Studies show that low-impact exercise is especially beneficial for the physical and cognitive health of older adults. If you’re looking to get more movement in without putting undue pressure on your joints (or wallet), we spotted a compact, folding, low-impact stair stepper and climbing machine currently on sale for 15% off. Reviewers call the machine a welcome addition to their home setup, calling it “a great workout for an old man” and “a very significant aerobic workout, plus excellent low-impact strength development.” While it usually goes for close to $150, you can nab it today for under $130 — but you have to act fast — this is a lightning deal that ends soon.

Weighing under 30 pounds, the machine “folds into the size of an ironing board,” making it an easy addition to your home setup.

Made with alloy steel, this compact machine can help you move your legs, glutes and core without forceful landings on your feet, ankles and knees. The machine easily folds up, making it painless to store or move around your space. It can also hold up to 330 pounds.

When you’re ready to move, simply unfold the machine, adjust the handlebars, step height and stride length for intensity and comfort and move as fast or slow as you’d like, gliding your knees up and down. The digital interface tracks your speed, time, steps and calories, and there’s a spot for your phone to follow along with workouts.

“Space-saving design and light enough to transport and maneuver,” one wrote. “…The piston/hydraulic action is smooth and makes very little noise. For reference, I am 5′ 10″ and medium build, have no issues with knocking my knees on the pistons. The legs are sturdy as well and do not shake.”

This climber lets you move fluidly, without harsh jumps or lifts; fans say it’s helping them regain their confidence while working out and feel physically stronger. Because it has no added resistance, you use your body weight and position to maintain the intensity, ensuring you always feel safe and in control.

“I am an old man who lost his butt muscles and was having back problems. This simple machine has been great for both problems and I’ve only had it a month,” one shopper wrote. “Sturdy, functional, easy to assemble and use-I could not recommend it more.”

66-year-old shopper Errin, who works a sitting desk job, got the machine “to strengthen my quads.” They say, “that set of muscles have gotten noticeably weaker as I’ve aged, and I could tell that the weak quads increased my fall risk. This stepper definitely targets quads! I use it a few times a day, about 50 steps each time. I really think it has helped already.”

Another reviewer, who enjoys the machine for indoor, all-weather fitness, says it’s also been great for their child who has self-described “neurological/motor issues.”

“It is kind of a challenge to find stuff for her to improve her strength and balance,” they wrote. “She uses this, too, and we started at doing ’10 steps’ each time, throughout the day. She’s doing 33 steps each session and does a few throughout the day, plus other activities that help her strength building and balance.”

Others love it for a “FULL BODY workout.”

Per the American Sport And Fitness Association, “low-impact exercise” means movements that don’t have forceful landings or cause “shock absorption” in your joints — like running and jumping. Generally, these movements include having one foot on the ground (or pedal) at all times, making them a great option for older folks and people with mobility limitations, according to the National Library of Medicine.

While the machine certainly targets your bottom half, users say it’s surprisingly versatile, offering “a wide range of motion, depending on how you use it.” (Some even say it makes for great cross-training if you also like to use a rowing machine.)

“You can stand up straight on it, reach your arms into the air, and work your upper body and improve your balance. You could even add free weights. This is GREAT for improving your posture and core stability,” Eva wrote. “…If you stand up and lean back while holding the rails, and hunch over slightly, you can engage your abs. A nice bonus is that this stretches out your low back and gives it a little break.”

Reviewers say this folding climber is a step above the rest. Read more 5-star reviews and grab one on sale.

“Best 100 bucks I ever spent. I am an old man who lost his butt muscles and was having back problems. This simple machine has been great for both problems and I’ve only had it a month. Sturdy, functional, easy to assemble and use- I could not recommend it more.” — Amazon customer

“1. Affordable 2. Space saving folds into size of an ironing board. 3. Adjustable – I’m a strong 270lb man and on the right settings was able to do a HIIT workout on this machine. Really tests cardio and builds strength in legs without knee strain or impact. At the same time this can be adjusted for grandmothers, kids, ladies doesn’t matter. Can’t recommend this highly enough. Been using it for 4mos and it’s very solid.” — Kevin

