Having amassed a wealth of seafaring experience as a superyacht captain, fleet captain, and naval officer, Jako Hall’s adventures have taken him around the world, supported by his commitment to maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. This article will look at the importance of regular exercise for over 40s, helping to alleviate stress and other mental health conditions and maintain overall physical fitness.
Whether an individual is an avid gym-goer, prefers to workout at home, or has not exercised for a while, exercise for over 40s is rather different for those in their 20s or 30s, irrespective of fitness level. Hormonal changes, slower metabolisms, and other physiological changes come into play. This is particularly the case for women experiencing the perimenopause or menopause, who face an elevated risk of bone issues and cardiac conditions, making exercise more important than ever.
With age, the risk of cardiac disease increases, with men more likely to experience a heart attack than women. It is therefore vital to stay as heart healthy as possible. This can be achieved by building up recommended amounts of aerobic exercise and building heart muscle by encouraging the heart to pump faster. A study from 2018 revealed that adults in their 50s who exercised for 30 or more minutes most days over a two-year period increased their fitness levels while simultaneously reducing heart stiffness, enhancing overall heart health. Simply by walking briskly, cycling, dancing, or running for 30 minutes per day, an individual can significantly reduce their risk of developing heart disease.
In addition to improving heart health, increasing physical activity also reduces the risk of cancer and all-cause mortality in over 40s. Moderate activities such as housework and gardening also count, according to Pedro F. Saint-Maurice, PhD, who led a new study published by JAMA Network Open. In addition to the tangible physical health benefits, as Professor Barbara Resnick of the University of Maryland School of Nursing suggests, regular exercise also helps to instill an overall sense of wellbeing, making people feel better psychologically, with less depression and more energy. Older populations in particular stand to benefit from increased strength and function, as well as improved balance and fall prevention, Resnick points out.
As an individual ages, their risk of fractures increases due to bone loss, particularly in women, whose estrogen levels drop as part of the menopause, leaving them with thinner bones than men. Certain exercises can go a long way toward strengthening muscles, which can help prevent falls, thereby diminishing the risk of broken bones.
The key to establishing and maintaining a fitness regimen for over 40s lies in easing into fitness gently, starting low and going slow. Cooper University Health Care’s senior vice president of strategic alliances, Louis Bezich, recommends that over 40s see their physician for an evaluation prior to embarking on a new fitness program. Subject to their doctor’s approval, Hyman advocates embarking on an exercise regimen that includes pre-workout stretches and a slow-starting aerobic exercise routine, building up to 30 to 40-minute workouts five times per week.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend that adults aged up to 64 years participate in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, weekly. This equates to 30 minutes of exercise per day, five to seven days a week. Experts also recommend that adults participate in muscle strength training twice weekly, focusing on all areas of the body. In midlife in particular, it is also important to incorporate pre-workout and post-workout stretching routines to prime the body for physical exertion and reduce the risk of injury.
