Research
Research supports the fact that regular exercise is vital to good health and helps control the ageing process.
NHS: Benefits of exercise
"Exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50%and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%"
Age UK: Loneliness in Later Life
Highlights:
* Over 1 million older people say they always or often feel lonely
* Nearly half of older people (49% of 65+ UK) say that television or pets are their main form of company
* Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
* People with a high degree of loneliness are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as people with a low degree of loneliness.
European Heart Journal
"Higher fitness levels can halve the risk of heart attack. Conversely, suggest the researchers, poor fitness levels can raise
future risk even in the absence of warning symptoms in the present"
Harvard Men's Health Watch
"Any kind of regular exercise is one of the best antidepressants, helping to keep a current mental state from getting worse, but also preventing mild depression from becoming more severe depression. Exercise helps to lower symptoms of anxiety, improve sleep quality, and boost energy levels"
New York Times
"Irisin, a hormone that is released during exercise, may improve brain health and lessen the damage that occurs during Alzheimer’s disease"