“My mother bought something similar years ago, 1988. I utilized it with intent to see how long it would last from excessive use. It’s still in her basement and works. This Sunny equipment is well built and sturdy. If size, space, portability, and cost are issues, then this is the one for you. With proper form (slight squat) this will give you the burn and conditioning you’re after. I can watch TV while burning calories and attaining fitness. This will shape your buttocks, thighs, hips, calves, and more without breaking the bank for one of those steppers your see in the gym. I can take this anywhere, like outside and on the porch for fresh air and a good cardio session. I definitely like the longer cylinders for resistance and sleek design. Keep that towel and water bottle within reach, for you will get the burn with this low impact, blood pumping exercise!” — EdMenSal

“i have been using it about three weeks now. It was easy to put together, and very sturdy. I wanted something to strengthen my quads. That set of muscles have gotten noticeably weaker as I’ve aged, and I could tell that the weak quads increased my fall risk. I am 66 yrs old, female, in a desk job during the week, but fairly active on most weekends. (I ride and work with horses, stack hay, and do other work around a small farm.) This stepper definitely targets quads! I use it a few times a day, about 50 steps each time. I really think it has helped already.

July 22, 2020: I can hardly believe I’ve used this for over 5 years now! It’s as good as new despite almost daily use.” — Errin

The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)

Middle age is a time of life where there’s a lot going on.

Many in midlife are simultaneously responsible for the care of both elderly parents and young children (part of the so-called “sandwich generation”) while also facing the stresses of being mid-career and adjusting to the ways their bodies are changing.

There almost seems to be more to do in the same 24 hours during these years and, in turn, even less time for self-care.

But, unfortunately, skimping on that work of taking care of yourself can become normalized real quick — and it eventually adds up. In fact, the habits we pick up in middle age can have a direct effect on our long-term health and well-being.

In the spirit of longevity, HuffPost spoke to experts about the most common bad habits they see people develop in middle age — and what folks can do to turn things around.

Dr. Ashley Cremona-Simmons, a board-certified family medicine physician and the founder of @DrCSEquityRX, told HuffPost that one of the most harmful things someone in middle age can do is lose sleep. In fact, she sees more patients complaining about the difficulty of getting a good night’s sleep as they approach middle age.

Cremona-Simmons said that patients should try to go to bed at the same time every night, aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep.

There are a few lifestyle changes she recommends to help support that goal: patients should avoid caffeine after morning and turn off screens to wind down before bedtime.

Cremona-Simmons also noted that habits like “bed rotting” can impact sleep too — and recommends that beds should only be used for shut-eye and intimacy.

She points patients to CDC recommendations that “they should look for signs of poor sleep quality.”

“They should tell their doctor if they have issues falling asleep, feel very tired after sleeping or repeatedly wake up during the night,” Cremona-Simmons said. “These could be symptoms of sleep disorders that need further management.”

When life gets busy, it can often feel like there isn’t time to pull together a nutritious meal. That’s part of why adequate nutrition is one of the things that can easily fall off your radar in middle age, leading to less-than-great eating habits becoming the norm.

“There are so many recommendations surrounding what equates to adequate nutrition that it can be hard for patients to navigate,” said Cremona-Simmons. “Setting realistic goals increases the chance that the patient will actually meet them.”

Cremona-Simmons noted that maintaining a healthy weight can directly affect a patient’s likelihood of chronic disease in old age. Though genetics and environmental factors come into play, she always recommends a healthy diet for middle-aged patients. After all, it’s one element that they can control.

“I tell my patients to focus on eliminating processed foods as much as possible, focus on a varied diet with a lot of plant sources, and to increase consumption of fiber,” she said. “A diet heavy in plant sources and fermented foods helps maintain a proper gut biome.”

The benefits of physical activity are well-known, Cremona-Simmons said, noting that increasing exercise has been shown to improve muscle mass, symptoms of anxiety and depression, lower fasting glucose levels and more.

The CDC recommendation is for adults to aim for 150 minutes or more of moderate aerobic exercise and two days or more of strength training per week. After 65, they should also work on balance and mobility.

“I tell my patients to start with small goals, especially if they are relatively sedentary,” said Cremona-Simmons. “For example, they can start with just increasing their daily steps, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking breaks to walk around their office building. The goal is to get moving!”

