Many people's exercise routines are missing one key ingredient: balance. And I don't just mean that they are not doing a diverse enough routine - I mean that they don't include activities that test their ability to keep their balance.
So why is keeping your balance so important? Well for a start, falls are the leading cause of death for those over the age of 60 years. So as you get older, keeping your balance becomes very important.
But balance isn't just important for preventing falls. The key ingredient for keeping your balance is the feedback you get from your body. It's called proprioception, and is essentially your body's awareness of where it is in space. The better quality your proprioceptive feedback, the easier it is to stay on your own two feet.
It turns out that proprioception is important for much more than just keeping your balance. Proprioceptive feedback to your brain has been shown to stimulate the release of dopamine and serotonin - our body's "feel good" chemicals. Their release helps to switch off your body's stress response, which has been linked to chronic diseases like strokes, cancers, heart disease and diabetes. Switching off your stress response has also been shown to increase the function of your immune system, improve your concentration, help normalise your cholesterol profile and much more.
How do you incorporate balance into your exercise routine? Well obviously utilising a class like yoga or body balance would be a great way to start. Or at home, an exercise routine like the Straighten Up Australia program can be a very simple way to introduce some basic balance work into your day. If these seem a little mundane for you there are some more physical options too. Activities like squats, Olympic lifts and gymnastic exercises such as headstands can all help to improve your balance and stimulate your proprioception. Of course remember that when it comes to proprioception, it is the quality of movement that is key, so if you have restricted movement, particularly in your spine, getting a check up with a chiropractor can be of added benefit.
Is your lack of balance putting your health off balance?
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