As we age, it's harder for our bodies to stay strong but "that doesn't mean, mentally, we have to join that journey," says Wellington physiotherapist Olivia Rawlinson.
Regular moderate exercise not only makes us stronger and more flexible, it also reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes and helps combat anxiety and depression, she tells Jesse Mulligan.
Photo: Marcus Aurelius / Pexels
As per the government's exercise guidelines for people over 65, at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise five days a week is a good amount to get in, Rawlinson says.
For moderate, think walking, cycling, light swimming, aqua jogging and even vacuuming.
If your activity is more vigorous, such as tennis, fast swimming, hill walking, tramping, you can get away with doing just 15 minutes a day, Rawlinson says.
Either way, older New Zealanders also do well to regularly work on flexibility and strength 2 or 3 times a week.
Pilates and yoga classes are really good for this, she says, and also tai chi, kapa haka or any floor or chair-based exercise class. Look out for free online options and community classes in your local hall or church, too.
Whatever you like to do in everyday life, stronger bones and muscles will support you to have a better time while doing it, Rawlinson says.
"If we're active for longer and stronger for longer we have more independence as a person. [Physical strength] can help us later in life by reducing things like falls and also reducing potential strain on wider services.
"If we can increase flexibility and maintain that, life becomes a little bit easier and increases our independence."
If you're starting an exercise plan from scratch and not confident about how hard to push yourself, Rawlinson recommends first talking over your goals and any niggles or injuries with physio or GP.
"You don't want to exercise with pain… it's got to be comfortable and you've got to know you can recover by evening or the next day. If you're not recovering well it means that you're pushing into something we don't want to encourage too much."
Further RNZ stories on how exercise benefits the ageing body:
Ageing muscles - use them or lose them
Research shows that nerves play a surprisingly important role in muscle loss, while exercise helps us maintain our strength. Audio
How often you should exercise to stay in shape - according to science
The recent Tokyo Olympic Games was the culmination of years of training as much as twice daily for hundreds of world-class athletes. But how often should ordinary, even reluctant, exercisers be… Audio
Strength training can help you lose weight too
It's drilled into many of us that to shift kilograms, you need to start pounding the pavement. However, a new study out of Australia reports you can lose a percentage of body fat through strength… Audio
Want to ward off pain during ageing? Exercise harder
Engaging in high levels of physical activities, such as running or a game of tennis, once a week can help stave off chronic musculoskeletal pain as we age. That's the key finding from a new study out… Audio
The secret to living to well into your 90s (or older)
Dr Claudia Kawas is searching for the secrets to living a longer and healthier life. Kawas and her team have been running a major study of ageing California residents for more than two decades. She… Audio
