With a growing population of seniors, there has been an increasing focus on geriatric care. Seniors are living longer and many of them are striving to lead active, fulfilling lives. One of the best ways to age gracefully in spite of common health complaints linked to aging is to take a fitness class like yoga.
The common reaction to arthritis, back pain, joint aches and many other “senior” ailments is to take it easy. Unfortunately, engaging in less physical activity of any kind is exactly what seniors should NOT do. With yoga however, seniors could gain many benefits such as pain management, stress relief, weight loss, and more energy.
Defining Yoga
Yoga is a special type of exercise which uses meditation to engage both the mind and body together while employing slow movements, poses and breathing. There are many type of yoga, all of which can be traced back to India a few thousand years ago. In the U.S., hatha yoga emphasizes coordination of breathing and movements to stretch, tone and achieve balance of the body.
Yoga benefits are many and do not require much of a time commitment. By investing fifteen minutes each day, seniors will realize better concentration and focus in addition to increased strength, flexibility and balance. An energy boost and the capability to relax more fully are additional yoga benefits.
Healthy Benefits of Yoga
One of the most common problems seniors face is difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. When a restful sleep is elusive, the result is reduced attentiveness during the day. Pharmaceutical sleep aids can interact with other medications and could cause side effects. However, with yoga, seniors fall asleep more quickly and actually stay asleep longer.
Greater strength is counted among the many yoga benefits among seniors. Joint aches and arthritis both can cause reduced strength as well as chronic pain. Most seniors who take yoga classes eventually notice less muscle weakness and the need for less pain medication.
Chronic health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are typical among the senior set. Yoga benefits for seniors include an improvement in blood sugar levels as well as lung capacity. Triglycerides and cholesterol levels lower which in turn lowers high blood pressure risks. The simple breathing exercises and relaxation movement in yoga ease stress and elevates mood, resulting in fewer mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Losing weight is another side benefit for seniors who take yoga. Calories burn easily and appetite reduces overall. Since weight gain is typical in the 50+ set, practicing yoga helps not only health in general but also in mobility. With less weight to carry around on the body, there is less stress on the bones and joints, meaning fewer aches and pains.
Yoga benefits are reflected in the improvement of many common complaints from seniors. Balance problems are typical as are osteoporosis, lack of flexibility, joint weakening and muscle tightening. The body rebels without some type of frequent physical activity. Introducing yoga into daily schedules, seniors will soon feel the positive effects of this ancient, beneficial exercise.
Related Posts
Exercises are a fad for many people who are in their twenties and thirties. However, once you are in the wrong side of fifty, integrating exercises in your daily regimen can be...
As people age and the need for long term health care insurance looms on the horizon, their diets more often than not require some degree of adjustment. These changes result from...
You’ve probably heard a great deal about how healthy fish oil is for the human body. What you probably don’t know is why it is so beneficial, and exactly how your body benefits...
You may or may not have heard of a Bonsai Tree, and chances are likely, you are not aware of all the benefits that come with growing one. The truth is that Bonsai is actually a...
Why Yoga?
The sole purpose behind Yoga is to make the body healthier by manipulating it into a variety of poses or positions that have established health benefits for the body....
Leave a Reply
