Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by adding physical activity to the daily routine is of utmost importance, especially as we age. Here YOGA comes into play! Yoga for seniors helps aging people live an independent life. With regular yoga practice, seniors can not only feel more energetic but also can manage various pains and aches. This write-up sums up everything you need to know about yoga for seniors. Here we go.
Benefits of Yoga for Seniors
Sharpen Your Mind
Yoga is a great way to sharpen the mind. Elders by adding yoga to their routine can give their minds a break from the hectic life. People who practice various yoga poses on regular basis are reportedly flaunt great mood and memory.
Strengthen Joints and Bones
When we step into old age, the density of bones gets weaker and joints become stiffer. In such a case, yoga work wonders by reducing tenderness and stiffness of joints. Above all, elders struggling with the problem of osteoporosis can gain huge benefits with the practice of yoga.
Reduce Stress
Yoga is a great stress buster for seniors. It helps them reduce tension and stress. Researchers suggest that with the practice of various breathing exercises and doing meditation, seniors can get rid of daily-life stress.
Improve Balance and Stamina
By inculcating slow and measured movements of yoga in daily life, aging people can not only achieve better balance but also can improve their strength. Although while doing yoga for seniors, beginners may find it difficult to practice various poses, however over time the ability to practice those poses can be improved.
Better Sleep
Sleeping issues are commonly seen in aging people. Many individuals report that after practicing a few poses of yoga for seniors, they enjoy better sleep at night. Just by performing some simple stretching poses and breathing exercises prior to going on the couch, seniors can improve their sleep.
The benefits of yoga for seniors are not limited to the ones listed here. There are many more health benefits yoga can bring to you with the help of various poses. Here, we are going to discuss some basic yoga poses for seniors, beginners especially, to help them get rid of various health problems in a natural way. Let’s start!
Best Poses of Yoga for Seniors Beginners
Tree Pose
Tree pose is a great option for strengthening your hips, ankles, and abdominal muscles. With regular practice of this pose, seniors can gain great balance. It not only increases stability but also helps in strengthening your legs.
Downward Facing Dog
This is another best yoga pose for seniors to practice. It has been said that doing the downward-facing dog pose a day keeps the doctor away. If so, then why not practice this pose? It is great for the health of joints, enhancement of flexibility, and overall body strength.
Corpse Pose
Corpse yoga pose helps in resetting the nervous system along with restoring peace to mind and body. It is a must-do yoga pose at the end of every yoga session. With the help of this pose, your body rejuvenates and you are able to relieve stress and tension. It boosts energy in the body and is great to give you rest after your yoga practice.
Chair Yoga
Last but not least, chair yoga is the practice of various yoga poses that needs to done while sitting on a chair. This allows seniors with certain health conditions to practice yoga. For example, who are unable to stand or move from one place to another, chair yoga for seniors can be of great help. There are certain chair yoga poses that can be practiced by elders. To name a few, ujjayi breathing, circles, arms sun salutation, eagle arms, neck stretches, forward fold, and ankle to the knee pose can be practiced by seniors while being seated on a chair.
Caution: Yoga for seniors is intended to help elders strengthen and stretch their muscles, not to cause any kind of pain. If while doing any of these poses of yoga for seniors beginners, you are feeling pain, you are suggested not to push yourself again. Instead, you can contact an expert yoga instructor, discuss your health issues, and get your yoga sequence adjusted accordingly.
If you have got retired, it is the best time for you to try something new. Why not yoga? This will help you enhance your strength, boost mood, and improve flexibility along with letting you incorporate yourself into some healthier habits. No matter what your fitness level is, start practicing yoga for seniors to reap a plethora of health benefits.