The Rise of Yoga
There are many reasons why yoga is becoming more and more popular. Your body is like a barometer, it can quickly make you realise some fundamental facts about yourself. If you know how to watch it and what to look for, you can start to become more aware of your health.
For thousands of years, yoga has been a stable way of keeping our bodies and minds healthy and able. With new studios popping up on every corner and thousands of YouTube classes available, accessibility to yoga is greater than ever. Finding the right type of yoga for you is important, take your time trying out the different options and stick with those you enjoy the most.
The benefit of Yoga for over 50s
Balance and stability
Many yoga poses focus on balance and stability, both incredibly important as you age. Strengthening your muscles and improving your balance prevents the likelihood of falls, which can be a common concern for the elderly. This study found that just after a few weeks, participants felt more confident in their balance thanks to yoga.
Not only does it prevent them in the first place, but an increase in strength and stability also helps seniors bounce back and recover, should a fall occur.
Improves respiration
With age comes respiratory limitations and reduced tolerance to physical exertion. Anything that reduces oxygen in the respiratory system can have negative effects on the mind and body. Recent studies have shown that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved respiratory function in elderly women.
Breathing is the foundation of life. Humans can go for some time without food, but you can’t go more than a few minutes without breath, so it’s a good idea to keep your respiratory system in tip-top shape at any age.
Reduces blood pressure
More than one in four adults in the UK have high blood pressure and it’s becoming a growing concern for the UK population. High blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have found that yoga reduces oxidative stress in the elderly. Oxidative stress is one of the underlying causes of high blood pressure and especially for the elderly, is a strong risk factor for heart attacks.
How to integrate it into your lifestyle
We all wish we had more than 24 hours in a day, and the truth is that we make time for what we actually want to do. Yoga can make an impactful change to your life, by just trying out a few simple moves every day. Have a look at your favourite and most spacious part of your home and keep your yoga mat nearby.
Routine is key. Try to commit to the same time every day, as fitting it into your daily routine will ensure it feels less like a chore and more a part of your daily life. Additionally, start with the basics, as your body may (or may not) be used to being in unfamiliar positions and poses. Keep focusing on your posture and frame, to help support your core. A yoga session need not be a full hour of intense poses, start with shorter 10-15-minute sessions and slowly increase the duration.
We hope we’ve provided you with a few key reasons why you should implement yoga into your lifestyle. Yoga has been around for centuries and is embraced by many cultures to not only connect to self but to keep their bodies fit and able. If you’d like even further information on how yoga can keep you healthy and active, have a read of our article here.