Being a Couch Potato is Not the Answer

The blog this week is on how staying active makes a difference in our long-term health. Now it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that exercise is good for you. I’ve been bombarded with multiple reminders, everyone from my health insurers to the Veterans Association have reminded me that staying active is important. It seems that lately the big push is doing chair exercises which overcomes any mobility concerns by offering things you can do while sitting. I certainly understand the importance of staying active as we grow older, but I also recognize the basic problem we all have in making the commitment to exercise . . . we just don’t do it. I’ll talk about that a little later but let me first do my due diligence and give you the reasons why we should be active:

1. Protects Your Brain and Memory

Regular activity:

• Improves blood flow to the brain

• Reduces risk of dementia by up to 30–40% (per NIH and Alzheimer’s research)

• Strengthens memory, focus, and reaction time

• Improves sleep — which is essential for cognitive health

Movement literally helps the brain grow new connections. I’m all for new connections.

 2. Prevents Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia)

After 60, people naturally lose:

• 1–2% of muscle each year

• 3% of strength each year

Staying active — especially with light strength training — can stop or reverse this decline. Strong muscles protect:

• Balance

• Mobility

• Independence

• Ability to get up from a chair, climb stairs, or carry groceries

3. Strengthens Bones and Prevents Falls

Weight bearing activity (walking, light weights, resistance bands):

• Slows bone loss

• Reduces risk of fractures

• Improves balance and coordination

Falls are the #1 cause of injury for adults over 65 — activity is the best prevention.

4. Protects Your Heart and Lowers Disease Risk

Regular movement reduces risk of:

• Heart disease

• Stroke

• High blood pressure

• Type 2 diabetes

• Certain cancers

Even 10–20 minutes of walking can improve blood pressure and circulation.

5. Improves Breathing and Energy

Activity strengthens the lungs and improves oxygen flow. Seniors who stay active report:

• Less fatigue

• Better stamina

• Easier breathing during daily tasks

6. Boosts Mood and Reduces Depression

Exercise releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones. It helps with:

• Anxiety

• Loneliness

• Depression

• Sleep quality

Social activities like walking groups or senior fitness classes add emotional benefits.

7. Supports Healthy Weight and Metabolism

Staying active helps:

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Improve blood sugar control

• Reduce inflammation

• Support joint health

This is especially important as metabolism naturally slows with age.

 8. Maintains Independence

This is the big one, It’s the one that we all treasure.

Active seniors are far more likely to:

• Live independently

• Avoid nursing home placement

• Perform daily tasks without help

• Stay mobile and confident

Movement keeps you living the life you want.

So, there they are, the eight reasons we should stay active. There are multiple places where you can find activities and exercises that will keep you healthy so you can reap the many benefits listed above. Again, knowing the benefits of activity and creating an exercise program tailored to your specific abilities and needs is not the problem. Getting each one of us off the couch and doing some sort of meaningful movement is the real problem.

Only older people will remember the classic movie, The Three Amigos, starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short. In that movie the small Mexican town was battling an evil gang led by El Guapo and the famous line, delivered as they were preparing to fight the gang, was . . . “we all have our El Guapo”. We all have some type of roadblock that keeps us from accomplishing a goal in our life, we all have our own El Guapo. My family has used that line many times over the years to point out the thing that was keeping one of us from moving forward. Each one of us needs to find the El Guapo that is keeping us from being active. If you can identify the stumbling block you can figure out how to overcome it. There is one situation that I’ve experienced that might also be a stumbling block for you.

I injured my left knee when I was 24. I was put in a cast for 6 weeks and after that the Air Force said I was fixed. Twenty years later I began to experience some pain and weakness and had my knee scoped - that seemed to do the job until I was around 60. For more than ten years I put up with the weakness and, since it was only intermittently painful and didn’t keep me from many activities, I didn’t do much about it. I just learned to live with it. Unfortunately, what it did do was keep me from doing any lengthy exercising. It finally dawned on me that I was willing to take the lazy way out, always take a golf cart, always take the elevator, always park close to the store. I was letting this weakness keep me from being more active and the sad part was the weakness was fixable. I finally went to the orthopedic doctor, and he did x-rays and tests and said to me, “why have you lived with this for so long?” Why indeed! I’m finally getting it fixed.

If there is some medical El Guapo that is keeping you from being active, don’t put it off. Work with your doctor to find a solution. Your doctor should be involved anyway when you make the decision to be active, she/he knows you and can help come up with a routine that fits you. Don’t let any El Guapo keep you from extending, not only your life span, but also the length of your life that you remain able to do the things you love to do, your health span.

Best, Thair