Regular physical exercise is one of the most important, and irreplaceable factors to maintain good health. It boosts our mental and physical health, while reducing the risk of various life threatening diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, or diabetes.
There is no age to begin or end physical exercise, and one shouldn’t be held back by age, weight, diseases, etc as an excuse to not begin physical activity. A way of life where physical activity is a routine, can help you live happily, healthy and peacefully till your old age.
How to stay healthy at every stage?
Exercise plays a crucial role in every aspect of our life no matter what age we are. It helps a child perform good at studies, makes a teenager emotionally healthy, keeps an adult focused on work, and prevents an elderly from losing his balance. Every step towards physical activity is going to help you, in different ways.
Here are some common and suitable exercises one can follow as per their age:
1: Kids: Kids are physically active by default. But for the few ones who feel lazy, they should be encouraged to go out and play tag, hide and seek, football, cricket and lots of other games.
2: Teens: Teenagers need at least an hour of vigorous activity daily. As a teen, one gets enough opportunities from school, college and various groups to be involved in some or the other kind of sports.
3: 20s: In the 20s, a routine that includes 30 minutes of physical activity can set the right foundation to a lifelong good health. One should play sports such as tennis or racquet, indulge in hiking, biking, swimming etc. Since muscle and bone strength start to deplete as we age, we should include strength training as a part of our exercise.
4: 30s: At this age, our body begins to lose muscles and bone strength, hence a mix of weight and agility exercise is important. Try yoga, jogging, brisk walking, cycling etc and also experiment to stretch your boundaries.
5: 40s: Loss in metabolism and hormonal levels tend to have a direct impact on our weight at 40s. Increase your cardio workouts to 3 to 5 times a week. Weight lifting exercises are also important as you tend to lose muscle and bone density.
6: 50s: With increasing aches and pains, your body might resist a few of the exercises. This is the time you adjust and adapt your regime to less intensity activities. Try walking, biking and swimming as they don’t exert much pressure on your body.
7: 60 and beyond: At this age, your focus should be on enhancing balance and preventing falls. Get aerobic exercises and balancing techniques, and make sure to rest your muscles and bones.
Walk the Talk: Health for all, 2020
To spread awareness about healthy lifestyle and physical activity across all ages, WHO identifies ‘Walk the Talk’ that urges people from various countries to participate in fun physical activities.
Though exercises can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, people suffering from heart conditions, arthritis and diabetes, and pregnant women should consult their doctors to shortlist the exercises that won’t be harmful to you.
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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