Regular exercise and physical activity are important for heart health, especially as we age. Exercise can help reduce the risk of heart disease, and if you already have heart disease, it can help strengthen the heart muscle.

As we age, regular physical activity and exercise become more important for maintaining overall health, reducing the risk of certain conditions, and increasing flexibility and mobility.

Staying physically active as much as possible can help keep your heart healthy, reduce the risk of heart disease, and strengthen the heart muscle. Certain types of low impact exercises may be easier for older adults to participate in while still boosting their heart health.

Physical activity vs. exercise

  • Physical activity: Daily actions, such as walking, taking the stairs, cleaning and dusting, and moving around your house.
  • Exercise: More organized activities, such as swimming, yoga, walking groups, and fitness classes.

Regular physical activity and exercise are important for overall health. This is true for people of all ages, but may be more important for older adults.

Regular physical activity can helpTrusted Source you maintain a moderate weight, which can lower your risk of developing various medical conditions like diabetes. It can also help make it easier to do daily tasks such as climbing stairs and shopping.

Physical activity benefits

Regular physical activity benefits everyone — those with heart disease and those without.

The American Heart Association (AHA)Trusted Source notes that people who have heart disease and are physically fit typically live longer and have fewer heart attacks. The AHA also states that people with risk factors for heart disease who do regular physical activity are less likely to die from the condition than those without risk factors who are not physically active.

Regular physical activity can help:

Physical activity and heart strength

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteTrusted Source notes that regular moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity can help strengthen the heart muscle. This improves the heart’s ability to pump blood to the lungs and throughout the body.

What is physical activity intensity?

  • Light-intensity activity: This is anything involving moving rather than sitting down.
  • Moderate-intensity activity: This type of activity raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster, and makes you feel warmer. One way to tell whether the intensity of an activity is moderate is if you can talk but not sing.
  • Vigorous-intensity activity: This type of activity makes you breathe hard and fast. When working at this level of activity, you won’t be able to say more than a few words without needing to pause for breath.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source recommends that adults ages 65 years and older get either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. The CDC also states that older adults should do muscle-strengthening exercises on at least 2 days each week.

Aerobic exercises involve moving the largest muscles in your body, such as those in your arms and legs. Some people refer to aerobic exercises as “cardio.”

These activities are continuousTrusted Source and rhythmic. They make you breathe harder, and your heart beat faster.

You should speak with a healthcare professional before beginning a new exercise routine, especially if you have a disability, a chronic condition, or a recent injury.

Examples of aerobic exercises for older adults

Various activities can count as aerobic, or cardio. These include:

  • Taking a dance class.
  • Mowing the lawn or raking leaves.
  • Going on a hike that matches your physical abilities.
  • Walking to the shops.
  • Riding a stationary bike or going for a bike ride outside.
  • Trying active forms of yoga, such as power yoga or Vinyasa yoga.
  • Doing a water aerobics class.

The idea behind strength training activities is to make your muscles work harder.

You can strengthen your muscles in various ways, either at home or at the gym. You should chooseTrusted Source activities that work all the major muscle groups in your body, including those in your:

  • legs
  • arms
  • shoulders
  • chest
  • abdomen
  • back
  • hips

For the most benefits, try to do two or three sets of these exercises. A set is 8 to 12 repetitions. A repetition is one complete movement of an activity. You can start slowly and work up to more repetitions and sets over time.

Examples of strengthening exercises for older adults

Some examples of strengthening exercises are:

  • lifting weights
  • yoga
  • digging in the garden
  • working with resistance bands
  • exercises that use your body weight for resistance, such as pushups, situps, or chair exercises

Did you know?

Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer gym memberships and fitness programs as an additional benefit. This may be in the form of the SilverSneakers program. You can check with your plan’s provider to find out whether these benefits are available to you.

Balance exercises are where you move into a less stable position and make your body hold the position. Flexibility exercises help you to be able to move more easily. When you feel you can move more easily, you may feel you can be more physically active.

Balance exercises can help reduce the risk of falls and injuries.

Examples of balance and flexibility exercises for older adults

There are various ways you can help improve your balance and flexibility. Examples include:

  • walking backwards
  • standing on one leg
  • using a wobble board
  • doing yoga or pilates
  • practicing tai chi

Regular physical activity has many benefits, including improving heart health. Aerobic exercises can help strengthen the heart muscle, which can help reduce your risk of heart disease.

If you already have heart disease, regular physical activity can help manage the condition and improve your overall health.

The CDC recommends that older adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. It also recommends that older adults do strength training on at least 2 days each week as well.

It is important to speak with a healthcare professional before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you have a chronic condition, disability, or recent injury.