Staying Healthy As We Age

Why Maintaining a Healthy Routine Matters

Whether you've consistently stayed active or adopted a fitness routine later in life, it's crucial to keep up these habits as you age. An active lifestyle can notably decrease the likelihood of age-related health issues. Additionally, staying active can contribute to a greater sense of happiness and reduce overall stress. The key lies in maintaining a regular routine to prevent various to  prevent various symptoms flaring up. Adjustments to your activity levels as you age are vital.

It's a well-known fact that many older adults tend to reduce their activity levels after reaching the age of 50. As we age, we may find that our normal fitness level becomes a bit less familiar or comfortable. Some typical challenges faced by older adults include:

• Noticing a decline in muscle strength compared to earlier years
• Experiencing a fear of falling or struggling with balance
• Dealing with heightened joint pains or difficulties in mobility
• Experiencing an overall decrease in energy levels.

If you feel like you can’t quite keep up with your previous routine, it’s important to rebuild your stamina gradually. Our guide to keeping active  contains advice whatever your exercise level may be - from gentle stretching to aerobic fitness.

Getting Back to a Healthy Routine After a Break

We know that things can crop up and interrupt our routines. Holidays, bad weather, or feeling unwell can all interrupt our day-to-day lifestyle. When you return to your usual practice, it can be normal for your routine to feel more challenging after a break.

You can minimise your risk of common health problems by following these simple tips:

• Keep moving: Whether it's a short walk during your holiday or engaging in basic muscle exercises while taking a break, these practices can help in smoothing the return to your regular active routine.
• Reintroduce your routine gradually: Listen to your body, recognise its limitations, and be compassionate with yourself if you find yourself struggling along the way.
• Ask for help: a health care professional or GP can suggest appropriate exercises that are right for you.
• Find local classes: working out with other people can help to ease your worries and keep you motivated.
• Start simple: try gentle stretches or physical therapy exercises when you first start to work out. You could even try some new activities to keep your routine fresh!

If your physical routine has changed after time in hospital, you may want to investigate our hospital to home service. Our CareGivers assist clients in gradually resuming their regular routines, providing tailored care and support based on individual needs.

Ways To Change Your Routine As You Age

Just a few simple additions and swaps within your routine can improve your overall health. As we age, we are naturally more prone to certain injuries or conditions. To ward off or mitigate your risk of age-related health issues such as joint pain, stiffness, and even cardiovascular illnesses, it’s important to work on your physical fitness.

Maintaining your overall muscle mass is a great way to prevent knee problems, hip problems, and other joint problems in old age. To keep your muscle mass consistent, you’ll want to eat a good amount of protein-rich foods such as chicken and fish. For more information on what foods contain protein, and why it is important to maintain consumption as part of a healthy diet, visit the NHS Eat Well page.

Healthy eating also benefits your cardiovascular system and prevents cardiovascular disease in old age; some small tips to keep in mind to maintain good heart health are:

• Reduce your sugar intake
• Cut down on excess salt
• Swap saturated fat for unsaturated fat

But this is only one piece of the puzzle. You should also be trying to complete around around 150 minutes of exercise each week. If you’re especially concerned about wear and tear to your joints try:

• Static stretches instead of active stretches.
• Low impact cardio instead of HIIT or running.
• Walking instead of running.

A brisk walk is a great anti-inflammatory exercise which will reduce pressure on knee joints whilst also lowering your blood pressure, keeping your heart in good condition and reducing the risk of heart attack. If you’re concerned about your blood pressure use our interactive blood pressure check tool to understand your reading.

To prevent stiffness in old age, it’s important to add mobility exercises to your workout regime as well. What’s more, flexibility exercises can also be a great way to reduce rheumatoid arthritis pain.