Yoga is a quite rigorous discipline and a genuine science of the human being. The term 'Yoga' stems in the Indo-European root, and it means to join, merge, bring together or gather. There are different forms of yoga known and practiced in India as well as in the rest of the world. Yoga can be practiced by anyone regardless of gender, age, religion.
There is a form of yoga that can be practiced safely and efficiently by seniors (55+). As people get older, the parts of the body change; the joints lose their range of motion, muscles tend to stiffen. With a sedentary lifestyle, people become more susceptible to chronic diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.
Yoga slows down the effects of the aging process simply by maintaining the body's flexibility by strengthening muscles and joints. It also keeps the mind awake and alert. Yoga maintains the body-mind-spirit health and strength and reduces the effects of most of the age-related issues.
If you are a senior, regular yoga practice can play an important role in your life by helping you become and remain healthy and fit.
Senior yoga has many benefits that can be experienced by having a regular yoga practice.
The Main Benefits of Senior Yoga
- Reduces the swelling in the joints
- Increases joint strength and mobility
- Improves digestion, metabolism, and elimination
- Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
- Improves the strength and flexibility of the muscles
- Improves the flexibility of the spine
- Strengthens the immune system.
It also helps in depression, anxiety, sleeping problems. It can shorten the grieving process, the recovery from surgery, recovery after accidents. One of the best ways for seniors to practice yoga is the chair yoga which has also many benefits for those who are not able to practice other forms of yoga:
- Relaxes the neck and back muscles, releasing the stress.
- Helps alleviate tension, fatigue, anxiety and body pain.
- Slowly increases the flexibility of the body and the overall muscle strength.
Where Should You Start?
If you are a senior (55+) who is interested in practicing yoga, you can call your neighborhood yoga studio to find out if they have any yoga classes that would be appropriate for you. You can also try a senior's yoga class online. Still, the best way of practicing yoga is under the guidance of a trained and experienced yoga teacher.