Yoga For Seniors

The benefits of Yoga for seniors are much the same as for everyone else, if not better! The practice of yoga can give you:

• Better balance, strength and flexibility
• Improvement in muscle tone
• Stress reduction
• Better sleep
• Reduced pain from arthritis and foot pain
• Improved breathing through the breathing exercises
• Reduced blood pressure
• Weight loss

Our bodies change as we age, so the benefits of yoga for seniors can include improvement in mood, fall prevention and overall improvement in how we feel.

Don’t worry about twisting into a pretzel and standing on your head.  Yoga has many different styles, and you’ll be able to find the one that’s right for you.  Some types of yoga practices also use props such as bolsters, pillows, blankets and chairs.  If you don’t feel as flexible as you should be or you have been very inactive (like me), there are yoga styles for us too.

Before starting any exercise routine, check with your doctor to make sure you're up to it.  This is especially important if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, heart problems or back (spinal) problems.

While practicing yoga should improve many chronic conditions, you want to double check that you won't cause yourself more harm than good.  Your doctor can provide more information and guidance, so ask him any specific questions you may have.

Be sure to start out with basic yoga poses that will gradually improve muscle tone and flexibility, along with balance.  If you try poses that are too challenging for you, you could hurt yourself and lose confidence in trying any more yoga.  

Do your best to find a yoga class taught by a certified yoga instructor.  Learning how to practice the poses properly will also lessen the chances of being hurt.  Learning in a class atmosphere will also help boost your confidence as others are learning at the same time.  You can work with books and videos as well, but when first starting out instructor led classes would be better.  Check your area for senior centers, YWCA or other fitness centers that provide yoga classes, either focusing on seniors or beginners.

There are quite a few different yoga styles today.  Different styles of yoga are intended for different results, beliefs or preferences.  Some are more intense and physically demanding, others are very gentle and relaxing, even though all styles are based on the same poses, done differently.  Still other styles of yoga exist.  

Stay tuned ~ subscribe to my profile page ~ coming soon will be introductions to the most popular styles of yoga with videos, explanations of their emphasis and detailed desciptions & definitions.  Together, we'll learn more about each discipline so that we can make an informed selection.