Though physical activity is clearly vital for good health, Anna Di, a chiropractor and owner of UNITY Chiropractic Wellness in New York City, told HuffPost that it’s not enough to increase exercise one week and skip it the next. Instead, she said, a healthy movement routine hinges on a schedule.

“One of the biggest challenges middle-aged patients face is that they’re kind of at the peak of their lives, where there are so many things they have to juggle, that it becomes really easy to push physical health to the side because other things require more immediate attention,” said Di. “The budgeting of time to take care of your physical and mental health actually becomes even more important at this stage of life, but a lot of people do not realize that until symptoms start showing up.”

Di said accountability is hugely important when maintaining a consistent workout routine. It’s also important to try a range of movements, exercising different areas of the body.

“You are the doctor for that hour, treating yourself. That time is dedicated to getting better. Use this time to give yourself a good cardio workout, a patient but efficient stretch, or to do a few weight-training exercises,” she said. She added that trying new activities with a partner who can keep you accountable can also help prevent loneliness and, in turn, benefit mental health.

Di said one of the worst things a middle-aged patient can do is ignore pain. When specific movements become difficult or painful, it’s not a sign to become less active but to seek out support.

“One analogy I like to use is if you are taking a hammer and hitting your thumb over and over and over, eventually once the hammer is gone, even the tiniest tap against your thumb or grazing the skin becomes extremely sensitive because of all the repetitive trauma that builds up over time,” said Di. “That does not mean you can never use a hammer again. It means you need to coordinate better so you stop hitting your thumb and start hitting the nail on the head.”

She says beginning to move in ways that are not painful requires the conscious effort of “learning proper movement patterns, improving coordination, being patient with yourself during movement and sometimes working with specialists who can help guide you.”

“In middle age, sometimes the habits you had when you were younger really start to show. People notice that they are doing the same activities they used to do before, but now they do not recover as quickly, or they start feeling pain doing things that used to feel completely normal,” Di said. “A lot of people also lose confidence in movement because they are afraid of pain or reinjury.”

“But sometimes pain and bad habits happen because you do not yet have the strength, endurance, coordination, or even mental confidence to perform movements properly,” she continued.

Though it may be harder to make new friends in middle age, it is still a prime time to form emotionally healthy relationships and build community, as Gwenyth Lloyd and Sarah Burrows, two mental health professionals at the SUNY New Paltz Psychological Counseling Center, told HuffPost.

Old age becomes a bit of a catch-22 when it comes to a social life. It can feel increasingly difficult to make friends out in the wild and to find the time to see the people you already know and love, but supportive relationships also have an increasingly central role in well-being at this age.

“If they have not cultivated those positive, healthy relationships, [people in middle age] can experience an intense sense of isolation,” Burrows said. “Social support is critical.”

The treatment for isolation is simply finding community and connection.

It can be as simple as striking up conversations with people outside or deeper, like building reliable social networks around things you care about, Lloyd noted, emphasizing how her own faith community created that space for her.

“Whether it’s at church, the community center, no man is an island,” Lloyd said. “We all need that stimulation. We all need to feel loved, to feel accepted.”

Lloyd said addictive behaviors can have a detrimental effect on mental health. In fact, substance abuse is considered a co-occurring disorder because of the way it affects the well-being of addicted people.

Overindulging in things like drugs, alcohol and even sex can cause patients to abandon the healthy and stable routines that actually benefit their mental and physical health.

It doesn’t help that things like alcohol just hit your body differently—with many people losing the enzyme that helps us metabolize alcohol (alcohol dehydrogenase) as we get older.

Most of us don’t consider the way we talk to and about ourselves when we’re thinking about health, but our outward behaviors are generally a manifestation of what’s happening inside.

And hopelessness begins when we are mean to ourselves, according to Burrows and Lloyd.

“Another bad habit can be how you think. Having a very negative outlook on life, a pessimistic and a very self-critical attitude, internally shaming, guilting, berating yourself, leads to depression and withdrawal, and even fear of connecting with others,” Burrows said.

Negative self-talk can be the result of trauma or family dynamics that were never addressed developmentally or in therapy, Lloyd notes. It results in poor interpersonal relationships, cycles of anger and, ultimately, a diminished quality of life.

But Burrows and Lloyd say cultivating more positive attitudes is something that can be developed at any age.

“The prescription is laugh heartily, smile regularly, and say hello to the world,” Lloyd said.