The Benefits of Physical Activity

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Maintaining physical fitness is an important aspect of life, considering the numerous health benefits it can provide. For individuals with autism, the physical, mental, and behavioral health benefits fitness can produce are even more critical. Fitness provides practice with social skills, motor skills, and endurance, but also provides heart-healthy benefits as well. Individuals with autism are 1.5 to 4.3 times more likely than others to have a variety of health issues and die at a young age, as revealed by a study conducted by the University of Cambridge.

Obesity is specifically an area of extreme concern for individuals with autism. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that about 32% of adolescents with autism were obese. This combination of obesity and autism can then further lead to more health problems, such as asthma, depression, and anxiety. It is important to be aware of this and consider ways in which to incorporate fitness into an everyday routine, as this has proven health benefits.

It can be challenging changing your lifestyle, but these strategies, recommended by the CDC, may be helpful at easing into a fitness routine:

Start Small
Easing yourself into changes in your lifestyle can be helpful at achieving long-term change. It is recommended for individuals to get at least one hour of physical activity in each day. Some enjoyable examples of this could include walking your dog, walking to work or school (depending on the distance), family walks after meals, or family exercise competitions.

Practice Motor Skills
Motor skills may not come easy to individuals with autism, so it is important to practice developing these, as they are useful in fitness. Moving in ways such as jumping, running, or skipping can help one’s mobility. Using different sports equipment or gym gear can also be helpful ways at getting accustomed to exercising and making it fun.

Try Engaging in Different Kinds of Physical Activities
Physical activity can make up different categories, such as fitness, social activities, or independent activities. Fitness often includes moderate exercise whereas social activities can be more based around interacting with others, such as a leisure game of tennis, but still provide exercise. Independent activities are done alone, such as at-home workout videos. Everyone is different and may prefer different types of exercise, so it can be useful to see which is most pleasurable.

Make Physical Activities Autism-Friendly
Finding a program run by someone who can communicate with and encourage individuals with autism can be very beneficial. They can provide support and make the activities understandable and entertaining. Establishing a routine is also very helpful, especially for individuals on the spectrum. With this, visual schedules can aid in motivating and exciting individuals. Visual guides are also important to consider; task cards and video programs can be useful to demonstrate activities individuals will be partaking in.

Try to get yourself and your loved ones moving today!