A better body and mind through yoga

According to Australian Seniors, yoga is a wonderful option for older people wanting to stay active and flexible, without muscle strain.

Staying active and mobile can provide many health benefits, but the risk of strain or joint pain is real for many elderly people.

As with any physical activity, Australian Seniors recommends proceeding gradually when just starting out and get individual guidance if you think you might need it.

There is considerable research that suggests yoga, when practised correctly, can have numerous benefits for seniors. These include improved sleep habits, reducing the impact of chronic conditions, and keeping the mind sharp and the joints flexible.

Research has demonstrated that yoga – incorporating physical postures, breathing, and relaxation techniques – can have a positive impact on the time it takes to fall asleep and the amount of time slept.

One study found that seniors practising yoga reduced their fall-asleep time by an average of ten minutes and increased their sleeping duration by an average of one hour.

Health outcomes

Yoga can help improve your muscle strength even if you have arthritis.

Yoga protects the joints and could reduce the risk of conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis.

One study found that after practising yoga for 40 days, the research group of 30 to 60-year-olds with type 2 diabetes experienced a significant decline in their blood sugar levels.

Various studies have found that yoga can have a positive impact on hypertension. One study found that patients with mild to moderate high blood pressure experienced a decline in blood pressure after just three months of daily yoga practice. There was a corresponding drop in cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides.

Lose weight and feel better

Practising yoga has also been linked to less weight gain in older adults. Those who practise yoga weekly for at least four years have on average 1.4 kilograms less weight gain than the average adult aged between 53 and 57.7

Those that enjoy yoga practice tend to report a decline in their anxiety levels and an improvement in their mood. Research suggests that yoga might have a bigger impact on mood enhancement and anxiety reduction than other forms of exercise.

Yoga can help manage chronic pain. One study found that those with chronic pain were able to either improve or maintain their symptoms after just four weeks of yoga practice; with no patient reporting deterioration, whilst every patient was able to significantly reduce their pain medication dosage.

Yoga practice can also assist with alleviating breathing and lung issues. One study found that yoga practice can improve lung capacity by as much as 10 per cent just after 40 days. Bronchial asthmatics have also been found to benefit from just 30 minutes of yoga breathing techniques.

Better bones, brighter minds

Studies show that yoga helps seniors – who are at most risk of conditions such as osteoporosis – by slowing bone thinning and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Research has demonstrated that seniors might even gain bone rather than lose bone density with yoga practice.

Yoga practitioners and experts suggest that daily or weekly yoga practice can reduce stress and keep you energised, which can have a beneficial impact on the mind.

A German study published in 2005 showed that women who completed two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months reported mental health improvements across the board. Specifically, depression scores improved by 50 per cent, anxiety scores by 30 per cent, and overall well-being scores by 65 per cent.

It’s best for older people to start gradually with yoga, especially if they have pre-existing joint conditions or other pain issues.

Some yoga practices do require extremely strenuous stretching and movements that might not be appropriate if you have certain joint conditions or if you are just starting out.

Find yoga poses and practices that are suitable for your age group or condition, or work with a certified instructor on a one-on-one basis to start with rather than joining a group class.

For best results, work with an instructor one-on-one before joining a class.

Article courtesy of Australia Seniors: seniors.org.au