Yoga For Seniors | Slow and Gentle Yoga
Yoga For Seniors
Yoga has shown so many health benefits for every practitioner, and one of those is slowing physical weakness and subsequent functional limitations of adults. Getting older has many gifts such as maturity, wisdom, experiences etc, but it has disadvantages as well like having a hard time physically. It becomes harder to carry an extra weight off. Obesity comes easily also when you’re getting old.
Another disadvantage is the -threatening illnesses, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers. Arthritis, joint pains, back pains are also common when you aged. Even if seniors reached the level of maturity they still suffer emotionally, depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders are also present. Memory loss is very common as well.
With this information, the stage of aging often causes fear as birthdays pile up. But seniors can still prevent all of these and can still enjoy life by means of yoga.
As we all know, eating healthy foods, proper diet, and exercising can help us grow old slowly. It can prevent many diseases, injuries and many more. What more if you do such and combine it with yoga.
Yoga, particularly restorative yoga, offers a wide range of health benefits, working physical and mental aspects. Seniors would surely benefit from this yoga practice for we know they often struggle with pain, joint stress, imbalance, osteoarthritis, and other physical limitations.
Here are some of the benefits of a daily yoga practice for seniors.
· Yoga can help seniors in their balance and stability.
Different types of yoga practice focused on balancing, a very vital form of yoga for seniors. It helps strengthen the muscles and prevents falls which is very common for our elders.
· Yoga helps elders lessen the back and other joint pains
Yoga is a gentle exercise that suits our elders well, it increases flexibility. It’s an exercise that is good for when joints tend to be achy or stiff.
· Yoga practice can improve respiration
Aging can limit physical activities and respiratory movement, and it has a negative effect in the mind and body. Studies found that with the use of yoga, improvement in respiratory function can be observed.
· Yoga can also reduce high blood pressure
Hypertension can lead to cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have found that yoga reduces oxidative stress in seniors. This stress is one of the primary causes of high blood pressure and, especially for seniors, is a strong risk factor for heart attacks.
· Yoga reduces anxiety, the most common benefit that yoga offers
Yoga can definitely offer relaxation for both mind and body. This can surely be enjoyed by seniors and could give them relief from their anxieties. Seniors can practice breathing that can make them calmer.
· Yoga encourages self awareness
One of the most benefits we can get from yoga is self awareness, seniors can also benefit from this.
Follow this video if you want to practice yoga.
Check out Adriene as she teaches yoga on her own website. She is also active on her social media, if you wish to contact her just check these following accounts.