Our life expectancy (age we live to) and healthy life expectancy (average number of years we live in good health – free from significant disability and illness) are often different.
As you can see in this graph, with figures taken from 2018-2020, there is a gap of 10+ years between the two in some parts of the District:
| Life Expectancy | Healthy life Expectancy | Years in poorer health | |
| Eastbourne- Men | 78.9 years | 63.1 years | 15.8 years |
| Eastbourne Women | 83.6 years | 63.3 years | 20.3 years |
| Lewes District – Men | 80.5 years | 66.5 years | 14.0 years |
| Lewes District – Women | 84.8 years | 68.9 years | 17.9 years |
So how physically active you want to be in later life? Think about the things you want to be able to do, like:
- Play with your grandchildren for 30 minutes without getting out of breath
- Walk 20 minutes into town to grab a coffee with friends and family
- Walk up the local hill in town without stopping
- Live in your own house, independently, Walk up the stairs
- Carry fishing gear to the lake and fish for a few hours
- Carry out the essential gardening to maintain the garden
- Carry bags of shopping to the bus and into the house
- Lift luggage for holidays into the overhead locker
- Go the gym
- Ride a bike around the South Downs
Write your own list, then act now. Start looking at your goals and put yourself in the best position to enjoy these activities in the future. It is never too late to become more active, the benefits to your health are huge:
The benefits of exercise:
- 40% reduction in falls in the elderly. Increasing strength and balance benefits us all.
- 50% reduction in major fracture. By reducing falls and also strengthening bones , reducing osteoporosis by 40% so your bones are less brittle if you do fall.
- 30% reduction in all causes of mortality. Many studies have shown exercise to reduce mortality by 30%
- 25-52% reduction in pain conditions. Studies have reported that physical activity leads to an improvement in patients pain condition.
- Unclear results with cancer. The benefits of physical activity on cancer is unclear, as it varies with many types of cancers; but some studies have shown a 25% reduction in breast cancer and 45% reduction in bowel cancer
Do the best you can, where you are, with what you’ve got
The “High Performance” podcast interviews business owners, sports people and entrepreneurs. From interviewing over 300 ‘high performers’ the message from all of these interviews is:
Doing the best you can, where you are, with what you’ve got.
That is where your physical activity journey should start. Search what you can do in your area, and below are a few suggestions to get you thinking:
| £0 | £20 | £50+ |
| Walking Around local parks Along the coastal paths The South Downs Free Walks TCV | Home Fitness Exercise mats Resistance Bands Yoga Blocks Dumbbells | Home Fitness Exercise bench Suspension Trainers Dumbbell Set Indoor Bike, Treadmill, Cross Trainer |
| Gardening Your own garden Seaford Community Garden | Apps Paid apps to get your started with exercise plans and routines | Programme Personalised programme from a gym instructor, running coach, Pilates teacher etc |
| Running Local to you Park Run/Walk Eastbourne (Shinewater) Peacehaven Lewes (Malling Rec) Seaford (Beach) | Classes / Sessions Fitness classes Cycling Classes Water sports – sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, Tai Chi / Qigong Seated Exercise Classes Sports Clubs | Memberships To a gym or physical activity group |
| Free Apps Couch to 5K (various options) Couch to Fitness | ||
| Behaviour Change Support One You East Sussex Move More – no exercise, support and accountability to get started |
Why are we pushing for a more Active Eastbourne and Lewes?
As it benefits all of us. Many injuries and illness can be reduced from being physically active – it has many positive benefits to our health.
By you being more physically active means:
- Your expected life expectancy and healthy life expectancy gap shortens
- You can live at home longer, avoiding care costs
- You maintain better health, keeping travel and health insurance costs low.
- You spend more quality time with family and friends.
- Your risk of illness decreases, and your recovery time after surgeries improves
So, what will you do this week?
Write down ‘active later life’ goals?
Try a seated exercise class?
Go for a walk in the local park?
Join local community garden?
Take up bowls?
Join a ‘walking’ sports club? (football, netball, rugby)
Remember, start small and do the best you can, where you are, with what you’ve got/is available.