What Is the Best Way to Age Well?

• Aim to exercise 30 minutes each day on most days, for a total of at least 150 minutes of activity per week. If you can’t exercise for 30 minutes all at once, try exercising for 15 minutes twice daily or 10 minutes 3 times each day if you can’t do all 30 minutes at once.
• Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program. If you start exercising, and any exercises cause new pain, stop and contact your doctor. 

The four main types of exercise for seniors include: 

• Endurance (aerobic exercise)
  • Increases breathing and heart rate
  • Improves heart, lung, and circulatory health
  • Improves health and fitness and helps maintain the ability to do everyday tasks
  • Can delay or prevent many diseases that occur as we age, such as heart disease, diabetes, and colon and breast cancers
  • Types of endurance exercises include: 
    • Brisk walking or jogging
    • Yard work (gardening, mowing, raking)
    • Dancing
    • Swimming
    • Bicycling
    • Climbing stairs or hills
    • Tennis 
    • Basketball
• Strength training (resistance training)
  • Strong muscles help people stay independent as they age, allowing them to perform everyday activities such as climbing stairs and carrying groceries
  • Strong leg and hip muscles help prevent falls and fall-related injuries
  • Types of strength exercises include: 
    • Weight lifting
    • Weights don’t have to be heavy: start with 1-pound or 5-pound weights; if you don’t have weights, use a can of soup, a book, or a full bottle of water
    • Using a resistance band
    • Lifting your body weight
    • Arm curls
    • Gripping a tennis ball for hand strength
• Balance exercises
  • Helps prevent falls
    • Have a sturdy chair or a person nearby to hold on to if you feel unsteady
  • Types of balance exercises include:
    • Tai chi
    • Standing on one foot
    • A heel-to-toe walk
    • Standing from a seated position 
• Flexibility exercises
  • Stretching improves flexibility, which makes it easier to move freely 
  • Types of flexibility exercises include:
    • Yoga
    • Tai chi
    • Pilates
• Tips on finding the right type of exercise for your lifestyle: 
  • Exercise with a partner to make it more fun and social
  • Do exercises while you watch television
  • Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program

Other tips to age well:

• Eat a healthy diet
  • Add fiber to the diet
  • Try the Mediterranean diet
  • Drink plenty of water
• Get plenty of sleep
• Don’t smoke
• Limit or avoid alcohol
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Keep your brain active 
• Manage stress
• Stay positive
• Maintain social connections
• Get regular medical checkups