Indoor Walking for Seniors in Merced Independent Living
Indoor walking is a great exercise option for seniors of all mobility levels. With a single walk each day, you'll improve your muscle strength, balance, stress levels, and even maintain a healthy weight.
Since around 28% of seniors are completely inactive, there's a great need for easy and unintimidating exercise options. Indoor walking can be the perfect stepping stone towards a healthier lifestyle.
Listed below are all of the reasons why we believe every Merced, CA, senior fitness regimen should include indoor walking. Keep reading to turn your home in Merced, only an hour north of Fresno, into a prime exercise spot!
Greater Accessibility
Diminished mobility and aging can often go hand-in-hand, but that's why walking indoors is such a great option for exercise. Even those with low mobility can take advantage of the open areas of their home and walk for a dedicated amount of time.
There's no worry of blocking other passersby or feeling the need to rush. You won't be tied to specific opening hours when you choose to make your independent living home your new gym.
Since you'll be inside, you get to choose when you want to take your walk. Even the middle of a restless night is a safe possibility.
Controlled Environment
Say goodbye to an icy sidewalk ruining your plans for a nice walk. Instead, your walking grounds are a controlled environment.
Not only will you know the intricate details of the hallway you're walking, but you'll also know that no new potholes or debris will be there to trip you. The lighting will always be good, and you won't need to worry about the sun setting too fast and losing all your daylight.
You can traverse your indoor walking path with utmost confidence, which also aids in a better workout overall.
Easy Weight Management
One of the best benefits of walking in general is the way it helps with weight management. Even a few walks per week can make a significant difference in your weight loss efforts.
Since you have such easy access to walking inside whenever you wish, this can make reaching your weight goals simpler than ever before.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
If you struggle with stress and anxiety, walking can be the key to defending yourself against those mental health issues. Walking helps reduce stress and anxiety, giving your mind a break as you focus on the physical activity.
The endorphins released during physical activity also work to help alleviate any depressive thoughts that might be trying to overwhelm you. Many people find that simply going for a walk around their home can be enough to turn their day around for the better.
Improve Cardiovascular Health
As you walk, you're gaining a lot of physical benefits. Alongside building muscle and endurance, you're also improving your cardiovascular health by:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Regulating sugar levels
- Strengthening the heart muscles
- Increasing lung capacity
- Improving circulation
This means that you're giving your body the tools it needs to fight off common cardiovascular issues like hypertension or even heart attacks.
Reduced Risk of Falling
Building muscle in your legs and improving your cardiovascular health both play a role in helping your balance. Walking indoors already reduces the risk of falling by a large margin. The exercise of walking also gives you active practice in maintaining balance.
All of this works together to create better confidence and physical performance, as well as greater safety in your day-to-day activities.
Better Motivation
Since walking indoors is an accessible workout for people of all skill levels, you can invite other community members to walk with you. Completing a workout with other people can make the entire process more enjoyable.
It allows you to socialize and strengthen bonds while also encouraging each other to do your best. When another person relies on your presence to do a workout, it's a strong motivator to keep going even on those low-energy days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walking Indoors Effective?
Indoor walking can be very effective if you put the effort in. Much like any other kind of workout, walking requires a little dedication to stay on track with your health goals.
Since walking indoors is an accessible, low-impact daily activity, many seniors find that this kind of workout is more effective than others. They find they're more likely to do the daily work since they don't even need to leave their senior apartments to get the exercise they need to stay healthy.
Does an Indoor Walk Count as Steps?
Counting steps can often provide a clear-cut objective for many seniors, and walking inside definitely counts towards those steps. You may even find that the steps dedicated to walking indoors are more meaningful than the steps counted from other activities.
How to Start Indoor Walking?
It's useful to start with a plan and a list of achievable goals before you dive into any kind of new workout. In general, walking routines indoors should consist of:
- Warm-up
- Walking for your planned number of minutes
- Cooldown
Remember to listen to your body as you begin. If something starts to hurt, that's a good indication that you should adjust the workout. It's also okay to take breaks!
How Much Indoor Walking Is Enough?
If walking indoors is your only mode of exercise, then you'll want to aim to do at least 150 minutes of walking per week. If you prefer counting steps, then that's a minimum of 6,000 steps in a week.
This amount should be adjusted depending on your capabilities. It's better to do what you can without pushing yourself too far. Even 30 minutes of safe senior movement each week is better than nothing.
Finding Support During a New Workout Regimen
Sticking with indoor walking can be difficult if you don't have the right support system around you.
Our Merced senior community, The Hampshire, can be a motivating factor in your journey to better health. Our unique supportive services can assist you with stressful things, such as housekeeping, so you can put all of your energy into enjoying retirement.
We'd love to show you around, so contact us today to learn more about our inviting independent living community!