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If You’re Sixty-Plus
The blissful state of wedded bliss can be challenged by the stressors of everyday life but can be improved by adding mobility exercises to your daily routine.
Marriage can put stress on any relationship as partners need to adapt to new routines and expectations.
If you and your partner are both above the age of 60, it’s important that you not only have a strong connection but also physical intimacy.
Having regular sexual activity is crucial for your health – mentally, emotionally, and physically. But what if you and your spouse are both over 60? Does that mean that you can’t enjoy a long and happy marriage together?
Absolutely not! Aging doesn’t have to be challenging or scary. It should be exciting as we all continue to grow and learn about ourselves.
There are many positives about being married to someone who is also in their golden years. You may have more things in common with one another than with other couples, which means communication will become even easier over time.
Mobility Exercises for You and Your Spouse if You’re Sixty-Plus
If you or your spouse are experiencing diminished physical abilities or mobility issues as a result of aging, there are some exercises that you can do together to help keep each other safe and mobile. This doesn’t mean that you have to be in pain or experiencing physical difficulty to try these out.
If you’d like to practice some of these exercises, it can be a great way to keep each other healthy and mobile. If you’re open with your spouse about how you’re feeling and what you’re experiencing, it can be easier to handle any mobility issues.
You can also learn how to best help each other with your physical mobility issues.
Good Habits for a Happy Marriage
When you’re in a long-term marriage [a marriage should always be long-term], there are certain habits that you can develop that will help keep your relationship healthy.
– Be open with each other (and yourself).
– Communication is key to any relationship, and that goes double for a marriage. If there are aspects of your relationship that you’re not comfortable talking about, you risk those issues getting bigger and bigger until they are unmanageable.
–Develop a healthy partnership This isn’t just about being in love; it’s about working together, supporting each other, and helping each other grow as partners.
– Learn to love each other’s quirks- It’s impossible to completely understand someone else, but it’s important to try. Your quirks are what make you who you are. Loving your partner means loving those quirks.
– Take time to recharge together.
The Importance of Touch
In addition to physical intimacy, you and your spouse should engage in the act of touch just for the sake of touching each other.
You can hold hands while you’re out walking with friends, you can hug after a stressful day, and you can sit next to each other on the couch or in bed.
The important thing is to touch each other. Touching each other shows that you care and that you’re there for one another.
It also helps to release endorphins and oxytocin in your body, which is good for you. Those chemicals help to calm you both down, ease stress, and can even help you to sleep better.
Apart from this, I suggest these mobility exercises for you and your spouse so that even though you cannot compete with your young children, you can remain fit and healthy.
Try These 6 Mobility Exercises Together –
Walking 🚶♀️ 🚶♂️ This is a great way to get moving and spend time together. You can choose a particular path that you walk together every week, or you can walk wherever you happen to be. –
Having a hand massage – If your spouse has hand issues (or arthritis), this is a great way to help alleviate some of that pain. It’s also a relaxing and easy thing to do. –
Doing yoga together – Yoga is a great way to help you move better, breathe better, and feel more balanced in your body. –
Sitting on the floor with your back against the wall – This is a great way to strengthen your core. You can do this either before bed or before breakfast.
Carrying your spouse – This is a fun way to get your spouse moving.
Brushing your spouse’s hair – If you have a spouse with limited mobility due to age, this is a great way to help them feel good in their own body.
6 Mobility Exercises to Strengthen Your Core –
Squat Hold – Get into a squat position with your hands on your knees. Hold for 30 seconds to start, and then add time as you progress. –
Side-Lying External Rotation – Place your arm on a pillow while on the side of your body. Rotate your arm outward by trying to pull the pillow toward you. Hold for 10 seconds, and then switch.
Seated Forward Bend – Sit with your legs crossed and reach your arms toward the ground while bending your head toward your knees. –
Wall Squat – Stand with your back against the wall. Slowly lower your body as if you are sitting on a chair behind you.
Benefits of this exercise-
It tones your thighs,
It strengthens your knees,
It improves your posture.
How to do: Stand with your back against the wall, about 18 inches away from it. Slide down the wall, bending your knees and placing your palms on your knees. Make sure to keep your knees together and your feet straight ahead. Hold this position for 10-20 seconds.
Wall Sit – Stand with your back against the wall, and slowly lower yourself as if you are sitting on a chair behind you. The benefits of doing this are-
This exercise trains your abdominal muscles, strengthens your spine, and tones your thighs. To do the wall sit, start with your back against the wall. Bend your knees and slide your torso towards the wall until your butts touch it. Wall sits work your abdominal muscles, especially the oblique muscles on the side of your abdomen, as well as your hip flexors – the muscles that enable you to lift your knees towards your chest.
It exercises your core muscles and improves the strength in your legs. Wall sit for around 20-30 seconds at a time. You can increase the time as you get stronger.
Wall sit trains your muscles to work harder over prolonged periods of time. It also improves blood flow to your heart, which in turn improves your body’s ability to fight off disease.
Leg Hold – Lie on your back and put one leg straight up in the air. Hold for 10 seconds, and then switch legs [see below].
3 Foot Mobility Exercises to Improve Your Balance and Coordination
One-Leg Stand – Stand on one foot for as long as you can.
Stepping – Place your foot on a stair (with a railing to hold onto if you need to). Bring your foot up and down on the stairs as if you were walking up them.
Walking Backwards – Walk backwards for about 10 steps.
2 Bonus Arm Exercises to Strengthen Your Upper Body –
Wall Push-Ups – Put your hands on a wall, and slowly lower yourself as if you were doing a reverse push-up.
Overhead Squeeze – Hold your elbows above your head, and squeeze those hands together.
Useful Resource
5 mobility exercises for Seniors
Conclusion
If you and your spouse are both 60 or older, mobility exercises are a great way to keep each other safe and healthy. They can also be a great way to connect with each other and keep the spark alive in your relationship.
If either of you are experiencing pain or mobility issues, mobility exercises are also a great way to help alleviate that pain. Doing these exercises together can be a great way to help each other out and spend extra quality time together.
If you and your partner are both above the age of 60, it’s important that you not only have a strong connection but also physical intimacy.