Physically active individuals usually live longer than inactive or may have a risk of heart disease. Inactivity is an important risk factor similar to high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol. These are some benefits of exercise:
- Stress and anxiety relief: Stress and anxiety are rising with the current pandemic, and it can lower your immune response. Exercising releases chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and endorphins, which can help improve your mood, reduce the risk of depression and cognitive decline, and delay the onset of dementia.
- Immune support: Regular PA helps your immune system function.
- Weight management: It shouldn’t surprise that regular PA paired with a balanced nutritious diet helps with weight management. Excess weight is associated with higher health risks.
- Reduces health risks and prevents diseases: Regular PA reduces blood pressure and risks of serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke when paired with a balanced nutritious diet.
- Bone, muscles, balance, and flexibility: PA also improves bone and muscle strength and increases balance and flexibility. This is important for everyone, especially older adults, because it can prevent falls and injuries. As for children, it aids with growth and development and sets healthy habits for the future.
- For children, PA can lessen behavioral issues such as ADHD and help with concentration during schoolwork which is important now that they’re at home.
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Who is at risk?
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- Older adults (age 65 and older).
- Those with chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease).
- Those with compromised immune systems.
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Be the scientist of your own body.
Be aware and constantly check your body. How well your body is adapting to PA changes from person to person. Keeping an eye on your weight, brain function, energy levels, and even your stool will serve as a guide.
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Steps to start being physically active at home:
Focus on weaknesses
As a general rule, you always want to intend before starting a workout routine or program. This pinpoints what you’re not good at, and therefore what you are trying to improve. I summarized a few abilities I think people at home, both young and older populations, should focus on.
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Would you please go through them and analyze which ones you excel at, which ones you are moderate at, and which ones you lack the most? I would start working on the latter and progressively move towards the rest. This doesn’t mean when you’re working on one; you’re completely ignoring the rest, but rather is a tool to have a specific intent with your PA.
- Strength and core strength: This is the amount of force a muscle can produce against some form of resistance. This resistance can come from external objects or your body weight. Your core is a set of muscles that play a key role in many movement patterns. Improving core strength may improve motion.
- Aerobic capacity and endurance: This is the ability of your heart and lungs to get oxygen to your muscles for their use.
- Flexibility, Mobility, and Stability: Flexibility is the capacity of moving through your full active and passive range of motion. Mobility is moving your joints and muscles properly in an active manner through their range of motion (ROM). Stability is maintaining control of the position and movement of your joints. People usually lack mobility and stability in their joints and lose overall movement.
- Balance and coordination: Balance is the ability to stay in control of your body’s movement, and coordination can move two or more body parts with control.
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I hope this article provided you with some value during this crazy time. And I hope you can take some of the ideas and concepts I shared and implement them in your life. I’m always happy to answer any questions and engage with people, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have issues understanding something.
To your health and strength.
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