Whether you’re a cherished resident at Manor Lake Assisted Living & Memory Care here in Gainesville, a family member, or a valued fan of our blog, we trust you had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and are looking forward to the magic of the entire Christmas Holiday season. But it is winter, and winter can be a challenging time to remain physically active. We’re going to address this challenge in today’s blog post.
In winter, staying active becomes increasingly hard to do. Between preparing for the Holidays and the higher likelihood of severe weather, our walking groups tend to part ways until the next spring season. As the opportunities to get outside grow limited, unless you are an avid fan of the cold, the amount of exercise you get can plummet. However, there are several easy and fun ways we can remain active during the upcoming colder months!
Chair Yoga
Chair yoga is a fun and easy way to stay active indoors. Never tried yoga? No problem! Chair Yoga adapts many of the more complex positions into accessible movements for beginners. Yoga has many health benefits, such as improved balance, mindfulness, and agility. As we are gearing up for winter, chair yoga is the perfect routine to help stay warm in the cold months ahead.
Throw a Dance Party
Exercise doesn’t always have to be accomplished in workout clothes. Dancing is an excellent form of exercise as it builds muscle strength, balance and coordination as well as heart health! The best part is that dancing can be done on your own or with a group of friends. All you need are a few of your favorite tunes and some dancing shoes. Did you know that in addition to being a great form of cardio, dancing can even improve your memory? A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine cited that dancing could prevent the development of dementia as we age.
With so many great reasons it’s hard not to want to move those couches to the wall and hang up the disco ball!
Don’t Forget to Stretch and Hydrate
Before you head outdoors this winter, remember to do a few quick arm and leg stretches. Snow and ice can obviously be slippery but warming up your muscles before you head out in the elements can do wonders for your balance as you walk across the icy bits. You should also take water with you. Unpredictable weather and increased exertion against wind and snow increase the likelihood that you are outside for longer than expected.
The extra layers we put on to keep warm make us sweat, which means we need to up the intake of water we drink in the day. Drinking cold water in cold weather isn’t enticing, so keep a few water bottles out until they become room temperature!
Stay Warm and Have Fun!
No matter what kind of activity you choose, it is important to remember that safety should always come first. Staying hydrated during the winter is particularly essential since all the extra layers can make your body sweat more than usual. Also, stretching before heading outdoors will decrease your likelihood of falling on the icy sidewalks.
Managed healthy and safe activities within our assisted living community here in Gainesville and our memory care community as well is a source of great pride for us here at Manor Lake. Come see it for yourself. Contact us anytime!