Let’s get active: Return to healthy, active lifestyles | Northland
Social distancing and quarantine along with the unexpected stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic brought dramatic changes to people’s mental and physical health. Reduced social interaction left people feeling isolated, fearful and lonely.
The journal Sports Medicine and Health Science reported that physical inactivity affected our immunity, heart health, muscle mass and more. People who recovered from the virus reported lingering physical effects such as fatigue.
“When you couple the physical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with the natural effects of aging, the result is a concerning impact on people’s overall health,” said Adam Long, head strength and conditioning coach at Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine. “One of the best things we can do to promote recovery is to get back to an active lifestyle, which includes both aerobic and resistance exercise.”
Long explains that while we hunkered down during the pandemic, inactivity led to a vicious cycle. As a person’s muscle mass and strength decreased from disuse, people become fatigued, which led to a loss of motivation and greater difficulty returning to normal activity.
“If you feel less inclined now to get back to doing things you used to love, there may be physical reasons for it,” Long said. “The best solution is to start slowly and listen to your body, but increase the physical challenge over time and bring exercise back for the long term and not just to lose a few pounds.”
Exercise is proven to have a positive effect on both mental and physical health.
Moderate-intensity exercise in excess of 30 minutes at least twice a week can be beneficial for the brain.
As adults age, they naturally experience loss of coordination and muscle mass which can affect mobility, balance and strength. Eating an unbalanced diet which relies mainly on carbohydrates, inflammation due to illness or injury and severe stress also contribute to muscle loss.
What can reverse muscle loss is activity and exercise. Long says, “The best way to fight muscle loss is to keep muscles strong and healthy, so get your heart rate up, add resistance training and include balance training.”
Daily aerobic exercise is recommended for people of all ages, and walking can be a great way to get started. Over time, walkers should increase speed and distance.
Studies show that people who walk at a faster pace lose less muscle mass. To rebuild muscle mass throughout the body, resistance exercise is most effective.
Exercise is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so when classes at a large fitness center do not fit with a person’s comfort level and goals, Long suggests that people find a class geared toward their individual needs. Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine offers small classes for adults and senior adults where individual coaching is provided. Multiple class times are available every day except Sundays.
“Whatever your comfort level is with exercise — whether you’re a beginner or a pro — the important thing now is to prevent further decline and start today to focus on becoming active.”
For information about adult and senior adult fitness classes at Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine visit libertyhospital.org/sportsmed.
