Here's a startling fact: About 3 in 4 American adults don't get the recommended amount of physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even more alarming, many adults don't get any activity at all, other than what they need to survive the day. And as we get older, more and more people become immobile. About 23% of adults between the ages of 18 and 44 are inactive. For those 65 and older, it is around 32 percent likely that they will experience a disability in the next year. When you don't exercise, your bones and muscles weaken over time, but you may not know that it can also damage your heart and brain. Regular exercise can help protect your health by reducing your odds of developing conditions like dementia and heart disease, as well as early death. There is evidence that getting regular exercise can help keep the heart, lungs, and other organs healthy and may delay or prevent their decline. And if you regularly work up a sweat over the years? This is excellent news. You should be constantly moving to keep your body active and healthy. Doing things that increase your overall activity level will help you stay healthy.

As you age, your heart muscle gradually becomes less effective. This is especially noticeable as you get closer to middle age, when your heart is working harder than it has in the past. Exercise can help to improve your heart health by strengthening your heart muscle. The walls of your arteries become thicker and less elastic, which can lead to a decrease in blood flow. This may increase your risk for high blood pressure (hypertension) and other heart problems, including heart attack and heart failure. The risk of developing chronic disease goes up if you are inactive. Exercise can increase your heart rate, which in turn increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your body. The more you exercise, the stronger your heart becomes and the more elastic your blood vessels become. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is important for your overall health. It also reduces your chances of developing many cardiovascular problems. It is an aerobic exercise, also called cardio, that is most effective in helping you lose weight. There is some evidence that consistent, long-term moderate or vigorous exercise may be most beneficial for heart health, though any physical activity is likely to be beneficial. There are many types of exercise that can be enjoyed for fitness, and they all have their own benefits.

Exercise is linked to better cognitive function, including better memory, attention, and executive function. The hippocampus can help you process and react to information quickly, as well as access your past knowledge and experiences. Physical activity is also associated with slower age-related cognitive decline, in which we gradually lose our ability to think, concentrate, and remember. If you are happy with your current lifestyle and cognitive function, it is probably a good idea to continue exercising. However, it is still unclear whether exercise actually helps improve symptoms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Exercise can help lower your chances of developing other conditions related to dementia, including cardiovascular disease. When can you start Exercise is beneficial for everyone, regardless of age. The study found that reading about the experiences of others can lead to feelings of empathy for them. The study found that participants who read about the experiences of others were more likely to feel empathy for them. To paraphrase, the following is an excerpt from a study conducted by the researchers.

There is evidence to recommend that doing hearty exercise earlier in life is more helpful, but it’s never too late to begin because everyone benefits from doing some sort of movement or physical activity. And remember: Even if it’s just a short walk, any effort is better than none. Taking steps through the day to do movement or physical activities can be just as helpful as if you joined a gym. Whatever you do, you must choose if embedding yourself on the couch is worth your long-term heart and brain health.

ZS DMO II Karla P. Calapardo, RND

Reference

https://www.sharecare.com/healthy-aging/want-keep-heart-brain-young