Explore the Best Cardio Exercises for Senior Heart Wellness
It's estimated that 24.2% of adults over the age of seventy-five suffer from heart conditions. The sad reality is that for a large segment of the population, the eventuality of heart disease is a strong possibility.
The good news is that whether you're a senior currently suffering from heart disease or you want to prevent it, cardio exercises can help you.
So, what are some of the best cardio exercises for senior heart wellness? And how do you approach exercise if you already have heart disease? In this senior wellness tips guide, we'll answer these questions so you can stay fit and healthy as you settle into your retirement years.
What Are the Health Benefits of Cardio Exercises?
As you can probably guess, cardio exercises greatly benefit your heart. They lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
However, what people sometimes forget is how this type of physical activity benefits your entire body when you're over the age of sixty-five.
Incorporating regular cardio into your week can provide just some of the following benefits:
- Better sleep
- Improved weight loss
- A better sense of balance can result in fewer falls and injuries
- Less bone loss
- Boosted brain health
- Cancer prevention
- Less anxiety
- Improved quality of life
And, if you decide to exercise with family or friends, then you also get the added benefit of social interaction, which can be great for your health.
Regular cardio exercises can keep you feeling fit and active well into your old age while decreasing the likelihood of a variety of health conditions.
What Are Some of the Best Cardio Exercises for Senior Heart Wellness?
Part of the beauty of heart-healthy exercises is the wide range of activities that fall under it. Basically, any activity that gets your heart rate increasing can count as a cardio workout.
That's great news for people who hate running. Why? The following activities count as cardio exercises:
- Brisk walks
- Hiking
- Biking
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Golf
- Pickleball
- Skiing
- Kayaking
- Canoeing
- Martial arts
And this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to top heart exercises. The best type of cardio workout is the one you do consistently. So, find some cardio activity that you love and work it into your schedule.
You can plan a morning walk every day. Or join a pickleball group. By making cardio something you look forward to it becomes much easier to incorporate it into your daily life.
How Much Exercise Should Seniors Get?
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it's recommended that seniors try to get in between one-hundred-fifty to three hundred minutes of moderate cardio each week.
Alternatively, you can also do seventy-five minutes of intense cardio exercise. If you have a heart condition we don't recommend exercising this much. Instead, just try your best to incorporate it into your daily life.
If the idea of working out so much each week intimidates you, don't panic. Start off slowly, then gradually work your way up toward this goal.
How to Approach Cardio If You Have a Heart Condition
If you have heart disease, you might think the best course of action is to take things as easy as possible. That way, you don't overwork your heart muscle. However, the unfortunate reality is that being completely sedentary can be much worse for your heart health in the long run.
As we covered, when you do a cardio workout you boost your heart health. This can provide valuable protection against the heart condition you're dealing with.
That being said, it's important to pace yourself and know your limits. Otherwise, you could suffer another heart attack. We recommend discussing a workout regime with your doctor that fits your condition.
This resource can also provide you with some ideas on the type of cardio exercises you should be doing.
How to Approach Cardio If You Have Joint Pain
Remember that you don't need to run to get your cardio exercise in. There are plenty of low-impact activities that work well for people with joint pain. Swimming and water aerobics are two big ones.
This type of exercise provides resistance to the water without straining your joints. Cycling and rowing are two other good options, as long as you take things easy.
How to Make Cardio Exercises Easier As You Age
The key to making cardio workouts for seniors easier will look different for everyone. Some people don't need any help making it easier. Some runners might love the activity of running every morning.
If it doesn't come as naturally to you, then you'll need to find creative ways to stay active into your retirement years. This might include:
- Engaging with nature by taking walks and hikes
- Finding a sport or activity you love
- Participating in community events
- Finding new hobbies and interests
- Joining a workout group
If you fall in the category of people who absolutely despise cardio, be gentle with yourself. Challenge yourself to take a brief walk every day. When it comes to a cardio workout anything is better than nothing as you age.
How Retirement Communities Can Help You Be More Active
Many people report that finding the will to work was a challenge before joining a retirement community. So why are people in retirement communities often more active?
For starters, most retirement communities will provide access to fitness classes and other amenities that promote cardio exercises. Since everything is on site there's less of a hassle to travel to a class.
The second reason is that it's easy to make new friends in these communities.
Attending cardio classes with these friends can make the process of exercising a lot more fun while also ensuring you get some of the best fitness routines. Plus, you have someone to hold you accountable if you don't feel like going during a certain day.
Looking for a Community With a Great Wellness Program? Visit Digby Place
We hope this guide helped teach you some of the best cardio exercises for senior heart wellness. Here at Digby Place Assisted Living, we know just how important cardio health is for our residents.
That's why we cater wellness and nutrition programs specifically toward preventing heart disease. So if you're ready to make fitness both easy and fun, get in touch with us today.