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Whatever your age or health condition, there are plenty of ways to add more physical movement to your life. If you’ve fallen out of the habit or you’re just looking to get more active, it’s never too late for exercise to have a positive effect.
Regular physical activity or exercise helps your brain, heart and lungs stay healthy, and keeps your body strong and flexible.
It can make a big difference to your quality of life by:
Being active can also lower your risk of developing many health conditions – or help you manage them. These include coronary heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, obesity, arthritis, depression and dementia.
Taking part in a sport or exercise class can be a good way to meet people and have fun, too.
Both physical activity and exercise can help you to stay independent and healthy.
Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving, such as:
Exercise is more structured and repetitive. It includes activities like:
As you get older, it’s especially important to do exercises that improve muscle strength, balance and flexibility.
For more tips on starting healthy habits, visit our page Healthy living – the basics.
Before you start any exercise, it’s important to warm up. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, drink plenty of water and cool down afterwards.
Aim to do something every day. 2 ½ hours (150 minutes) of moderate activity a week is ideal, but anything is better than nothing. Start small and build up gradually.
This means moving instead of sitting or lying down. For example, getting up to make a cup of tea, doing some light housework or going for a gentle walk.
This includes things like brisk walking, cycling, ballroom dancing and swimming. You should get warmer, breathe harder and your heart will beat faster. You should still be able to carry on a normal conversation.
Vigorous activity will cause you to get warmer, breathe much harder and your heart will beat rapidly. It should be difficult to carry on a normal conversation. Examples include climbing stairs, playing sport or using cardiovascular gym equipment, such as a treadmill or cross trainer.
If you’re already active, you should aim for 75 minutes of vigorous activity over a week. You can also combine vigorous and moderate activity.
If you're trying to be more active, one approach is to do 30 minutes of activity on at least five days a week. You can break this up into shorter 10-minute sessions.
Visit the NHS website for their physical activity guidelines for older adults.
You should aim to do activities to improve your strength, balance and flexibility at least twice a week. These keep your body strong and supple, and can:
There are lots of different exercises and activities you could try. Here are a few examples.
Visit the NHS website for more on improving your strength and flexibility.
Many people fear that exercise will do more harm than good. But the risks of doing exercise - if introduced gradually and done correctly - are low.
Our bodies are designed to move and not doing any exercise carries far more risk. Too much time spent sitting, watching TV, reading or travelling by car, bus or train can lead to a loss of physical and mental function.
If you haven’t been active for a while, you should increase the amount and intensity of your activity in stages. Talk to your GP if you have any concerns or want advice about getting started.
It’s important to listen to your body. Stop if you experience any of the following while exercising:
If you have a health condition or mobility problems, it’s important to stay active. Long periods of sitting can make your condition worse.
Limited mobility doesn’t mean you can’t be more physically active - exercises can usually be adapted. For example, you could lift weights, stretch or do chair aerobics.
Water-based activities, such as water aerobics, are also good because they reduce the stress and strain on your body’s joints. Many swimming pools offer access to wheelchair users.
Talk to your GP about how much and what sort of exercise you can do, as well as what to avoid.
Your GP may refer you to a physiotherapist who can work out a fitness plan for you. You may be able to refer yourself directly by using the postcode search on the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists website. Self-referral isn't available in all areas.
If you’re disabled, you can find information about getting active on the Activity Alliance website and in the Disability Rights UK publication Doing Sport Differently.
If you’re living with a long-term condition, you may be able to get fitness advice from a charity or organisation that focuses on that condition, such as:
See the NHS's physical activity guidelines for older adults.
The BBC Get Inspired website has an activity finder and guides to many different fitness activities.
If you have limited mobility or a long-term condition, visit the Undefeatable campaign website for ways to get active that can work for you.