Physical activity

Staying active is a proven way to help maintain strength and balance as you age. Being active is good for your health and can be a lot of fun.

The benefits of regular exercise and staying active

Exercise is good for your physical health as it improves your fitness, strength, balance, and flexibility. It can also positively impact your mental health by improving your mood and brain function.

Staying active can give you the opportunity to spend social time with others, which can improve your general wellbeing and quality of life. It also will help to reduce the risk of developing many conditions including stroke, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and some types of cancer.

Exercise and activity guidelines for older adults

• Aim to be physically active every day, even if just for a short time, and with light activity.
• Reduce the time you spend sitting down, or not moving around.
• Do activities that improve your strength and balance at least twice a week.
• Make sure your activity and its intensity are right for your level of fitness.
• Around two hours of light activity a week will reap real benefits but talk to your doctor first if you have not exercised for a while.

Ways to stay active

Keeping fit and healthy as you age doesn’t mean over-exerting yourself. Here are a few ideas for light and moderate exercises you can try every day.

Light exercise

Light exercise is moving rather than sitting down. For example:

• Getting up to make a drink.
• Moving around your home.
• Walking to the local shops.
• Cleaning, dusting, and vacuuming.
• Making the bed.

Moderate exercise

Moderate exercise means something that will raise your heart rate and make you breathe a little faster. For example:

• Riding a bike.
• Playing tennis.
• Mowing the lawn.
• Faster walking.

Building strength and balance

You can join a strength and balance class near you. Trained instructors facilitate classes at different venues such as local community centres, gyms, or libraries.

These classes offer a variety of exercises tailored to participants' abilities and are specifically designed to improve lower leg strength and balance.

Find a class in your community where you can spend time with other older adults.

Community Strength and Balance classes

If you prefer to exercise at home, you can download the Nymbl app. Nymbl is a free balance training app you can use in the comfort of your own home.

How to download Nymbl