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Senior Activities: 4 Benefits of Staying Active

1. Staying Active Decreases Depression

Improve your Mental Health by engaging in senior activities that you enjoy. Extensive research has been shown to prove that there is a correlation between exercise and minimizing depression in seniors. Research also concludes that exercising also releases chemicals that are essential to feeling good, called endorphins. Seniors struggling with depression should not only take medication, but should also practice exercising daily.

2. Staying Active Decreases Falls

Even short amounts of exercise like range-of-motion exercises and walking can decrease risks to potential falls. Staying active helps build muscle in the lower and upper extremities. Not only does staying active strengthen your body but it also increases your flexibility, your spatial awareness, your balance, and your stamina. All of these attributes increase your prevention to falls and other injuries. It’s important to prevent falls because they are one of the biggest health risks accustomed to seniors.

3. Staying Active Increases Social Networks

Communication is very essential for everyone, especially for seniors. Seniors need motivation and support in the latter phase of their life to prevent depression. Joining groups who participate in senior activities would be the most effective to battling depression. Common interests make it easier to make friends. In a group setting, data has shown that seniors feel a sense of belonging and are less stressed. The more friends the merrier!

4. Staying Active Increases Cognitive Health

Cognition health can improve when you add repetitive routines to your life. Great activities that can help enhance cognition are yoga, tai chi, and dancing. Improving cognition is important to offsetting the progress of dementia. You don’t even need to stand to participate in these activities. You are able to do them from your chair if you are unable to stand!

It’s critical to stay active physically and socially to gain the best quality of life. Next time you are thinking of napping, try exchanging that activity for something more energetic. Exercising could be your new favorite hobby and you could gain a friend or two!

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