Contributed by; Healthians Team
Introduction
Yoga is a great way to keep your body and mind synchronised. You are never too old, to begin with, yoga.
As a person grows old it is vital to do some physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
With routine yoga and exercise, even the old age people will feel more energetic and it can help manage the aches and pains that are common when ageing.
One of the best types of exercise for elderly people is yoga. Seniors can improve their flexibility and balance, strengthen their muscles, and improve their mood over time if they attend the right sessions.
Benefits of yoga for senior citizens
Retirement is the ideal opportunity to try new activities and develop healthy habits that you may not have had time to think about during your working years.
If you’ve never tried yoga before, attend a session and learn about some of the benefits of yoga for seniors, such as:
Reduces stress
The most relaxing way to keep your body healthy is yoga. Yoga helps in releasing stress from various pressure points on the shoulders and upper back.
Yoga also supports reducing anxiety, lowering your heart rate, and blood pressure, and helping you breathe easier.
Improves the sleep cycle
Yoga is a relaxing exercise and it improves the sleep cycle. Many health experts assert that sleeping longer and more peacefully might be a problem for senior citizens but can be achieved by practising yoga and meditation regularly.
Improves balance, flexibility, mobility, and strength
Yoga positions contain slow, deliberate motions that can improve balance and mobility.
Because falls are the top cause of injury among seniors, yoga can help you gain the mobility you need to go around more safely.
Increases bone strength
Yoga for elders can help prevent osteoporosis, a disease that produces brittle or weak bones.
When the formation of new bone is unable to keep up with the loss of bone mass and density that happens with age, osteoporosis develops.
Yoga keeps your bones healthy and strong.
There are endless benefits to doing yoga. It’s a myth that when you grow old yoga becomes complex for you.
You can start doing yoga at any age as it supports your mobility and flexibility at old age.
So, it doesn’t make any difference if orthopaedic or other physical issues you’re dealing with right now, yoga has something simple, soothing, and useful for you.
Here are some really simple and extremely beneficial Yoga postures (asanas) for senior citizens.
Balasana (child pose)
Balasana is a yoga pose that helps to relax and strengthen the weak muscles of the chest, back, and shoulders.
Simultaneously, it promotes blood circulation in the upper half of the body, preventing lethargy for the remainder of the day.
Try this asana every morning for about 1 to 4 minutes for better results.
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Practising Bhujangasana helps seniors avoid constipation by stimulating the abdominal organs.
It strengthens the back and legs, opens the heart and lungs, and moves the spine around.
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Tadasana is another name for the ‘Mountain Pose.’ In Sanskrit, ‘Tada’ is ‘Mountain,’ and ‘Asana’ means ‘Pose.’
Elders benefit from the mountain stance because it improves posture.
It strengthens their weak legs and ankles, making it easier for them to move about.
It also relieves back pain and stiffness, which are common among the elderly.
Shavasana (corpse pose)
Savasana is also known as the ‘Corpse Pose.’ In Sanskrit, ‘Shava’ means ‘Corpse,’ while ‘Asana’ means ‘posture.’
Shavasana is an excellent way to unwind. It promotes attention, which improves the quality of life for the aged.
Shavasana also helps with insomnia, which is a common chronic ailment among the elderly.
Padmasana (lotus pose)
Padmasana, when practised in a meditative state, relaxes the mind and aids in the relief of anxiety and age-related mental stress, particularly those connected to feelings of loneliness.
Final thoughts
If you’re thinking of taking a yoga class, make sure you complete your homework first and start with the basic postures.
Many senior centres offer yoga classes designed just for seniors, and the instructors are familiar with the postures that are most useful to them.
Try a beginner’s class, and if any of the poses are difficult or painful, recognise your boundaries.
Yoga can help elders just as much as younger ones, regardless of their present fitness level.
Yoga always works and brings the best out of the person doing it. It boosts you with positive energies and if you are consistent with it it will magically change your life.
Moreover, you should also frequently opt for health screening. It provides you with vital insights into your health, allowing you to take necessary measures to improve it.
