If you’re looking for a new workout as you hit your golden years, give yoga a try. No matter what your fitness background is, you can gain balance, peace of mind, and many other benefits from trying yoga for seniors.
Read on to learn 5 reasons why a weekly yoga routine is a good idea!
1) Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure
You might think that you need to do intense, vigorous exercise in order to have any positive impact on your blood pressure. That’s not necessarily true! Research indicates that yoga, which doesn’t involve pounding the pavement, can have a positive impact on blood pressure.
If you don’t have prior experience with yoga, that’s not a problem. Commit to a few sessions each week, and you may notice your blood pressure readings moving in the right direction.
2) Improve Balance with Yoga
Yoga involves making a lot of slow, deliberate motions — and this will help with balance! As we age, our vision and awareness slowly decrease, so we’re not always able to react to things in time. This leads to falls and other injuries, especially in seniors.
Experts say that yoga can help prevent balance issues when done on a regular basis!
3) Keep Your Bones Strong
Yoga is great for maintaining bone strength, which people start to lose around the age of 50. Studies show that roughly 50% of Americans will develop osteoporosis, a condition that means your bones are losing density. This results in an increased risk of fractures and other injuries that will keep you sidelined.
Poses that require you to hold steady for periods of time — like the downward dog or plank — can help build bone strength if done on a regular basis.
4) Sleep Better with Yoga For Seniors
Yoga routines also encourage a practice of slow breathing, and this can help you sleep better! Simple poses like the corpse pose or lizard pose are known to be effective.
Add 15-20 minutes of yoga stretching before you’re ready to retire for the night, and you just may notice that you wake up feeling more well-rested!
5) Stay Calm and Mindful
When you practice yoga, much of your focus is internal. You pay attention to things like breathing or your body position. Doing this helps to focus your mind.
Many yoga practitioners point to regular sessions as important to building mental clarity. As you age and have more time to think about the negativity in the world around you, yoga can help you focus on what matters.
You don’t need fancy equipment to start yoga, and even seniors with limited mobility can start. Games for seniors, including chair yoga, can do wonders for mental health. And yoga can be done with a group, so it offers a platform for socialization.
Get Started
Yoga for seniors is the perfect addition to a weekly routine. If you are a senior or know someone ready for a new activity, yoga is an excellent source of physical and mental wellness.
It’s easy to get started and you can tailor a routine to your physical needs. Check back with us for more tips on how you can make your life healthier and happier!