The Benefits of Practicing Yoga as a Senior
From the first sun salutations to the final relaxation poses, practicing yoga is extremely beneficial, even for seniors. Studies show the positive effects yoga has on the overall health of older adults, including those who are less active. Yoga is a low-impact, gentle exercise, making it the perfect form of exercise for seniors who suffer from aches and pains.
September is National Yoga Month. If you’re an older adult who hasn’t practiced yoga, here are four benefits that may sway you to give it a try this month.
Improves Flexibility
The purpose of yoga is to increase flexibility, so, naturally, the first benefit of yoga is improved flexibility. Flexibility ensures that older adults have the range of motion they need to navigate their daily lives. Many older adults suffer from stiff joints because the lubricating fluid inside their joints decreases and their cartilage grows thinner. Yoga allows older adults to stretch muscles and improve their range of motion, helping them to remain independent.
Enhances Balance
Yoga also helps older adults enhance their balance. Many yoga poses flow from one movement to the next, giving participants opportunities to exercise their balance as they master transitions. Balance is extremely important in older age, especially as older adults are more at risk for falls. Yoga provides older adults many opportunities to build their balance and improve coordination.
Builds Muscle Tone & Strength
Yoga is a strength-based form of exercise, utilizing the participant’s body weight to build strength and increase muscle tone. It’s natural for older adults to lose muscle mass with age. In fact, after age 30, most adults lose three to five percent per decade. Unlike weight training exercises that target specific muscle groups in isolation, yoga is a gentle form of strength training that incorporates the entire body.
Boosts Mental Health
Yoga combines many stress-reducing techniques, including exercise, controlled breathing, relaxation, and meditation. It has long been known as a practice to help reduce stress. It also strengthens parts of the memory vital for memory, attention, awareness, and language. Studies show that regular yoga participants have an enhanced brain structure and less brain shrinkage than those who do not practice yoga. In addition, the yoga breath, or deep breathing techniques, supplies more oxygen to the heart, lungs, and brain. This promotes relaxation in the body, helping to reduce anxiety and stress.
Practicing yoga is just one way older adults can enhance their golden years. Another way seniors can enrich their lives is to partner with Visiting Angels Fort Worth. We are one of the most trusted resources for elderly care services. The flexible nature of our care plans allows our clients to remain in control of their routines and schedules. Whether you’re looking for someone to keep you company once a week or need help with personal care or light household tasks, we can help. When you choose us for your home care needs, you can rest assured that you will be receiving compassionate, dignified care. To learn more about our elderly care services and how we can assist you, please contact us today by calling 817-877-1616.