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Aging Isn't About Slowing Down

Boosting your activity level may be easier than you think.

Becoming older doesn’t need to mean slower, according to UCLA researchers. Forty-six sedentary adults age 65 and older participated in a program that included four hour-long education sessions to dispel notions of aging followed by an hour-long session of stretching and light exercise.

To determine the effectiveness of the program, researchers used pedometers to measure participants’ activity outside of class. The result: The participants walked an average of 2.5 miles more each week—a 24% increase in their physical activity. They also reported less pain, better sleep, higher energy levels, and fewer difficulties with everyday activities.