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Physical Activity

Regular physical activity has health benefits for people of all ages. Any amount and type of moderate physical activity helps.

Physical activity can help you:

  • Improve your mood
  • Sleep better
  • Strengthen and protect your bones, muscles and joints
  • Prevent many chronic diseases
  • Maintain your weight

Adults should aim for doing at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week (or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity) plus muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days each week. If you can’t build in that much time into your schedule, do what you can. Adding 30 minutes a week is one way to start.

Choose a variety of activities to benefit your body in different ways and keep exercise interesting and fun. Some examples are:

  • Aerobic activity, such as walking, running, swimming, dancing, and ball sports
  • Muscle-strengthening activity, such as,
    • Body weight exercises such as pushups, squats, lunges, and planks,
    • Resistance band exercises,
    • Weight-lifting, using free weights or gym equipment
  • Yoga, pilates and tai chi

You don’t have to go to the gym to be active. Everyday activities count toward your needed physical activity. Build activity into your day however you can, such as by going for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Find activities you enjoy and try to make exercise something you look forward to.

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Physical Activity for Older Adults

Special considerations need to be taken by older adults when being active.

  • Risk for falling and other injuries goes up if you have trouble seeing or hearing clearly. For more information, visit Vision and Hearing in Older Adults.
  • Review these measures to help prevent falls in older adults. For more information, visit Fall Prevention.
  • Foot problems can make it harder to stay physically active and increases risk of tripping, slipping and falling. For more information, visit Caring for Your Feet.
  • Research shows that exercise helps ease the pain of arthritis. For more information, visit Exercises for Arthritis.
  • Get more information on physical activity for older adults here.

Participating in and completing an evidence-based physical activity program for falls prevention can help older adults reduce their personal falls risk. There are many types of these programs available in NYC, including Tai Chi for Arthritis, A Matter of Balance, Bingocize® and more.

To learn more or sign up for a program, contact your local Older Adult Center.

Additional Resources

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