Stairway to Heaven!

There is a tradition or tendency among the senior population, at least here in the UK, to move into bungalows as they reach their retirement years. There are lots of great reasons to live in a bungalow. However, one of the drawbacks is the absence of stairs.

Whilst the extra land, off road parking and quiet cul-de-sacs are really appealing, the fact that there are no stairs means - if I may state the bloomin' obvious here, that we're no longer walking up and down stairs multiple times daily. This in itself may also be a bonus for those who like to be living a more gentle life as they grow older.

The fact is, though, that walking up and down stairs is really good for us. It strengthens our leg muscles to support our knees and ankles; it strengthens our back and neck muscles; it helps maintain our 'pro-prioception' allowing us to retain our balance for longer; it gives our body a mechanism for saving itself should we trip, by making us lift our feet and allowing us to speed up self-correction; it forces us to take exercise that is effectively unplanned - just part of daily living and it makes our brains adjust to movement and sensory input in multiple dimensions (i.e. not just forward but up and down as well).

In short, stairs are brilliant!

So, if you've not yet succumbed to the delights of single floor living, think twice before you do so. If you do want to live in an apartment or a bungalow, then find something in your life to replace the loss of stairs.

If you're working - use the stairs instead of the lift whenever you can. Buy a 'step' and do some 'step-aerobics' or join a local class that will have you doing this type of exercise.

If you're lucky enough to have stairs in the house, use them. I mean, actually take advantage of them.

Here's a simple thing, that I know to be an excellent use of your time:

Spend 4 minutes a day (in one go), going up and down your flight of stairs as fast as you can (safely). It will see you sweating and out of breath and you'll discover that 4 minutes is a surprisingly long time - but this is a simple, quick and free way of getting excellent aerobic exercise, without leaving the house or having to buy kit or special shoes, and incorporates strength and brain training all in one hit.

Can't complain about that!

Mobility Matters!