Maintaining an active lifestyle this year

Motivation for exercise and becoming more active can be seriously waning in the Winter months with the dark nights and colder weather, but making even a small start can reap great rewards in terms of overall health and fitness.

But how do we make that move towards getting healthier and more active and what if we are not fully mobile or have a disability?

Also, how do we start to enjoy getting back into the outdoors when we have become reticent to get out of the habit of staying indoors and watching television, or doing other indoor pastimes?

The answer probably lies in starting with very small steps and also to assess whether there is anything that can help you become more active if you do indeed have any mobility issues, or maybe a disability that you need to accommodate if you are to become a little more active.

Again, that initial barrier to simply venturing outside can seem frightening and a little daunting to begin with, but the key here is very small steps, simply standing at the back or front door for a few minutes enjoying the fresh air can be a good start, before taking a few steps and lengthening this every day.

We all know that being active is not only good for our health, but also for our mental wellbeing, as the change from our domestic environment to the outdoors can be both physically and mentally stimulating.

This is particularly relevant today, as we have all been subject to many restrictions over the period of the lockdown, which for many have had the knock-on effect of creating anxiety, stress and uncertainty.

As well as this, the addition of having to wear masks in many public places which can reduce exposure to some infections, does have the unwanted side-effect of creating a re-breathing of the body’s waste products, in the form of carbon dioxide and other gases that are a natural part of oxygen exchange when not impeded by the wearing of masks.

That’s why, if masks have been worn for a period of time, either indoors or outdoors, it can be very good to give your body and respiratory system the benefit of breathing fresh outdoor air and allowing your respiratory system to have a break.

What if I have a mobility issue?

If mobility issues are preventing you from enjoying outings and taking regular exercise, then there are many aids that can help you to take your first steps towards enjoying healthy activities, and it needn’t cost a lot for this to enable a much greater freedom in your daily life.

A good idea, is to make your own initial assessment of what you think would help you to enjoy a more active lifestyle, and also to recognise what kinds of aids or equipment will be beneficial to your personal circumstances.

Of course, this may involve consulting with a medical professional, but if this is simply about becoming a little more active in small and gentle steps, it’s probably something you can make decisions on yourself. 

It goes without saying that if you are in any doubt or are worried about any aspect of becoming more active, then do seek advice or medical expertise to guide you.

If you, like many people, feel that you would like some gentle home activity to help you work up to getting out and about and get your circulation stimulated or your limbs exercising, then the good news is there are products that can definitely help with this.

Circulation boosters that can be used at home are a good idea for giving the circulation a boost yet not requiring the physical effort of walking or exercising, indeed they can be used in a comfortable seated position so that you can receive the benefits of better circulation without strenuous exercise.

This kind of gentle stimulation of the circulation can be a good way to gently and easily stimulate the veins and arteries, then maybe working up to other activities that can complement or add to the circulation booster’s effects.

Alternatively, there are many other aids and devices that can help towards choosing a healthier and more active lifestyle, even if you have medical or mobility issues and you need to take it easy in your approach and build up your activities over time.

Pedal exercisers can be a very good option for starting a physical exercise regime from a very slow and gentle start, it may be all you decide to do and will greatly benefit health and muscle development and build up some cardio resistance at the same time.

Pedal exercisers are designed for either use to work out the upper body, or the limbs and they are very easy to use and set up, being both compact and lightweight for easy storage when they are not in use.

What makes pedal exercisers so effective is that they exercise many muscle groups concurrently and therefore promote good overall health and fitness.

Being in a fixed position on the floor or raised on a table or other surface for upper body use, the pedal cycle has rotating pedals that have variable resistance so that you can choose the level and intensity of your workout. 

Again, this can be a great long term exercise solution in the home, or a precursor and build up to working on getting out of the house and increasing overall activity from a very slow and gentle start.

If you are looking at taking up any sort of healthy activity, then it’s a good idea just to start off small and build things up over time.

If you would like to take a look at our handy range of daily living aids there are lots of ideas that can help you around your home garden or when travelling, all the details are here.