When is National Senior Health and Fitness Day?
The last Wednesday in May is National Senior Health and Fitness Day.
What is National Senior Health and Fitness Day?
Fitness isn’t just for the spring chickens. Even beyond middle age, exercise can lift our spirits and keep our minds sharp. National Senior Health and Fitness Day celebrates wholesome lifestyles and raises awareness about the need to stay fit.
It started in 1993. Now National Senior Health and Fitness Day involves more than 100,000 seniors in events all over the country. Some participate in health walks through the park or in pool aerobics. Others join together for dance exercises and yoga.
When the mind feels robust but the body begins to fade, it can lead to frustration and depression. Fitness staves all that off by promoting balance, flexibility, and healthy muscles (especially the heart). Regular exercise helps with pain management and builds confidence. It also curbs the decline in vitality that comes with age.
Everyone can enjoy exercise. For some, it may take creative thinking to bypass a disability or sidestep a distaste for fitness. National Senior Health and Fitness Day is the day to put the thought into it and make a plan for a lifetime of health and happiness.
Fun facts about National Senior Health and Fitness Day!
- Fitness routines reduce the risk of falls by improving stamina, strength, and balance.
- Regular exercise helps people feel younger and maintain their independence longer.
- Exercise can include goal-setting, which nurtures a sense of purpose.
- It’s never too late to start exercising. Even gentle workouts like short walks or chair aerobics provide long term health benefits, and you can always build up from there.
How to celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day:
- Get moving! Join your friends for some group aerobics. Walk the golf course instead of taking out the cart. Give your dog an extra-long walk.
- Fitness does not have to be all pain. If you don’t like exercise, get creative. Make it fun. Listen to music or a podcast. Compete with your friends. Hike some leisurely trails, maybe along a river, and take pictures along the way.
What’s the hashtag for National Senior Health and Fitness Day?
Use #SeniorHealthFitnessDay to promote health and wellness.