Senior Yoga for the Elderly: Exercise, Stress Relief and More

The health benefits of exercise are well known. For younger adults, exercising can be easy. Long walks, YouTube videos, and even a local gym or community center can provide safe and easy access to staying fit and healthy. Finding the right types of exercises to do as a senior, though, can be a challenge. This is where yoga comes in.

Senior yoga is a great option for older adults looking to stay active and fit. There are so many health benefits that come with yoga for elderly people – and the benefits are both physical and mental.

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Benefits of Yoga for Older Adults

Yoga classes for seniors have been growing in popularity in recent years since they are fun, beneficial, and offer an opportunity to socialize. Some of the benefits of yoga for older people include:

• Increasing flexibility: As we age, our muscles naturally become less flexible, and we have to work harder to keep them moving easily. This is exacerbated by jobs that keep us confined in a seated position for many hours each day. Yoga poses are designed to stretch different muscles. As you hold the pose and breathe, you allow blood flow to increase in those stretched muscles, and also focus on how they feel, bringing awareness to parts of your body that may need some extra attention. Increasing flexibility and mobility can help with things like bending over to tie a shoe, pulling a shirt on over your head, or getting in and out of the car. 
• Improved balance: Balance is such an important benefit of elderly yoga. Many yoga poses require an engaged core and an important set of muscles for balance. Other poses, like the tree pose, are specifically created to help you focus on balance. Balance is crucial to prevent falls and fall-related injuries. 
• Reduced joint pain: Keeping the joints moving and keeping the muscles around the joints healthy and flexible reduces joint pain and helps lower inflammation. Yoga for the elderly can help ease arthritis symptoms as well. 
• Improved mental health: Yoga promotes a sense of mindfulness and being in tune with both your body and your surroundings. It helps clear the mind of negative thoughts or worries and can boost your mood. 
• Promotes better sleep: The breathing techniques used for yoga teach your body and mind to slow down and relax. Using those techniques at night can help you both fall asleep and stay asleep. There are also specific yoga poses that can help you wind down and cue your body that it is time to rest. 

How to Find Yoga for Seniors

Your local community center or yoga studio may already offer yoga classes designed specifically for seniors. If there is no class labeled for seniors, talk to the instructors. Some yoga instructors have more experience working with elderly adults than others, so asking questions to see if they can support your particular needs will be helpful. You can observe the class to decide if you are capable of participating. It is also important to share any limitations or injuries with your yoga instructor so they can help you modify poses so you stay safe and feel good during your practice. 

The wonderful thing about yoga is that every practice is personal. While you want to choose a class that generally suits your needs, with an instructor who can give you the best support possible, yoga classes are judgment-free spaces, and you can move through the practice as it works for you. The many benefits you can gain from yoga are worth the time and effort to give it a try. 

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