Exercising Indoors in Indian Summer and Monsoon

Why the climate matters for older adults

• Reduced sweating and cooling: the body copes less well with heat; see heat stroke and dehydration in seniors.
• Blunted thirst: older adults may not feel thirsty until dehydrated.
• Medicines: water tablets, some blood pressure, heart and psychiatric medicines affect fluids and heat tolerance; see medicine side effects families should watch.
• Chronic conditions: heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and dementia raise heat risk.
• Humidity, which stops sweat evaporating, making it harder to cool.
• Wet and slippery surfaces raise the risk of falls and fractures; see falls risk assessment at home.
• Air quality, with pollution and fog affecting the lungs; see pollution season plan for seniors and indoor air quality for older lungs.
• Infections: monsoon brings mosquito and water-borne illnesses; see monsoon infections and older adults and dengue and malaria in older adults.

Check with the doctor if

Ask a doctor about exercise in hot weather, and fluid advice, if your parent has:

• heart disease, high blood pressure or heart failure, where fluids may be restricted and heat is a strain; see exercise with heart disease;
• kidney disease; see chronic kidney disease home care;
• diabetes, where heat and dehydration affect sugar; see exercise with diabetes;
• lung disease or breathlessness;
• dementia, Parkinson's disease or a stroke, which can reduce awareness of heat or ability to cool; see exercise for Parkinson's disease and exercise after a stroke at home;
• water tablets or medicines that affect sweating;
• a recent illness, fever, vomiting or diarrhoea.

Planning the time of day

• Summer: exercise early morning (before the sun is high) or late evening, and stay out of the midday and early afternoon heat. Indoors, the coolest time is usually early morning.
• Monsoon: choose dry intervals, and exercise indoors during rain. Avoid going out in thunderstorms or flooding.
• Winter: avoid very early foggy, cold or polluted mornings, particularly with lung or heart disease; exercise mid-morning when it is warmer and the air clearer.
• After meals: wait an hour or so after a large meal.
• Fasting: see below.
• Medicines: exercise when you feel at your best; see exercise for Parkinson's disease for "on" timing.

Preparing the space

Cooling and ventilation - Choose the coolest, best-ventilated room, away from the afternoon sun, typically on a lower floor or on the shaded side. - Close curtains on sunny windows during the day; open windows at night and early morning to let heat out; see temperature and ventilation at home. - Use a fan, angled so that air moves across the room, not blasting directly at a sweating person for long. An air conditioner at a moderate setting (around 26 to 28 degrees Celsius) is also fine; avoid very cold air. - Do not exercise in a closed, hot, humid room. - In the monsoon, keep the room dry and ventilated; use a dehumidifier or open windows when not raining; watch for mould; see pest, damp and mould at home.

Floors and safety - Marble, tile and wet floors are slippery. Dry them; use a non-slip mat or grippy footwear; keep entrances dry from wet shoes and umbrellas. See flooring, rugs and trip hazards. - Wipe sweat from the floor and mat; sweat makes surfaces slippery. - Clear the space of furniture, wires and children's toys; good light. - Footwear: closed, non-slip shoes, or bare feet on a non-slip mat; see choosing shoes for older feet. - A sturdy chair or counter for support. - A phone or alarm nearby; see panic pendant buying guide. - Power cuts: keep a torch, battery fan and plan to stop exercise if the fan fails and the room heats; see power cuts and older adults.

Hydration

• Drink water before, during and after exercise, in small, regular amounts, unless your doctor has limited your fluids.
• Do not wait for thirst.
• Include other fluids: buttermilk, coconut water, diluted lime water, thin dal water, soups; people with diabetes should watch sugar content; people with kidney or heart disease should follow fluid advice; see hydration for older adults.
• Avoid very sugary drinks, excessive tea and coffee, and alcohol.
• Check urine colour: pale yellow suggests good hydration; dark yellow suggests you need more fluid (unless medicines or conditions change urine colour).
• Keep water within reach at all times.

What to do indoors

Aim for the same goals as outdoors: aerobic activity, strength, balance and flexibility; see exercise at home for seniors: a safe starter guide and strength training after 60: how much is enough.

Aerobic (gentle) - Indoor walking: a corridor, a loop around the room or the house, with a few laps; see walking programme for older adults. - Marching on the spot, holding a counter if needed. - Seated pedalling; see pedal exerciser guide. - Dancing to music, gently. - Chair aerobics with arm and leg movement; see chair exercises for seniors. - Stair climbing with a rail, if safe, a few steps at a time.

Strength - Chair-based and bodyweight routines; see chair exercises for seniors. - Resistance bands; see resistance band routine for seniors. - Light weights; see dumbbells guide for seniors.

Balance - Supported standing balance exercises; see balance exercises for seniors.

Flexibility and relaxation - Gentle stretching; see stretching for stiff older bodies. - Slow breathing, gentle yoga or tai chi adapted to age, with an instructor; avoid forceful poses.

Daily life activity - Light housework, cooking, gardening on a covered balcony, standing up regularly; see sitting for long hours.

Online or community classes designed for older adults, if comfortable with technology and safe.

Signs of heat illness: stop and act

Stop exercising, move to a cool place, sit or lie down, and cool the body with damp cloths and a fan if you notice:

• heavy sweating, cool or clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps, fast pulse (heat exhaustion): rest, sip water, loosen clothing, cool the skin; seek medical help if not improving within about 30 minutes;
• confusion, slurred speech, hot dry or very flushed skin, very high temperature (around 40 degrees Celsius or more), fainting or a seizure (heat stroke): this is an emergency; call 112, cool the person while waiting.

See power cuts and older adults and keeping a bedridden parent cool in Indian summers. Also stop for chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting feelings or a racing heartbeat, and call 112 for emergencies. A thermometer helps check for fever; see digital thermometer guide.

Monsoon specifics

• Slippery entrances and stairs: keep a mat, dry the floor, use handrails; see stairs, steps and thresholds.
• Damp and mould can affect breathing and trigger asthma; clean and ventilate.
• Mosquitoes: use nets or repellents suitable for older skin; avoid stagnant water.
• Water-borne illness: drink boiled or filtered water, and wash hands; see monsoon infections and older adults.
• Dry clothes and shoes to prevent fungal infections; see skin conditions in older adults.
• Do not go out in flooded areas or thunderstorms.
• Keep indoor exercise consistent; low light and gloomy weather can reduce motivation and mood; see depression in older adults.

Fasting days and festivals

• Do not exercise strenuously while fasting, particularly in the heat or if you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease. Gentle movement is fine.
• Plan exercise after breaking the fast, with water, or in the cool part of the day.
• Take medicines as advised by your doctor; do not skip them without asking; see fasting, festivals and older adults.
• Watch for dizziness, weakness and low sugar.
• Keep the routine light during festival weeks, and return to usual afterwards.

Keep the habit going

• Exercise at a fixed time in the cool part of the day.
• Make the space pleasant: music, a prayer, a view.
• Exercise with family; see motivating a parent to exercise.
• Keep a simple chart.
• Do a little each day rather than long bouts on cool days.
• Treat rain as an excuse to try indoor routines, not to stop.

When to ask a professional

Ask a doctor about fluids, medicines and exercise in the heat if you have chronic conditions. A physiotherapist can design an indoor programme. A nurse can advise on hydration and heat illness. A dietician can advise on fluids and meals. In an emergency, call 112.