In this article we discuss how balance might be the single most important thing you need to train. Especially in order to have a longer life expectancy.
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True health involves a multi-faceted approach. It’s not just how well you eat. Or how much sleep you get every night. Or if you exercise consistently. Have a good hobby or even a purpose to motivate you.
Good health involves all of these things. And if you’re missing one or the other, it’s likely you’re not living the healthiest version of yourself.
But even understanding this, there are simple ways you can test, and even improve our health for the long term.
In fact, researchers conducted a new study that details how your ability to balance on one leg is one of the single most important factors of determining life expectancy.
To understand why this is the case, we’re going to breakdown the study and provide you with an excellent option to increase your balance, and subsequently, your life expectancy.
The Importance of Balance
The claim of this new study is bold. Researchers conducting it came to the conclusion that those in older age brackets, “are twice as likely to die in the next decade if you're unable to balance on one foot for 10 seconds. And conversely, your ability to balance on one foot points to a much longer life expectancy.”
But why is this the case?
Dr. Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo, the lead author of the study and a sports and exercise physician at the Exercise Medicine Clinic Clinimex in Rio de Janeiro, states, “an inability to balance is linked to frailty in older adults. And one's musculoskeletal fitness is a prime indicator of declining health.”
Which means, if you can’t balance, it’s likely that you’re in poor health. And being in poor health, especially at an older age, is a good indicator that your intended life expectancy will be shorter than someone of the same age that can balance for 10 seconds on one foot.
Dr. Claudio continued, “If you are younger than 70 years, you are expected (as the majority of those at that age) to successfully complete the 10 seconds. For those older than 70 years of age, if you complete it, you are in better static balance status than your age-peers.”
But the real advantage of this short and simple test for people in advanced age is the rapidity with which you can test yourself and your musculoskeletal health in just a matter of seconds.
By being able to balance on one foot for 10 seconds, you are more likely to be living a healthy, active lifestyle. One that will serve you well into the later decades of your life.
And now that we know the importance of this skill, it’s equally important to find effective ways to increase your balance over time.
Luckily, there is one great way to do just that.
The Best Way to Increase Your Balance
What do you get when you stand on a paddle board floating on top of an uneven surface like that of a lake, river, or the ocean?
The perfect balance training.
But how exactly does balance training help to improve your health?
According to the website Well + Good, “A small 2017 study published in Scientific Reports found balance training can help increase both memory and spatial cognition (a process that involves how the brain organizes and uses information about its environment).”
How?
Well, the process is simple.
As you balance, you are by definition performing an action that is new to the body. And because it is new, you are actively firing new neurons in the brain. As these neurons fire, they are searching for new connections inside the superhighway of your brain to increase efficiency. This keeps your brain active. And an active brain is a healthier one.
One of the best ways to incorporate balance training into your life is of course standing on a paddle board.
As you first begin paddling, you will notice the amount of balance it requires to stand upright and paddle. And while you may feel like your feet, legs, and arms are receiving the workout, it’s actually your brain that is doing the most work to keep you standing up!
Combine that with the cardiovascular output and you’re in the midst of a true full body workout.
So, the next time you want to improve your balance, consider giving SUP a try! It’s the perfect balance training platform, that also happens to be a great time.
Conclusion
Aging is something we all face. It shouldn’t be shunned, or feared. In fact, it is a privilege that many people are not fortunate enough to experience. And while we feel as if we’d rather remain young forever, there are certain actions we can take to slow the aging process as well as age gracefully, still full of life.
Diet, sleep, and exercise are the big three to slow the aging process and remain healthy over the long haul. And while we cannot comment too much on the previous two, we are very passionate about the third.
One of the best ways to incorporate exercise, spend time outside in the sun, connect with a local community, and incorporate the benefits of balance training into your life is on your own stand up paddle board.
This low-impact activity is the perfect way to incorporate all the hallmarks of healthy aging — and do it in a fun way that will keep you coming back, day after day.
Want to read more helpful articles just like this? Checkout our Knowledge and Resources section for the best life-changing, SUP-inspiring articles online!
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