The time of day that is best for seniors to walk is morning as walking in the morning boosts your mental well being and reduces stress and improves your mood as well as increases focus and cognitive performance throughout the day.
Walking in the morning also provides you with an opportunity for social interaction and can help to establish a consistent routine and boost your metabolism for the day.
Other good times of day for seniors to walk is in the afternoon and evening hours.
Walking in the afternoon, helps with active recovery as it promotes circulation and reduces muscle soreness as well as helps to balance blood sugar levels, especially when walking after a meal.
Walking in the afternoon is also good for seniors as it breaks up long periods of sitting, can improve your mood, especially if walking in nature and body temperature and performance are also often at their peak in the afternoon.
Walking in the evening is also good for seniors as walking in the evening can be a great way for seniors or anyone else to de-stress after a long day and can also improve sleep quality, especially with lighter walks.
Aside from walking, the number one exercise for seniors is also squats.
Squats is the number one exercise for seniors and older adults as squats strengthen your major muscles in your lower body and core which is needed for daily activities like standing and sitting.
Squats, although they are often cited as being the number one exercise for seniors and older adults, having a well rounded routine, which also includes walking for improving and maintaining your cardiovascular health, as well as other activities like Pilates or yoga for balance as well as flexibility is ideal.
Squats work your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and core, which are all crucial for functional strength as well as balance.
Strengthening these muscles helps with your daily movements and can also protect your knees and your hips.
To start doing squats as a senior or older adult, you can start with doing chair squats, which involve sitting down into a chair and then standing back up without using your hands.
Other great exercises for seniors and older adults include walking, strength training, balance exercises and flexibility exercises.
Stretching exercises and activities like Pilates and yoga help to maintain a good range of motion in your joints.
Balance exercises like Tai Chi, yoga or even specific balance focused exercises are also crucial for preventing falls.
In addition to the squats, incorporating other exercises like with weights or resistance bands also can combat age related muscle loss.
And walking is a great form of aerobic exercise for older adults, seniors and anyone of any age, as walking helps improve your heart function and lung function and helps to maintain bone density.
Older adults and seniors as well as anyone else should aim for at least 6,000 steps per day when walking.
Jogging, riding a bicycle, treadmill or stationary bike as well as swimming can also help improve your health.