Yoga is a practice that has incredible benefits for everyone, but especially the senior community. It is vital as individuals age to pursue functional fitness, which are exercises that support your daily life. Functional fitness is what allows you to maintain your day-to-day mobility and can even help increase your overall wellbeing.
The word ‘yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj,’ which means to yoke, join, or unite. Yoga is a perfect exercise for seniors because you move between poses using gentle motions all while staying mindful of your breath and your body. This is a holistic practice that goes beyond your physical health and even your mental welfare is positively affected by yoga.
Never Too Late
Yoga may seem intimidating, especially for seniors, as you may feel “too old” to start the practice. That is just not true! There are modifications for every single experience level and age of the participants of yoga. Modifications can help eliminate any nerves you may have as everyone is working on their own practice. Chair yoga is a modified version of yoga that is increasingly popular in senior communities because you can complete an entire flow while seated. Especially in classes geared towards seniors, instructors are great at creating flows that allow for classes with a wide range of experiences to practice together.
What’s In It for Me?
It almost seems too good to be true that one form of exercise can produce such a great number of wonderful benefits. They come from the core of the practice of yoga: movement, breathing, relaxation, and meditation. These core elements work together to build strength, mobility, and balance all while reducing stress and the risk of falling.
Here is how your quality of life can change because of a regular yoga practice:
1. Enhance Your Strength
Most of the positions in yoga engage your core. When strengthened, your core can improve your overall strength, your posture, and your balance. Strengthening and engaging your core can also lower the risk of future injury. Yoga can also improve your bone strength, which can help prevent osteoporosis.
2. Improve and Maintain Mobility
Your range of motion will be expanded due to the slow and gentle movements of the practice and as a bonus, you will maintain and even gain flexibility. There is no pressure in yoga to push your body beyond its limits. As you continue to practice, you will begin to grow in your confidence to try harder modifications. Your balance will improve, as well, as you reduce your risk of falling. Yoga can also aid in alleviating aches and pains, which can be beneficial for coping with chronic pains.
3. Improve Sleep Quality
Studies show that not getting enough sleep is a common issue for seniors that can lead to increased forgetfulness and may increase your risk for more falls and accidents. You may see improvement in the quality of your sleep, as yoga requires mental focus and physical exertion.Plus, getting sufficient sleep can boost your immune system.
4. Improve Oxygen Flow
You will learn breathing techniques in yoga that support the increase of blood circulation in your body. This is critical for seniors because increasing the flow of oxygen within your body will boost your energy and your immune system.
5. Reduce Stress
Yoga releases tension in your body caused by stress, thereby reducing anxiety, your heart rate, and blood pressure, which means you just feel better.
6. Encourage Mindfulness & Joy
Within a yoga class, there is time set aside for listening to your thoughts, emotions, and your body which allows you to connect with yourself, others, and the world around you. Mindfulness can also keep your focus on the present moment and keep your emotions balanced. Yoga also encourages gratitude, which will put you in a better headspace as well. Additionally, the exercise of yoga releases endorphins, which are happiness hormones!
7. Boost Your Social Interactions
Within a yoga class, especially at Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury, you can engage with others. These social interactions produce the hormone oxytocin; being deficient in oxytocin is linked to depression.
You do not need to attend a yoga class at a fancy studio to begin your journey in this mindfulness practice. A regular practice can be done anywhere—from your home to your local gym. In fact, we offer yoga classes throughout the week at Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury!
You may begin to feel these benefits right away, but some may take a little longer. The best way to experience these benefits is to maintain a consistent yoga practice. A yoga practice will facilitate functional independence and help prevent cognitive decline.
International Day of Yoga
The United Nations has proclaimed an International Day of Yoga is to be observed on June 21st to increase awareness of the benefits of yoga around the world. We encourage you to find a class near you to experience these benefits for yourself!
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