Ten sports reactions to determine whether you are aging

Aging never comes in an instant. It can be reflected through ten indicators such as memory, lung function, and skin elasticity. So, how can we maintain health and prevent aging in our daily life?

1. Flexibility

People in their fifties and sixties can test their flexibility by doing shoulder flexion movements, that is, standing with their arms naturally vertical, using their shoulders as the origin, and raising their arms from the bottom to the top. If the amplitude can reach 180 degrees (arms are perpendicular to the ground), it means that the flexibility is good. If it is less than or equal to 90 degrees (arms are parallel to the ground), it means that the flexibility is poor.

Experts recommend focusing on stretching the shoulders, waist, and lower limbs to increase flexibility. For example, when sitting, straighten your legs, then touch your toes with your hands and stay for 10 seconds. It should be noted that when practicing this type of stretching exercise, you must grasp the degree and judge according to the pain in your body, otherwise it is easy to injure the ligaments.

2. Skin elasticity

Skin elasticity is one of the indicators of human aging. You can pinch the skin on the back of your hand with your thumb and index finger, hold it for about 10 seconds and then release it, and observe how the skin bounces back, which can test the degree of aging to a certain extent. The longer it takes for the skin to return to its original state, the less elastic it is and the older the person looks.

If you want to maintain good skin, you should stay up late less and avoid smoking and drinking. In terms of local care, you should do a good job in anti-allergy, sun protection, moisturizing, etc. Even men with strong sun resistance and anti-aging ability should avoid sun exposure and it is best to wear a hat when going out.

3. Listening

The standard for testing normal hearing is to hear sounds within 20 decibels in a relatively quiet environment. People's hearing begins to gradually decline in their fifties and sixties. If you notice obvious hearing deterioration, you should seek medical attention promptly. Especially in a relatively noisy environment, hearing impairment when communicating with multiple people may indicate a hearing problem.

There are three things you need to do to protect your hearing. First, when listening to music with headphones, don't listen too loudly and take a break every 45 minutes. Second, when encountering strong noises such as firecrackers, protect your ears by covering them. Third, use ototoxic drugs such as gentamicin with caution.

4. Memory

The researchers selected several phrases, such as books, lunch, morning exercise, keys, etc. Ask 200 seniors aged 60-91 to read it five times. After 20 minutes, the subjects were asked to carefully recall what the first four words in these phrases were. If you can't remember clearly or your memory is confused, you may be at risk of memory loss. The study also found that men generally experience a faster decline in mental ability than women.

It is recommended that people do some memory-enhancing training, such as playing chess, jogging, brisk walking, etc. Japan's "Change" website also introduced several "brain gymnastics" to activate the brain, including listening to music and guessing the instrument, doing puzzles, solving Rubik's Cubes, guessing riddles, moving fingers, etc. to improve blood flow to the brain.

5. Response time

As one of the basic human abilities, reaction time mainly tests the time it takes for a person to receive a signal and take action. In the 60-64 age group, the average reaction time for both men and women is 0.7 seconds. Lu Yifan believes that the simplest way to measure reaction ability is to use a ruler. The tester places a steel ruler against the wall and then suddenly lets go of the ruler. The subject's hand is about 20 centimeters away from the end of the ruler. After reacting, he or she immediately presses the falling ruler against the wall. At this time, the distance the ruler slides down is measured. The shorter the distance, the shorter the reaction time and the higher the human reaction ability. This responsiveness deteriorates with age. But we can slow down this decline through scientific exercise, among which ball games are most suitable, such as badminton, table tennis, etc.

6. Balance

The specific testing method is: put both hands on your waist, close your eyes, stand on one leg, and raise the other leg, you can raise it high or lower it. The test ends when the standing foot moves or the raised foot touches the ground. Perform the test twice, whichever lasts longer counts. If a man over 50 years old can maintain it for more than 17 seconds and a woman over 14 seconds, it means that their balance is good. If the time for men and women is lower than 8 seconds and 6 seconds respectively, they should practice their balance regularly. In addition to practicing this movement, you can also improve your sense of balance by walking backwards, walking in a cat-like manner, etc. If conditions permit, you can also use a balance board and practice each movement 3-5 times, each time for 1 minute.

7. Endurance

Studies have found that a healthy 40-year-old man should walk 3 kilometers in 28 minutes, which is equivalent to walking 134 steps per minute at a normal stride. In addition, switching back and forth walks at intervals of 50 meters can also test endurance. The tester walks back and forth at a speed more than three times faster than usual. If 400 meters cannot be completed within 6 minutes, endurance training should be strengthened. Jogging, brisk walking, swimming, etc. are all good choices. Among them, brisk walking with a stick increases the movement of the arms, consumes more energy, and has better effects. It is recommended to do this type of exercise at least 3 times a week, each time for more than half an hour. In addition, the intensity of exercise is also important. For people over 50 years old who have a good exercise foundation, it is recommended to control the heart rate at 190 minus age. For people without a good exercise foundation, it is recommended to use 170 minus age. A fluctuation of 14 points up or down is normal.

8. Leg strength

Women can test their leg strength by doing the supine leg raise exercise. The method is to lie flat on the bed, straighten and close your legs, lift them up, make a 45-degree angle with the ground, and then put them down. More than 30 beats per minute is excellent, while 10 beats per minute indicates an urgent need for more exercise. Men can test their leg strength by doing vertical jumping. That is, first measure the height you can touch when standing still, and then measure the height you can touch after jumping up with force. If the difference between the two heights is more than 40 cm, it means that the lower limb muscles have strong explosive power; if it is less than 10 cm, it indicates that the lower limb muscles have aged.

Leg strength can be improved by doing squats, lifting dumbbells, and lifting weights. After middle-aged and elderly people choose the maximum number of kilograms they can bear, they can do three or four sets of squats, 15-20 times in each set. Be sure to stretch your leg muscles after finishing, which can not only prevent your legs from becoming thicker, but also prevent osteoporosis. In addition, raising legs high in place, kicking legs in place, and kicking shuttlecock can also improve leg strength to a certain extent and increase body coordination and flexibility.

9. Heart function

Resting heart rate is an important indicator of health status. The test method is: in a quiet environment, press your pulse with your fingers and count the number of beats per minute. A large number of studies have found that a heart rate that is too fast or too slow will increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and even death. Many surveys have shown that the optimal heart rate is 60-75 beats per minute. You should develop the habit of paying attention to your heart rate. You should consciously feel your pulse when you wake up in the morning, when you feel chest tightness or palpitations, and after strenuous exercise. If your heart rate is always too fast, you should go to the hospital for relevant examinations in time. In addition, you must do your best to keep exercising, eat a healthy diet, control your waist circumference, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and maintain a peaceful state of mind.

10. Lung function

After the age of 35, the human body's lung capacity begins to decline year by year. Climbing stairs can test your lung function. If you can climb 4 flights of stairs in a row and your breathing is still natural but just a little short of breath, it means your lung capacity is very good. If you have difficulty breathing and heavy gasping for breath, it means you need to exercise more. You can exercise by running, brisk walking, swimming, etc. You can also consciously practice "breathing exercises" such as yoga and qigong. In your busy schedule, you might want to try the “regulated breathing method”: find an environment with fresh air, inhale slowly for 4-5 seconds to allow your lungs to absorb enough oxygen, then exhale slowly, and practice for 5-8 minutes. In addition, games such as blowing balloons and blowing candles can also improve lung capacity.