At some point in our lives we start to think about ways to live longer and better. Maybe we become parents or even grandparents, or we cannot fit into those favorite jeans anymore. When we think about our lifespan and health span we may not consider how important muscle mass may be. Did you know that muscle is called the organ of longevity? Most longevity experts agree that a major aspect of living a long vibrant life is to have more muscle mass.

I have had a love of weight training for many years and as a woman it has helped me in every aspect of my life. When I started I didn’t really think about longevity but now that I am older it is the reason I am continually preserving and building the muscle I have. There are so many benefits to building skeletal muscle as we age and I hope after you read 6 of my favorites you will consider starting a strength training program.

Better Sleep: Sleep is the foundation of health. We may not consider sleep when we think of muscle mass but we should. We would assume that people who engage in three to four training sessions a week will sleep better. Our bodies repair every night as we go into deep sleep. When we get good restorative sleep, we will have more energy to workout and we will be in a better mood. All sleep experts agree we need 7-9 hours nightly and exercise is a key to getting us there.

Better survivability: The more muscle you have the better chance you may have of surviving many diseases and sicknesses. It is a fact that people who have higher muscle mass have a greater chance of surviving cancer, heart disease and accidents, to name a few. Low muscle mass is associated with a significant risk factor for mortality. There will no doubt come a day when we may have a health issue of some sort and muscle will give us a much better chance of coming out of it earlier than someone who has none.

Better mobility: Mobility and muscle mass are closely related. The more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to move freely, and conversely, good mobility enables you to effectively utilize muscle mass during movement. Think of a grandparent being able to get on the floor and play with their grandchild or picking them up and carrying them around. This takes mobility and muscle mass as we get older.

Helps boost your hormones naturally: Men and women will both experience hormonal decline as they age. One major hormone that we can increase by lifting heavy things is testosterone. When we have low testosterone we will experience low sex drive, fatigue, vaginal issues for women and sexual function issues for men, weight gain and brain fog. When we engage in a regular strength training program we can boost our testosterone levels naturally. Testosterone has so many vital functions in both men and women.

Bone health: More muscle equals stronger bones. When our bones are strong we will have better balance and less falls. If we do fall there is a much better chance we do not break a bone. Weight training targets bones in the hips, spine and wrists which are prone to fracture. When we have brittle bones (osteoporosis) we will most likely not live as long.

Mood and confidence: Having a great weight lifting session and more muscle mass just makes you happier all the way around. We release endorphins and improve blood flow when we workout. Feeling strong and having a muscular physique increases confidence as well. I also think when you see someone who is in great shape you can assume they are happier people. I know that when I workout I am immediately in a much better mood. Give it a try!

Author: Michelle Cuffe  |  Instagram  |  Website