Longevity is the eternal pursuit of human beings, but how can we prolong it? Some people believe that they can maintain good health as long as they maintain a quiet lifestyle and avoid overexertion.
Some people believe that only regular exercise can strengthen physical fitness and resist diseases. So, who lives longer with long-term resting and exercising every day?
In today's fast-paced society, the importance of a healthy lifestyle is becoming increasingly important, and regular physical activity is an integral part of maintaining good health.
1) In recent years, we have been informed by a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which examined 36,383 students with an average age of 62An in-depth analysis of 6-year-old participants revealed a significant benefit of daily light to moderate-intensity exercise in reducing the risk of death.
Studies have shown that 625 hours of light activity such as walking or cooking, or just 24 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day, can reduce mortality by 50 to 60 percent.
Even more encouragingly, even one hour of light exercise a day can significantly reduce the risk of death by 40%. These data strongly demonstrate the importance of regular exercise in improving the quality of life and extending life expectancy.
The significance of this research lies not only in its scientific and rigorous nature, but also in the profound humanistic care it conveys.
In a modern society where people often neglect physical health due to their busy work and life schedules, this study reminds us that even the simplest, most basic activities can bring tremendous benefits to our health.
2) In addition, a national cohort study of older adults aged 60 years and older provided compelling insights.
The study focused on the effects of moderate to vigorous exercise on cardiovascular health in older adults, and its findings have important implications for promoting health in older adults.
Studies have shown that older adults who have never exercised significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease if they start gradually increasing the frequency of exercise, even if it is only 1-2 moderate or vigorous exercises per week.
Specifically, older adults who made such lifestyle changes could reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by 11% compared to older people who did not exercise regularly.
Those who exercise 3-4 times a week or 5 or more times a week have a more significant improvement in cardiovascular health. This finding highlights the significant benefits of increased exercise for cardiovascular health, even in later life.
However, the study also points to a thought-provoking phenomenon: older people who used to exercise regularly but later became less active had a 27% higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who remained active.
This data reveals the importance of consistent exercise in maintaining cardiovascular health in older adults, while also reminding us that good habits that have been formed can have a negative impact on health if interrupted.
3) Another study, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience on Aging, provides us with insights.
This study focused on the effects of exercise on brain function in older adults, particularly the changes in brain activity after stopping exercise.
Studies have found that even in generally healthy older adults, blood flow to important areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, that are responsible for thinking, learning and memory, decreases significantly if they stop exercising for only about 10 days.
This finding provides new evidence for understanding the importance of exercise in maintaining brain health in older adults.
The hippocampus is a key structure in the brain that plays a vital role in memory formation and emotion regulation. Reduced blood flow means less nutrients and oxygen in this area, which can directly affect cognitive function, including memory, learning and thinking skills, in older adults.
This study not only highlights the role of exercise in maintaining brain health, but more importantly, it reveals that even brief periods of inactivity can negatively affect brain function in older adults.
Maintaining an appropriate amount of physical activity is widely recognized as one of the important strategies to promote healthy aging in the elderly population. However, this study reminds us that continuous activity is essential to maintain brain function, and that even short breaks need to be carefully considered.
For older adults, regular participation in appropriate physical activity not only enhances physical fitness, but also protects cognitive function by maintaining good blood circulation in brain areas.
It highlights the direct impact of physical activity on brain health, further confirming the inextricable link between physical and mental health. Through regular physical activity, the elderly can not only maintain the vitality of the body, but also promote blood circulation in the brain and maintain the ability to think, remember and learn.
This holistic approach to health can not only improve the quality of life of older people, but also help them face the challenges of ageing with a more positive and optimistic attitude.
In today's society, with the increase in life expectancy, the health and vitality of the elderly have become the focus of global attention.
The international expert consensus guidelines published by the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia (ICFSR) working group provide important guidance for the exercise management of the elderly, aiming to improve their quality of life and slow down the aging process through personalized exercise prescription.
