than now?

Throughout the aging process, it’s normal for your body to experience changes. As a result of those changes, some physical activities may become more challenging and require more time; that’s ok! Staying active helps sustain the use of your senses, muscle strength, joint function, balance and reflexes. According to experts, 30 minutes of physical activity a few days a week is a simple way to give your body the exercise it needs.

Here are a few ideas for activities you can do despite your age or physical fitness level:

• Walking
• Gentle or chair yoga
• Stretching
• Dancing
• Aqua aerobics

Just like your body, your brain also ages with time; it’s equally important to stay mentally active. Engaging in tasks that stretch your thinking and sharpen your focus are great ways to increase mental activity. Whether you are learning a new skill, working a puzzle or enjoying one of your favorite novels, keep your brain engaged.

You can start small at home by doing something that requires physical and mental activity that is not routine. If you want to further your knowledge of staying healthy and ctive, there are programs offering classes and events to help keep you social and educated, such as Silver Elite.  Silver Elite is a free program for ages 60 and older that offers fun and educational community events. The benefits of an active lifestyle are long term and it’s never too late to start.