How Yoga can Benefit the Elderly

aadmin — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:39:54 +0000

Gone are the days when getting old meant that seniors were supposed to simply sit in a comfortable rocking chair and let time and activities pass them by. Now, a crucial part of life for the elderly is looking for ways to stay healthy while aging. One of those ways to promote greater health is to take up yoga which is a terrific way to exercise in a very low-impact way.

For many seniors the idea of regular exercise can be a bit intimidating due to the fear of falling or perhaps putting stress on their body. Well, you need not have to worry one bit with yoga. The postures that you undertake during your exercise are based upon your own practices and not based upon competing with others. So in effect you regulate how much exercise you need without stress or worry.

Exercise with a Partner

While using yoga as a means to stay healthy and fit, you can also benefit by joining in with others. Again, you are not competing with your fellow yoga partners. But the fellowship is great for mutual encouragement as well as celebration of success after each yoga workout.

Increase Body Flexibility

One of the nagging issues which many elderly confront is the dwindling flexibility they have in movement. Well, you can increase that limberness with regular yoga and this will result in less likelihood of accidental falls due to inflexible body limbs. It assures greater balance as well.

Reduces Stress

Part of regular yoga exercise for the elderly is the enhancement of reduced stress levels. This is accomplished in a couple of neat ways. For instance, the breathing exercises allow you to promote greater breathing capacity. You also will notice that your standing and even sitting posture will be enhanced. This will allow you to have better balance as well as physical strength in your legs. In the end you will worry less and have less stressful episodes.

Mental Alertness Increases

One of the best benefits that the elderly will experience is the growing alertness in daily tasks that may not have been possible beforehand. Consider that your improved breathing exercises that go along with your yoga allow more oxygen to be delivered to the brain. This promotes greater alertness and the daily or regular yoga routines improve memory too.

Yoga is not a magic bullet that will cure all the ills that many elderly have in their lives, but it is guaranteed to help bring back much of the vitality that may be missing from it. So, have fun creating your own yoga routine! There is certainly nothing to lose and a greater healthier longer life to gain. Be sure to speak with your physician before starting any exercise regime.

Tags:

yoga

Categories:

Health and Wellness

Healthy Living

The benefits of Yoga for seniors

aadmin — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:45:58 +0000

Feeling good is always something marvelous to aim for no matter the age, so working toward this goal should be something you entertain as much as possible. In fact, regular exercise is one of the most important activities that are guaranteed to keep you feeling better about your life as well as your mental and physical wellbeing.

You are quite familiar that an apple a day keeps the doctor away The same can be said about exercising each day, which can keep you alert and the doctor thrilled at how fantastic you look and feel. One of those exercise activities that is probably not on your radar, but should be, is yoga.

You might be thinking that yoga is something you thought about when you were younger, but now being older it is a bit more strenuous.

In reality, yoga is an exercise that is not as strenuous as you might think, and in fact is perfect because you can truly work at your own pace individually or with a group of your fellow yoga partners.

Health Benefits
Have you been feeling not quite as limber as you once were? Well, yoga can not only help keep your muscles and joints much more flexible, but practicing yoga also helps to reduce the amount of anxiety and stress that many have. In effect, yoga is like taking a vitamin pill for your body as well as for your mental health and it does not cost you a single cent!

Low Impact Exercise
Often times when you are considering engaging in exercise again you remember working out on a treadmill, or perhaps on an exercise bike or with weights. Now the thought of such high impact exercises might be challenging and perhaps even more harmful to you if you have not exercised in years.

Yoga is not high impact and it certainly does not involve lifting weights or engaging in strenuous running. Yoga is perfect for older and elderly individuals because it is low-impact. Many of the stretching postures are performed with little or no difficulty.

In addition, if you join a yoga class that is introductory and also targeted to seniors and the elderly everyone will be learning and performing yoga routines at the same pace.

Strengthens Body
As seniors age the body’s muscles weaken and in many cases there is slow erosion of the bone’s density. Many medical experts have supported the use of yoga techniques as a way of helping to lessen bone density loss and even reduce pain. The yoga techniques are moderate and each yoga routine or stretch is performed without placing strain on your bones or muscles.

Do not forget that as you strengthen your body’s muscles and bones you are also improving your mind as well. Practicing yoga daily means your mind is becoming more focused and you in turn will have more energy. Also, be sure to always consult your physician before starting any exercise regimen.

Tags:

Categories:

RetirementHomes.com - yoga

How Yoga can Benefit the Elderly

The benefits of Yoga for seniors