Healthy aging and longevity Archive

Going for a brisk walk with one or more friends has many health benefits. It's a form of socializing, which is good for thinking skills and helps stave off loneliness, isolation, and many chronic diseases. Walking with others helps people stay accountable and stick to an exercise regimen, and motivates and challenges them to work harder. Plus, it's safer to walk with buddies, who can all watch for hazards and call for help in an emergency.

A 2022 study suggests that sleep irregularity—night-to-night variations in sleep duration and timing (when someone falls sleep)—are linked to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries).

Blood pressure measurements taken at a doctor's office can vary widely from one visit to the next, according to a 2022 study. It included blood pressure measurements from almost 537,000 people, each with an average of 13 doctor visits over two years.

A 2022 study found that yoga may offer some protection against frailty. Participants who practiced yoga improved two markers of frailty—walking speed and the ability to get up from a chair—compared with people who didn't practice yoga.

Sun-protective clothes are made of materials that shield your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The most effective fabrics for the job have high thread counts, are tightly woven, and are dark or bright colors (which absorb light). Examples include polyester, nylon, lightweight wool, or canvas. Many clothing manufacturers now use high-tech fabrics for sun-protective garments. Some wick away moisture and dry quickly. Some are embedded with chemicals used in sunscreens (such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide). High-tech fabrics offer at least as much protection as regular densely woven fabrics, and maybe more.

When physical change makes once easy tasks challenging, it may be time to turn to certain therapists for help. A physical therapist can use exercises to help someone improve strength, balance, and mobility. An occupational therapist can teach someone new ways to do daily tasks by adjusting existing techniques or using adaptive equipment. A speech-language pathologist guides a person through exercises that help with difficulties speaking loudly, swallowing, or communicating.

Although golf is a low-to-moderate intensity exercise, the game can last up to four hours and players may walk up to six miles. A 2023 study found that walking a round of 18 holes may be slightly better for cardiovascular health than an hour of brisk walking or Nordic walking. Golf provides a sense of competition and camaraderie and can be played well into older age, unlike more strenuous sports such as basketball or soccer. Even if people are not physically able to walk the entire course, hitting the ball works the muscles of the core and arms, and the golf swing provides a balance challenge.

Maximum heart rate refers to the upper limit of what a person's cardiovascular system can handle during exercise. It can be estimated by subtracting the person's age from 220. Target heart rates (which range from 64% to 93% of the maximum) can help people know if they are doing moderate or vigorous exercise. Physical activity guidelines recommend that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, or a combination of both, per week.

A double knee torso rotation stretches the back, chest, hips, and outer thighs. It also strengthens and stabilizes the core muscles, which are vital for good form and function in many sports.

The incidence of heat-related ailments, such as heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, has risen over the past five years, according to a 2022 analysis. People ages 65 and older were at the highest risk compared with other age groups, and men were affected more than women.