Yoga for Seniors
The Key to a Healthy, Happy Life
The beauty of yoga lies in its ability to cater to people of all age brackets. While Zumba, aerobics and intense cardio workouts may be too severe for the seniors, yoga provides a set of gentle postures to keep the aging body fit and healthy.
Growing old is that stage in life when you have a lot of time on your hands to pursue hobbies and spend some quality family time, but it is also the stage in which you are susceptible to a wide range of age-related diseases and ailments. Yoga for seniors is designed to enhance your quality of life, and keep you active and on your feet!
Yoga for Seniors Health Benefits
Relegating yourself to a sedentary lifestyle will only increase your chances of suffering from ailments such as arthritis, osteoporosis and poor blood circulation. Yoga for seniors can change all of that! Let’s find out how.
Breathe In, Breathe Out!
Yoga not only includes asanas that require your undivided concentration and focus, it also consists of meditation and deep breathing. Deep breathing exercises during meditation enhance the supply of oxygen to the brain ensuring that you stay mentally alert, but feel relaxed at the same time. In fact, yoga can also alleviate your blood pressure problems and sleep problems through deep breathing coupled with appropriate asanas!
Boost Your Immunity!
Growing old is popularly linked to an increase in recreation and relaxation, but it may also be the stage where the smallest problems become the biggest tensions for you. Cut back on that stress, and the sooner you do it the better! As it is, your immune system’s efficiency decreases steadily as your body ages. Moreover, research indicates that stress hormones suppress the body’s natural immune response, thus making you even more susceptible to diseases. Yoga asanas are designed to eliminate stress and anxiety from your mind and body, and stimulate positive thoughts and feelings. Keep yourself fit and disease-free in your senior years with yoga!
For Better Balance!
One of the most common reasons for injuries among seniors is the ease with which they can lose their balance, fall, and suffer from sprains, fractures or other injuries. Yoga asanas are designed to improve your body’s core balance and stability. By attempting to hold a challenging balancing position for as long as you can, you are not only strengthening your body, but also decreasing the risk of losing balance and suffering from painful injuries.
No More Fatigue!
Yoga asanas and deep breathing exercises enhance your body’s blood circulation system. With more oxygenated blood available, your body can generate greater energy through its energy production process! Gradually you will notice that that constant feeling of tiredness and body weakness has faded, and has been replaced by a reinvigorated, rejuvenated body!
Flexibility Is The Key!
Your body is affected by the forces of aging in numerous ways. One of them is reduced joint and muscle flexibility. A sedentary lifestyle accelerates the onset of arthritis, reduced joint flexibility, accumulation of body fat, bodily pain and tight and weak muscles. Yoga for seniors incorporates asanas that stretch and open your muscles and joints, allowing you to stay flexible and decreasing your chances of suffering from the aforementioned painful ailments!
Possible Health Concerns
While practicing yoga, give your body adequate time to adapt to the postures. If you experience pain or discomfort, stop right there and take a break. Forcing your body to perform an asana can lead to injuries. Those who suffer from chronic pain should consult their doctors before practicing yoga. Twist asanas, and inversions are not appropriate for sufferers of spinal disk problems and glaucoma, respectively. Such individuals should ideally opt for the more personalized viniyoga, or inform their instructors about their health problems.
Conclusion
As a senior yoga follower, opt for the gentler Iyengar yoga or Sukshma yoga. If you prefer personalized yoga classes as opposed to group yoga sessions, opt for viniyoga. Remember that the results from your yoga sessions will appear gradually so don’t get disappointed and give up. For the best results, attend a yoga class that meets thrice a week.
Yoga can enhance your quality of life. It is up to you to take the initiative, and set the stage for a happy, healthy and positive life!
