Home » Blog » Exercises That Help Slow Aging

Exercises That Help Slow Aging

by Guest Blogger
How Exercise Helps your Body and Brain

Getting older might inhibit how much you can exercise, but even small, gentle bouts of fitness go a long way to making your body and mind more youthful. A Swedish study found that physical activity is the main contributor to a longer life, even if you only start working out during your later years! Here are some of the best “fountain of youth” exercises to add to your day. Exercises That Help Slow Aging

Squat!

Simple squatting exercises are great for strengthening your legs, which in turn keeps your mind young. Yes, really. According to a study published in Gerontology that monitored twins over a decade, researchers found a positive link between strong leg muscles and brain performance when it came to things like thinking, learning, and memory. Although scientists don’t know exactly why this is the case, it’s proof that exercise has all-round benefits for your wellbeing.
If you feel unsteady while doing squats, hold the spine of a chair for support.

Lift Weights

Lifting weights regularly makes a huge difference to your bone health. In fact, just doing it three times a week for half an hour at a time will combat osteoporosis, according to an article in the Huffington Post. Why? Weight-lifting helps to prevent bone loss while increasing bone density.

HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is when you exercise for short, intense bursts, followed by minutes of gentler movement; for instance, if you sprint for a few minutes and then walk for a few minutes. One of the main reasons why HIIT is so good for you is that it forces your mitochondria to work much harder. The mitochondria are minute energy factories inside all of our cells that make use of energy. If you have more mitochondria, you’ll be using energy much more effectively. If you’re feeling low on energy as you get older, your mitochondria could be to blame, so HIIT workouts make you youthful and feel more energized. Exercises That Help Slow Aging

Visit The Treadmill Instead Of The Doctor

There are some serious illnesses that can be prevented by exercise, such as diabetes, stroke and depression, to name just a few. Exercise prevents disease because of its effect on the body’s telomeres. These are DNA strands on chromosomes that protect it against damage. Over time, these telomeres start to break down, which kill off healthy cells, causing disease. Exercise helps to prevent these telomeres from wear and tear. Exercises That Help Slow Aging
How much exercise do you need to reap the benefits? Approximately 14 minutes a day! Walking is an easy way to prevent telomere damage because it’s simple to incorporate into your days. You’ll be racking up the minutes of exercise and its benefits in no time!

Tai Chi

As you get older, you increase your risk of experiencing falls and fractures. This is because your spine and muscles are not as strong as they used to be. Luckily, you can turn back the clock with age-defying Tai Chi. This Chinese martial art aligns your mind, spirit and body. It’s focused on improving your balance, which can help to prevent falls, as well as boosting lower body strength. It also encourages deep breathing, which is a bonus because meditation sharpens the mind while reducing stress, preventing age-related cognitive decline.
If you make exercise a part of your regular routine, your brain and body will be healthier and younger. Exercise extends your lifespan while keeping serious illnesses at bay, so get moving and reap the rewards.

By Jackie Edwards
Jackie started her career in the health care sector, but after becoming a mom refocused and decided to spend more time with her family. When she’s not writing, she volunteers for a number of local mental health charities and also has a menagerie of pets to look after.

Exercises That Help Slow Aging

Exercises That Help Slow Aging

Exercises That Help Slow Aging

You may also like

1 comment

What’s better for bones: diet or exercise? - SeniorNews January 31, 2020 - 12:42 am

[…] get this answer, researchers had to determine what effect diet alone, exercise alone, and then both diet and exercise together had on bone mineral content and […]

Leave a Comment