Yoga is an ancient and holistic discipline that influences your mind, body, and soul. Yoga comprises numerous techniques that allow you to develop harmony between various aspects of your health. (KNOW about the multiple benefits of Yoga)
Many people practice Yoga regularly to maintain a healthy physique. But Yoga serves a greater purpose than developing a muscular body. It is an excellent way to sharpen your mental health and tread along the path of spiritual progress.
Yoga is not only for people who suffer from ill health or are not physically fit. Even people in great shape can maintain good health with regular practice of Yoga. The best thing about Yoga is that it does not distinguish, and almost everyone can practice it irrespective of age, gender, and state of health.
Starting Yoga Late?
People often turn toward Yoga as a pass time when they have retired from their professional and domestic responsibilities. It is expected to be concerned about starting Yoga at an age when you may not be as physically fit as before. However, Yoga has something to offer everyone, irrespective of their age.
Old age does not have to deter you from pursuing your liking for Yoga. (LEARN why Yoga is the best thing for you during old age) People often face several health issues due to advancing age, which Yoga can successfully curb. Yoga asanas are not exhausting or stressful on the body. Older adults can practice Yoga without worrying about joint pains or physical fatigue.
This blog is an attempt to encourage the elderly to take up Yoga and spend their time learning a productive activity that they are likely to enjoy. To know why there is always time to start Yoga, let us get acquainted with its benefits.
Health Benefits Of Yoga For Older Adults
Yoga is an excellent way to retain a sharp mind, robust physique, and calm spirit. As your age advances, you realize that your reflexes are not as quick as they used to be. While you cannot reverse the natural effects of aging, it is possible to prepare in advance to embrace old age gracefully; with some help from Yoga.Â
1. Robust Muscle Tone
Yoga asanas stretch and strengthen almost every muscle of your skeletal system and internal organs. Regular practice of Yoga improves muscle tone giving and enhances body flexibility. As you age, your muscles lose their style and may develop laxity. Yoga is an excellent way to restore muscle strength and be robust.
2. Healthy Heart
Aging causes the natural degeneration of all your organs, including your heart. Sluggish cardiac functions may fluctuate your blood circulation, blood pressure, oxygen uptake, and metabolism. Yoga asanas, Mudras (READ our blog on Yoga Mudras), and Pranayama are some Yoga techniques that rejuvenate your cardiac function and retain the robust structural integrity of the circulatory organs.
3. Sharp Memory
Old age often hampers your ability to retain information and remember things correctly. Meditation is a great way to maintain good memory and concentration. With regular practice of Yoga asanas and meditation, you can curb memory loss or reduce its impact.
4. Good Cognitive Function
We retain a lot of information and can remember it accurately, at will, during our youth. However, the same may not be true once age catches up with us. Cognitive function is our ability to use our brain capacity to suit our life patterns. Yoga techniques like Pranayama, Mudras, and asanas are a great way to enhance cognitive functions.
5. Improved Digestion
As mentioned earlier, you may develop muscle laxity as your age advances. Your gut is also made up of several muscles which function in a coordinated manner to ensure smooth digestion. Old age often messes up the gut muscles and hampers digestive functions. Regular practice of Yoga asanas may prevent digestive trouble during old age and allow you to enjoy a carefree routine.
Yoga For Spiritual Well-being
Spiritual well-being is a crucial part of your life that you cannot separate from your health. People often picture spiritual folks as elderly persons meditating quietly in the corner amid serene surroundings. The truth is that everyone, irrespective of their age, should be spiritually inclined to enjoy better health.
Advancing age brings a lot of new experiences on your personal and professional fronts. Some people may accept the greys on their temples more gracefully, while some may struggle with the challenges of old age. Yoga is a great way to calm your mind and peek within yourself during challenging phases of life. Yoga practices like meditation, Mudras, and Pranayama will allow you to reconnect with your true self and experience a sense of calm.
A calm attitude allows you to age gracefully, gives you a sense of purpose, and restores your self-confidence.
Are You Yoga Ready?
Have you ever questioned your readiness for Yoga or any other physical exercise? Is your age stopping you from trying something new that you always wanted to do? Set your worries aside and take the plunge into the ocean of Yoga today!
Here are a few tips to get Yoga ready in your old age.
- Check with your doctor to discuss any ongoing or past health issues that may restrict your physical activities and physiological functions. Please remember that with adequate guidance, you can work around your health restrictions and still practice Yoga.
- Meet with a certified Yoga trainer to form a Yoga routine suited to your health.
- Learn about Yoga from authentic literature and find out how it suits you.
- Ask yourself what you wish to learn from Yoga, and strive to achieve it.
- Try making your Yoga sessions more fun by asking your family or friends to accompany you.
- Include variations in your Yoga sessions regularly to break the monotony.
The best part of Yoga is that you can take it up at any age, practice it any time, and you will still benefit from it. Did you know that Yoga can also delay the effects of old age from catching up with you? READ our blog to learn how!
Yoga is very inclusive and does not discriminate on the basis of age. Are you willing to learn Yoga and follow all its principles? If your answer is yes, then hardly anything, or anyone, will stop you from pursuing your passion.
Yoga opens doors to a healthy lifestyle that will make old age one of the most enjoyable phases of your life. All you have to remember is that you will never be too old for Yoga!
