New year, lasting habits Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Principal Investigator of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, encourages enjoyable resolutions by integrating gratifying physical activities into daily routines for sustained well-being and brain health We will have likely started the year with a list of things we know we should do and as ever, as the year moves on, the items will most likely fade into distant memories. If there are lifestyle behaviours that we should improve on then it makes it much easier to adhere to change if we choose forms of those behaviours which we enjoy. For example, when selecting physical activity, pick a type of activity you have always found easier or more pleasurable. We are much more likely to comply if the activity gives pleasure. For example, if you enjoy walking rather than running, that’s okay. At least you will continue with the format and it’s a great form of exercise. Try to build the exercise into your daily routine. A good example is the stairs. How about a New Year’s resolution whereby you will always take the stairs where possible? Unfortunately in most buildings, shiny lifts greet us on entry and the stairs are often tucked away in the background and rarely conducive to use. Nonetheless, it’s a perfect way to build aerobic exercise seamlessly into the day. How about parking your car at the far end of the supermarket car park as a matter of course and where possible, carrying groceries to the car. Try to remember that good physical activity includes muscle strengthening and balance exercises. That too can be built into everyday activity. When rising from the chair, try not to use your arms. Take it a step further by aiming to perform the sit-to-stand motion three times in succession rather than just once when you’re standing up. This will seamlessly build core pelvic muscles. Likewise, balance starts to deteriorate in midlife and poor balance is a common cause of falls. How about when you are standing at the sink washing your teeth, try doing it on one leg. Prolonged seating reduces brain blood flow. So set your phone alarm to remind you to stand up every 40 minutes. Better still, stand up and take a few brisk steps up and down the corridor before sitting down again. Finally, remember that brisk walking is almost as good as running for a healthy cardiovascular system and helps to keep our brains healthy. Walking with friends and outside in nature gives additional benefits and helps to make the exercise component seamless. During COVID, those of us who take exercise classes such as Yoga or Pilates continued to do so remotely and many have continued with this practice, but the additional benefit that we get from exercise classes with others is lost when we carry them out in isolation. Furthermore, sharing exercises with others makes the exercises easier and we are more likely to continue to comply with the programmes. If you can, consider starting or returning to group exercises. The benefits of physical activity not just for the body, but for brain health are underestimated. If you can build regular activity into your daily routines, the impact on mood as well as muscle function will be notable and much more likely to be sustained. New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be a purgatory!
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