Reasons Why Seniors Should Take Up Yoga
Did you know that healthy eating and engaging in regular exercise are essential aspects of a balanced lifestyle and important to overall wellness? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adults over the age of 65 should engage in at least 150 minutes of mild activity a week. As we age, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to exercise with many seniors becoming predominantly sedentary due to physical limitations. As important as physical activity was in our younger years it is of even more importance as we grow older as many serious health conditions are either brought on or worsened by a predominantly inactive lifestyle.
Yoga offers a range of health benefits to seniors who are seeking alternatives to conventional medications and treatments. As more and more people attempt to steer away from potentially harmful pharmaceuticals more holistic approaches to health will continue to gain popularity. Individuals who suffer from joint pain and stress, as well as other limitations, can benefit from incorporating yoga into their daily routines for a number of reasons such as those mentioned below.
Yoga can significantly improve your balance and stability
As we grow older we become a lot more prone to trips and falls that can lead to serious injury and health implications. A lot of yoga poses focus on stability and balance which are of vital importance when it comes to wanting to minimize these types of injuries. By strengthening your muscles and improving your balance you will find yourself being a lot agiler and stable on your feet. Engaging in yoga will not only aid in preventing the occurrence of injury but will also speed up the recovery process should the injury be completely unavoidable.
Yoga can improve your flexibility while improving your joint health
If you are looking for ways to improve your bone health and increase flexibility, the gentle nature of Yoga is the way to go as it puts very little strain on your joints. Feeling stiff and full of aches and pains is often an unfortunate, yet completely natural, part of the aging process. Yoga has the potential to loosen stiff muscles while also toning your supportive muscles, reducing the risk of injury. Yoga movements are known to exercise parts of the body that other programs can’t. An improvement in flexibility will enable you to uphold a good range of motion as you age which will also contribute to a decreased risk of falls and injury.
Yoga is not only gentle enough to be practiced by those suffering from osteoporosis but it can also help prevent as well as slow down a loss in bone density. The mild stretches and poses of yoga can be of extreme benefit in terms of relieving the pain brought on by an existing bone fracture or condition.
Yoga can reduce both your anxiety and your high blood pressure
If you have ever attended a yoga class you will know how calm and invigorating it is, relaxing both your body and mind. When yoga is practiced on a regular basis, it can significantly reduce anxiety and stress. Yoga movements require a strong focus on breathing and unhurried movements which can trigger your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, drastically reducing the effects of stress and anxiety. Hypertension is often a direct effect of stress and can lead to serious health conditions such as high cholesterol, heart disease, kidney failure and even death. Oxidative stress is one of the most prevalent causes of high blood pressure amongst the elderly and can be reduced considerably through yoga, reducing the senior’s risk of falling victim to a serious medical complication.
Although the thought of starting a new exercise regime may seem daunting the benefits of yoga far outweigh any risks that may be associated with it. That said, it is suggested that anyone making any drastic lifestyle changes do seek professional medical advice first before doing so to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
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