Elderly people pay a high price for inactivity, hence they better engage in age-friendly sports for seniors. As a matter of fact, an average Senior spends around 10 hours a day lying down or sitting. This classifies them under the group of individuals with a very sedentary lifestyle. As a consequence, they are more prone to falls, heart disease, obesity, and early death.

Seniors who want to remain healthy and active must prioritise doing regular physical activities. This way, they can also maintain their independence. If they won’t find time to move their bodies, it will be more difficult for them to do what they used to enjoy. That can include shopping, meeting with friends, playing with grandchildren, and other leisure activities.

A benefit to remaining active is a reduced risk of experiencing anxiety and depression.

The Health and Wellness Benefits of Sports for Seniors

Sports for seniors need not be strenuous to get health benefits. Plus, the risks for injury are also considered. Below are some health and wellness benefits the elderly achieve when they engage in sports.

Helps maintain their ability to live independently

Physical activities in the form of any sports increase the mobility of the elderly. These enable them to maintain their daily routine like eating, bathing, and dressing up without assistance.

Reduces the risks of developing certain illnesses

By playing sports, seniors can reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases. Likewise, they can better avoid illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, and even certain types of cancer.

Helps cope with chronic and disabling conditions

Old age makes people more prone to debilitating conditions like arthritis. Having a sport prevents seniors from worsening these health issues. Plus, participating in sports, even lightly, can help improve their stamina. They also have enhanced muscle strength.

Helps improve psychological health

Sports will certainly keep the elderly busy. Moreover, they get to share time with others. This is especially the case with team sports. This makes them enjoy the spirit of sports even more. As an added benefit, active elderly people are at reduced risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. They also tend to be in a good mood frequently. Similarly, senior sports foster feelings of well-being, helping them reduce and manage Alzheimer’s disease.

The Best Sports for Seniors

Seniors are advised to engage in group sports more than solo sports. This is because there’s nothing more fun than the camaraderie and thrill of playing team sports. Of course, the organizers need to consider the different levels of abilities and energy of each one. Obviously, what they once aggressively enjoyed doing may not be suitable for them anymore!

So, what physical activities or team sports for seniors will they enjoy?

Swimming

Indoor pools are perfect for swimming activities for seniors. There are also such things as aquafit classes and warm pool exercises. These are very friendly to ageing joints.

Pilates

Pilates is another low-impact relaxation and fitness activity for a group or individual settings. It combines poses with breathing and relaxation techniques. Studies showed that Pilates alleviates symptoms of various health conditions. These include arthritis, high blood pressure, and even poor sleep.  Moreso, it improves balance, stability, flexibility, and relaxation.

Dancing

A lot of seniors naturally love to dance. Dancing is a fun way to stretch and exercise gently. Some of the best dancing lessons for seniors of all genders are actually fitness classes like Zumba and aerobics.

Tai-Chi

Tai-Chi was originally a Chinese martial art. Today, it is a health-promoting exercise practised worldwide. It combines relaxation and deep breathing with flowing movements. Studies revealed that it helps seniors improve posture, balance, and mobility. It also boosts leg muscle strength. Plus, it helps reduce stress.

Sports for Seniors at Gold Age

An active lifestyle for seniors to keep them in good physical, emotional and psychological shape. The key is to have not just live in those golden years but lead a healthy life.

The post Healthy Ageing | Age-Friendly Exercises And Sports For Senior Citizens appeared first on Unmukt Festival 2018.