4 REASONS EVERY ELDERLY PERSON MUST TAKE UP YOGA PRACTICE

A witty old man is quoted to have once said: “I have aches in more places than I knew I had places”. Though aging is a beautiful thing in some ways (elderly people are known to be not only more knowledgeable and wiser than younger ones but also more emotionally mature, calm, and confident), aging also means a decline in overall bodily health: muscles become weaker; bones become more fragile. It is for this reason that health experts recommend that elderly people engage in exercise to keep their bodies healthy and active.

But obviously, not every form of exercise is ideal for a person in the latter stages of life. Different experts recommend different exercises, but no matter which expert is consulted, one form of exercise is guaranteed to make the list of exercises suitable for old people: yoga. This blog will explore the advantages of yoga as an ideal form of exercise for older people and introduce some easy steps on how to get started.

1. FLEXIBILITY AND BALANCE

Body balance becomes more and more important as we age. One of the effects of aging is that a person’s body reactions and impulses become slower. As the body loses flexibility, it may become difficult for an elderly person to maintain balance or regain balance in case they lose it.

Yoga is important to older people because it focuses on poses and exercises that maintain and improve body flexibility. Older people who practice yoga not only get fitter and healthier but also stand a lower risk of losing balance and falling, which can be disastrous at that age.

The perfect example of a yoga pose that increases flexibility and balance is the Child’s pose.

I. Child's Pose

The child’s pose is aimed at strengthening the muscles around the back and the hips. It also involves moving and stretching the hands, core, and legs, which are all crucial for body balance. This pose targets all the muscles around the torso and the lower body, stretching them and keeping them in good form.

How to do the Child’s Pose

First, kneel, and then gently sit back on your heels.
Then lean forward while keeping the buttocks on the heels.
Lean far enough to rest the forehead on the floor, then move your arms next to your legs, palms up.
Stay in the pose for some time before gently pushing back into the kneeling position.

An ideal way to get the most from performing the child's pose is to use a balance ball. The unstable surface of the balance ball requires you to engage your core muscles to maintain your pose, improving overall balance.

2. STRONGER MUSCLES AND BONES

If they had it their way, most older people wouldn’t want to sit around swinging armchairs all day, reading newspapers and feeling separated from the goings-on in the world. They would want to pursue their passions and interests and live exciting lives too! Unfortunately, old age usually means weaker muscles and more fragile bones, which make mobility difficult for the elderly.

The good news for adults with mobility challenges is that many yoga poses involve weight-bearing and resistance exercises that are targeted at building and maintaining muscle strength and preserving bone density. Careful and targeted yoga practice could help older persons overcome mobility challenges, allowing them to live more independently and actively pursue their interests even in old age.

Downward Dog

The downward dog pose widens and strengthens the hamstrings, calves, and Achille’s heel tendons. Because of the wide array of muscles it impacts, a downward dog is ideal for muscle strength. In addition, performing the pose requires the body to be kept in a downward form, shifting the momentum of the body and increasing bone activity.

How to Perform the Downward Dog Pose

Start on your hands and knees: on all fours
Then tuck your toes under, lift your knees off the floor, and straighten your legs out behind you.
Lift your hands and back slowly, forming an inverted “V” with your body
Draw in your navel towards your spine. This engages your core.
Then straighten the back of your legs by pressing your heels down towards the floor. Don’t mind that your heels cannot reach the floor.
Take five deep breaths, feeling the tension in your muscles.
Then release by easing yourself back down, starting by bending your knees and bringing your legs back to the floor.

3. REDUCED STRESS AND ANXIETY

The pace of changes happening in the modern world is fast enough to cause anxiety to anyone. For older adults who may be already susceptible to loneliness, the risk is even higher. Yoga has been shown not just to relax the body but also to put the mind at ease. Because yoga places focus on mindfulness: avoiding distractions, and focusing on the present, it can be of immense help to everyone, but especially elderly people face an increased likelihood of struggling with anxiety and stress.

I. Gentle Backbends

Good masseuses always pay additional attention to the muscles in the back because back muscles are crucial for relaxing the whole body. Not incidentally, yoga also has a set of poses that target the muscles in the back to relax the whole body. Because the following gentle backbends are practiced gently, they are ideal yoga poses for elderly people:
Sphinx pose
Camel Pose
Upward Facing Dog Pose

4. BETTER SLEEP

Health is vital to sleep, especially for adults. The CDC reports that adults aged 65 and above are more likely to have trouble with sleep than younger adults. These “troubles” range from fewer sleeping hours to lower sleep quality and susceptibility to sleep disturbances. What is interesting is that healthy adults do not have such sleeping problems, indicating that these troubles do not arise merely as a result of an increase in age.

Therefore, it is important that adults stay healthy and fit to sleep better. Sleeping better leaves older people with more energy to go about their day and results in an overall increase in quality of life. Yoga helps relax the mind and the body, resulting in more peaceful sleep. Studies have shown that elderly people who practice yoga are more likely to fall asleep faster, sleep deeper and for longer, and wake up fewer times at night.

GETTING STARTED

Having understood how yoga can physically and psychologically benefit elderly people, the next question should be how to begin practicing yoga. Fitness experts have recommended getting half balance balls as a good step for beginners. A balance ball is a versatile piece of equipment that cushions the user, enabling them to perform various yoga tasks and poses, making the introduction to yoga smooth and effective.

Zelus Fitness, a trusted provider of yoga and fitness equipment, offers a variety of balance balls ranging from 24 inches to 64 inches. Customers have appreciated the company's good quality and the variety of products it offers to help yoga practitioners. From yoga swings to yoga trapeses, to yoga hammocks, Zelus Fitness has the perfect equipment to help anybody start out in yoga. For a shiny, brilliant, top-quality balance ball, check out Zelus Fitness.

For more interesting yoga information, including reasons why couples should start yoga together, check out more blogs on Zelus' website.