Do you enjoy swimming, dancing, running, biking, walking, or hiking? If the answer is yes, then you’re a fan of aerobic exercise! Also known as cardio or endurance exercise, this popular form of physical activity gets us breathing harder and our heart rate up. It also involves the movement of the large muscles—like those found in our arms and legs. These movements are repetitive and continued over a prolonged period of time (1;2).

In addition to being fun, aerobic exercise is a vital part of our day-to-day lives. In fact, it’s recommended that older adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities each week (3). These recommendations are supported by research evidence that showcases the wide-ranging health benefits of engaging in aerobic exercise (1;4-9). To give ourselves more reasons to keep aerobic exercise in our weekly routines or add it if it’s missing, let’s dive into just a few of these benefits.

1. Improves executive function

Executive function refers to cognitive skills and processes used in daily life—like planning, problem solving, adjusting to changes, and emotion and impulse regulation (1;10;11). Aging, sitting too much, and a lack of physical activity can contribute to a decline in executive function (1;10-15). Research shows that aerobic exercise can enhance various components of executive function, such as impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (1).

2. Enhances physical fitness

Aquatic exercises, like swimming, running in water, and water aerobics, are forms of aerobic physical activity. These low impact workouts may be an appealing option for older adults looking to get and stay active. Research shows that aquatic exercise performed at moderate to high intensity is comparable to land-based exercise when it comes to enhancing aspects of physical fitness—such as endurance, strength, function, flexibility, and dynamic balance (4-6).

3. Regulates blood sugar

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that prevents our bodies from properly regulating blood sugar levels. In the long term, it can lead to complications like blindness, cardiovascular issues, and amputation of limbs (16). So, prevention in those who don’t have it and management in those who do is key. Research shows that aerobic exercise can help regulate blood sugar levels in those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or are already living with it (8;9). Higher intensity aerobic exercise is even better (9).

Get your heart rate up with aerobic exercise and reap the rewards it can offer! If it’s not already part of your exercise routine, consider adding aerobic physical activities to the lineup. Consult with your healthcare team about what exercises may work best for you and how to incorporate them safely.

References

1. Ye M, Song T, Xia H, et al. Effects of aerobic exercise on executive function of healthy middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Nurs Stud. 2024; 160:104912. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2024.104912.
2. Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020; 54 (24):1451–1462.
3. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults aged 65 years and older: An integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. [Internet] n.d. [cited August 2025]. Available from: https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/adults-65/
4. Waller B, Ogonowska-Slodownik A, Vitor M et al. The effect of aquatic exercise on physical functioning in the older adult: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Age and Ageing. 2016; 45:594–602.
5. Kim Y, Vakula MN, Waller B, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effect of aquatic and land exercise on dynamic balance in older adults. BMC Geriatrics. 2020; 20(1):302.
6. Buitrago-Restrepo CM, Patino-Villada FA, Arango-Paternina CM. Effects of aquatic exercise on physical performance in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Aging Phys Act. 2024; 1-17.
7. Waller B, Ogonowska-Slodownik A, Vitor M et al. Effect of therapeutic aquatic exercise on symptoms and function associated with lower limb osteoarthritis: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Phys Ther. 2014; 94(10):1383-95.
8. Aguiar EJ, Morgan PJ, Collins CE et al. Efficacy of interventions that include diet, aerobic and resistance training components for type 2 diabetes prevention: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014; 11(2). doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-11-2.
9. Grace A, Chan E, Giallauria F et al. (2017). Clinical outcomes and glycaemic responses to different aerobic exercise training intensities in type II diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2017; 16(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s12933-017-0518-6.
10. Tian S, Liang Z, Qiu F, et al. Physical activity on executive function in sedentary individuals: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2023; 18(12):e0294251.
11. Xiong J, Ye M, Wang L, et al. Effects of physical exercise on executive function in cognitively healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials: Physical exercise for executive function. Int J Nurs Stud. 2021; 114:103810. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103810.
12. Singh-Manoux A, Kivimaki M, Glymour MM, et al. Timing of onset of cognitive decline: Results from Whitehall II prospective cohort study. Bmj. 2012; 344:d7622.
13. Persson J, Nyberg L, Lind J, et al. Structure-function correlates of cognitive decline in aging. Cereb Cortex. 2006; 16:907-915. doi:10.1093/cercor/bhj036.
14. Tucker-Drob EM. Global and domain-specific changes in cognition throughout adulthood. Dev Psychol. 2011; 47: 331-343. doi:10.1037/a0021361.
15. Li S, Guo J, Zheng K, et al. Is Sedentary behavior associated with executive function in children and adolescents? A systematic review. Front Public Health. 2022;10:832845.
16. World Health Organization. Diabetes. [Internet] 2024. [cited August 2025]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes