Yoga for Seniors - Aging Well With Yoga

One of the more rapidly growing segments of the yoga population is of people aged 55 and older.  There are more Seniors Yoga classes, or similar classes such as Ageless Yoga, or Gentle Yoga, than ever before, as aging baby boomers look for safe ways to remain active, strong, and healthy.

A study in 2008 said that 18% of yoga practitioners are over age 55.  That percentage has surely risen as the baby boomer generation ages.

Over half of my yoga students are in the baby boomer and older age range (born 1964 and earlier), and they make up the most stable segment of my students, since they've experienced how the yoga classes have benefited their health.  

My Gentle Yoga classes, which are often my largest classes, are made up of people mostly over the age of 60.  Often someone will come up after class to tell me how much good the class has done them.   Their joints are less painful (arthritis pains are reduced), they're stronger, more flexible and mobile, and they feel better overall.

(Image purchased from iStockPhoto)

Practicing yoga in the second half of our lives can help us negotiate the aging process with more grace and ease.

Younger yoga practitioners may prefer a more vigorous approach to the practice of yoga poses,  pushing themselves to higher limits of strength, flexibility, and endurance.  They may delight in trying more and more difficult poses as they progress.

But the aim of yoga for seniors is more for maintenance and support of the body as we age.   You wouldn't expect to practice convoluted "pretzel poses", extreme backbends, or gravity-defying arm balances in a Seniors Yoga class.

The practice of yoga can help improve, stabilize, and ease symptoms of many of the ailments that are associated with aging, such as:

• arthritis
• back problems
• menopausal symptoms
• heart ailments
• changes in the body from cancer
• sleep problems
• osteoporosis
• depression
• balance problems

Practicing yoga will also help reduce stress and increase our sense of well-being overall.

See links near bottom of page for more reading on the benefits of yoga for seniors.

Talk to friends and neighbors and even your health care provider for recommendations for yoga classes and specific yoga teachers.

If a particular class doesn't suit your needs, try another class if there's one available.  A different teacher or a different style of yoga may suit you better.   You might find that the class you try is too difficult for your particular issues, or on the other hand you might be happier with a more active class.  It's a good idea to talk to the teacher first to find out what to expect out of the class you're interested in.

Private lessons from a well-trained yoga teacher are also a great way to individualize a practice for your own specific needs.

Image above purchased from iStockPhoto.com, with text added by me.

You'll get much more out of your yoga practice by taking a class from someone who can safely guide you to do the poses and breathwork with better form and efficiency.   But if you can't find an appropriate Seniors Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Ageless Yoga, or Chair Yoga class in your area, or if you want to supplement the classes that you are taking, take a look at these DVDs and books.

You might find some of these recommendations in your library, to check them out before you decide to buy.

The Yoga for the Young at Heart series is a great way to introduce older adults to yoga in an easy and accessible way.  Susan guides you through the poses with clear instructions for how to move the body and how to use the breath.

You may have watched Peggy Cappy and her Yoga for the Rest of Us series on PBS.  Her videos are great for those who are starting yoga and would like a gentle approach to the practice, or anyone who is stiffer, more out-of-shape than they'd like to be, or feeling the aches and pains of aging.

Don't let the images on the covers of these books scare you away!  They're meant to inspire you!   Of course most people who start yoga at a later age will not look like the cover models, but isn't it nice to see that some older people can do these amazing poses?  Author Suza Francina fills these books with loads of information about how yoga can help us as we age.   She also includes stories of real people, yoga teachers and students, and how yoga has helped them as they get older.

Also read her online articles on Yoga and Aging.

Yoga in Healthy Seniors - Effects on Cognition and Quality of Life
Results included better balance in 1-legged poses, better flexibility, and improved quality-of-life (greater sense of well-being and energy, less fatigue compared to controls).

Yoga for Arthritis
Practicing yoga poses can reduce arthritis pain by creating more mobility in the joints and increasing flexibility while stretching and strengthening the muscles around the joints.

Yoga for Back Pain Relief
Practicing yoga can improve the health of our backs. Back pain is reduced, bouts of back pain occur less frequently and don't last as long, and there is less depression from the effects of back pain.

Relieve Menopause Symptoms With Yoga
The practice of yoga is a great "natural remedy" for treating menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, moodiness, insomnia, and memory problems.

Yoga Boosts Heart Health
Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners.

Yoga for Anxiety and Depression
Studies suggest that the practice of yoga modulates the stress response.

Good to the Bone | Yoga Journal
Weight bearing exercise, including many forms of yoga, promotes better bone density. In yoga, all parts of the body are used, so all of the skeleton is affected.