This guidance highlights that all healthcare professionals, including geriatricians, should screen older adults for sedentary behaviour and physical activity (PA) inadequacy during their visits, and provide appropriate exercise recommendations.
Exercise prescriptions should not only take into account the desired effect, but should also be tailored to each individual's specific situation, including the manner, frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise to ensure that it is both effective and safe.
To help sedentary older adults adapt to exercise, guidelines recommend starting with a single exercise pattern and gradually increasing the amount of exercise. A step-by-step approach is particularly important for individuals who are in poor physical condition and have severe debilitation.
These individuals should begin with resistance and balance training to build strength and stability, and then gradually add walking and other forms of weight-bearing aerobic exercise.
The exercise plan should be developed with due regard to the individual's health status and tolerance. While both resistance training and aerobic exercise are beneficial for people with chronic disease, any intervention must be based on the individual's specific circumstances.
This means that a thorough assessment of the potential risks and benefits of each exercise modality is required before recommending a particular mode of exercise.
In addition, in order to improve behavior change and adherence in older adults, their preferences for different types of exercise also need to be considered. Some older people may prefer group sports and feel the joy of exercising with others; While some people may gravitate towards a personalized exercise plan to meet their specific health needs.
At the same time, taking into account the different needs of older adults for the different levels of supervision and preferences for specific exercise patterns, these factors should be fully taken into account when developing an exercise plan.
Proper physical activity not only improves the quality of life of the elderly, but also prolongs life. In particular, aerobic exercise has become the main form of exercise recommended among the elderly because of its significant improvement effect on cardiopulmonary function.
Aerobic exercises, including walking, jogging, swimming, tai chi, and aerobics, are very suitable for the physical condition of the elderly due to their mild and slower pace.
This type of exercise, carried out with adequate oxygen supply, can effectively improve the blood and oxygen supply capacity of the heart, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, enhancing cardiopulmonary function, and improving the body's resistance.
Aerobic exercise can also help seniors maintain good physical condition and improve their sense of well-being.
When older adults do aerobic exercise, the recommended frequency is 3 to 5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. This amount of exercise not only ensures the effect of exercise, but also avoids the physical burden caused by excessive exercise.
It is important to note that exercising in a low temperature environment may have an additional burden on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system, so it is recommended to avoid outdoor exercise in cold weather, which can cause increased blood pressure and rapid heartbeat, increasing health risks.
To ensure exercise effectiveness and safety, older adults should do adequate preparatory activities before starting exercise. This includes some simple muscle stretching and joint activities to improve muscle strength and elasticity and increase joint flexibility.
It is also important to engage in proper relaxation activities after exercise, which can help relieve muscle tension and fatigue.
When choosing a form of exercise, the elderly should give priority to those activities with lower intensity and less risk, and avoid strenuous exercise to prevent increased burden on the heart and lungs or accidental injuries such as falls.
Therefore, when doing aerobic exercise, you should pay special attention to the safety of the exercise and your body's response.
Finally, given the peculiarities of the physical functions of the elderly, it is highly recommended to carry out physical exercise under the guidance of professionals.
Professional guidance can not only provide a personalized exercise plan, but also ensure the correctness and safety of the exercise, the wrong exercise posture and method will not only reduce the effectiveness of the exercise, but also may cause injury.
For example, incorrect weight lifting posture can lead to lower back injuries, while wrong running style can put a strain on the knee joint.
Through precise guidance, professionals can help seniors master the correct exercise techniques, so as to enjoy the fun of exercise while minimizing the risk of injury.
In conclusion, exercise for the elderly is an effective way to prolong life, which can improve physical and mental health, improve quality of life, and prevent and alleviate chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes.
The elderly should choose the appropriate exercise method and intensity according to their personal situation and preferences, follow professional guidance and advice, and pay attention to the safety and continuity of exercise.
As long as they keep exercising, seniors can enjoy the fun and benefits of exercise and have a healthy, happy and fulfilling old age.