Staying active is vital to maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle as we age.
Being active will not only help to protect your health, it will also strengthen social relationships, improve your memory and even prevent depression.
Retirees who are active regularly enjoy a whole host of health benefits, including having greater strength, a healthier weight, increased flexibility and balance and better mental health.
How can I stay active after retirement?
Staying active after you retire is very important to your health and state of mind. But it doesn’t mean you need to be running marathons or lifting weights. Here are a few ways you can stay active as a retiree.
Take a walk
One of the simplest and most enjoyable ways of staying active is to simply take a walk every day. Get up early and enjoy a stroll as the sun rises, enjoy the bird song, fresh dew and clean air. Or go for a walk at sundown and enjoy the cool evening breeze. Walking doesn’t require special equipment – except perhaps a comfortable pair of shoes. Take a friend for a walk so that you can enjoy it as a social activity too.
Take your walking to the next level by trying a short hike.
Pick a sport
A great way to stay active is to take up a sport.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport loved by many seniors, and is a great way to work muscles, combining both aerobic exercise and strength training.
Bowls
Bowls is another well-loved senior sport that doesn’t require a high level of fitness. The game can be very social, and doesn’t take long to master, so it’s a great choice for anyone looking for a simple sport without many barriers to entry. Both tennis and bowls are social sports that can help you build friendships and enjoy the company of others.
Go swimming
Swimming is a fantastic sport choice for older individuals. Because the water supports your body weight, exercising in water is a low impact form of exercise, so it won’t place extra stress on your bones and joints. Water aerobics classes are a great way to enjoy being active in the water without having to be a strong swimmer.
Golf
Golf is another great sport enjoyed by many young and older, men and women. Golf offers a whole body workout, and can improve core muscle strength. Another very social game, golf is great for people who enjoy being outdoors.
Exercise classes are a fun social way to meet new people and stay active. Yoga, Pilates and even spinning are great class activities for seniors.
Take up a hobby
If you’re not a keen sports person, there are other ways of being active that don’t involve a ball or a racket. Consider your interests and look for a hobby that can keep both your mind and body active.
Birding
Birding is a great option for people who love wildlife. Take a walk through forests and fields while looking for birdlife. Join friends as you hunt for new species to add to your birding lists.
Pottery
Try a hobby like pottery. Using your hands to mould clay can be very therapeutic and stress relieving. It will also help keep muscles in your arms, wrists and hands strong and flexible. Movements are slow, but they do increase muscle strength and doing pottery has been shown to help people suffering from arthritis.
Painting
Painting and drawing are also great activities for elderly individuals. Get active by travelling to different locations to find objects and people to draw and paint. Why not set up an easel in a woodland or field and paint your surroundings, or join a sketching group and visit a local park to sketch what you see.
Gardening
Gardening is another great hobby for getting up and active. Gardening can burn as many calories as an aerobics workout, so you can really get a good amount of exercise from spending time with a gardening spade in your hand. But gardening is also an accessible hobby for people who are not particularly fit, as you can still spend time doing smaller tasks, planting and nurturing beautiful plants and creating something very rewarding as you go.
Cooking
Cooking can be a very active hobby, working number of muscles in your body. It also helps exercise your mind and brings families together for the social act of sharing a great meal.
Don’t forget to exercise your mind
Staying active also includes keeping your mind engaged. Doing puzzles is a great way to combine a bit of physical activity with mental agility. Doing puzzles can improve memory and spatial awareness.
Building models can also be beneficial to both your physical and mental health. Putting together a train, plane or car model can help keep hand and arm muscles busy while keeping your brain active.
Knysna Lifestyle Estate Activities
Active retirees will enjoy the wide range of activities offered at the Knysna Lifestyle Estate.
Activities for seniors offered onsite include walking trails, tennis court as well as gym facilities offering classes like stretch and tone and spinning.
The wide range of sporting activities can be enjoyed by people of all fitness levels. You can also take a dip in the pool, play a game of tennis or visit one of the many golf courses in the area for a round of golf. Our residents often golf together, participating in local tournaments.
Walkers will enjoy the walking trails on the estate, as well as beautiful walking opportunities in the area. Head to the beach for a wonderful morning walk, or try one and many walking trails or hiking trails through the beautiful Knysna forests.
Contact Knysna Lifestyle Estate today if you would like to find out more.