Yoga is one of the most effective ways to stay active as a senior. As a low-impact exercise, it is less strenuous on the body, helping you build strength while accommodating the many challenges associated with aging. Below, we discuss yoga for seniors, including what benefits it yields, which practices are best, and tips on getting started.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a physical and spiritual activity that involves moving through static and dynamic poses while practicing meditation, mindfulness, and breathing techniques. It has multiple aims, such as promoting relaxation, deepening mind-body awareness, and improving balance, strength, and flexibility.
Seniors can yield multiple benefits from the practice of yoga. Its blend of meditation and physical activity helps it improve both physical and mental health.
Benefits Of Yoga For Seniors
There are a ton of benefits seniors can gain from consistent yoga practice. Below are some of the most common ones:
Builds Strength
The adage “use it or lose it” is true for the human body. Older adults, who are often inclined to live sedentary lifestyles, often lose muscle strength due to a lack of physical activity. However, excessive physical activity, in turn, can damage the muscles, increasing the risk of overexertion injuries.
The right yoga practice can help keep your muscles engaged and stop the onset of strength loss without putting too much strain on your body. Because most yoga practices emphasize slow movement, they’re unlikely to require too much strength or energy. You can condition your muscles at a pace you’re comfortable with!
Improves Flexibility
As mentioned, the inclination toward sedentary lifestyles often diminishes our body’s capacity to function. Combined with a natural decline in collagen production, which decreases muscle, tendon, and joint elasticity, older adults often struggle to stay flexible. The loss of flexibility makes everyday tasks, such as walking and tying shoes, more challenging.
In training strength, yoga also trains flexibility. Stretching increases your body’s mobility while decreasing joint stiffness. Once yoga becomes part of your day-to-day routine, your body will become accustomed to flexible movements.
Trains Balance
Older adults often suffer from conditions that impair balance. These conditions include joint and bone health, cardiovascular issues, and neurological problems. Practicing yoga will diminish the effects of these conditions. You can also use yoga as a balance training exercise.
Yoga styles that focus on training balance, such as chair yoga and vinyasa yoga, can teach you to carry your body properly while strengthening the muscles that hold you up. With enough repetition, balance becomes embedded in muscle memory.
Boosts Energy
Struggles with energy often accompany the aging process. However, fatigue can be easily remedied by gradually introducing physical activity. Yoga promotes oxygen circulation in the body. As you breathe and move, you deliver oxygen to your blood, which carries energy-boosting nutrients to the cells in your body.
Yoga also spurs mitochondria production in muscle cells. As the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria create fuel for the body using food and oxygen. An increased supply of mitochondria naturally increases energy levels.
Promotes Relaxation
Like any physical activity, yoga spurs the release of endorphins. These neurotransmitters are often called happy hormones because they elevate mood and improve your sense of well-being. Properly executing breathing exercises will aid in the endorphin-induced relaxation. Breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals to the body that it needs to rest.
Stretching correctly will also help with relaxation. In opening up your body, you release tension and smooth out tightness, providing relief.
Improves Immune Function
Older adults become more susceptible to disease as natural wear and tear through aging weakens the immune system. Because the body has a diminished ability to repair itself, diseases and injuries are easier to catch and slower to heal.
Stress further exacerbates the damage. The stress hormone cortisol induces bodily inflammation, weakening the immune system.
Because yoga promotes relaxation, it also helps fight stress. Many studies have shown that stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system sends a signal to the body to relax, reducing cortisol production. Cultivating the habit of practicing yoga will thus decrease your risk of developing severe health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Best Styles Of Yoga For Seniors
As an ancient discipline, yoga inspired multiple styles and philosophies throughout history. We outline the best yoga practices for seniors below.
Chair yoga
Despite being a low-impact exercise, yoga can still lead to falls or strain, especially if you are an older adult whose body is not yet accustomed to physical activity. Chair yoga for seniors can help you transition to yoga while minimizing risk.
Chair yoga involves performing modified yoga postures with the support of a chair. The balance aid reduces fall risks, while the added support diminishes the potential for overexertion. Like traditional yoga, chair yoga combines these poses with breathing and meditation techniques to release tension, promote relaxation, and deepen the mind’s connection with the body.
Somatic yoga
Somatic yoga is not a different style of yoga but a philosophy applied to yoga practice. It specifically prioritizes deepening the mind-body connection over physical improvement or strict adherence to techniques and poses. As you move through poses, the practice asks you to pay close attention to shifts in internal bodily experiences, such as heart rate, breathing, discomfort, pain, and emotional reactions.
Somatic yoga is helpful for seniors because it prioritizes comfort over conditioning. There is less pressure to surpass your limitations or execute the poses perfectly. Instead, you are encouraged to move at your own pace and pay attention to how the practice makes your body feel.
Yin yoga
Another style of yoga that is suitable for seniors is yin yoga. Derived from hatha yoga, yin yoga involves executing slow movements and holding passive poses for extended periods of time. Its primary purpose is to boost flexibility and relaxation.
Yin yoga is great for seniors because it doesn’t involve much strength-building or movement. All yin yoga movements are slow, with poses seated or reclined, making the practice easy to execute, which is helpful for seniors with low mobility or energy. These characteristics also reduce the risk of falls.
Vinyasa yoga
Seniors looking for a more challenging exercise can consider vinyasa yoga. This style of yoga involves moving seamlessly through a sequence of postures. Compared to yin yoga, vinyasa yoga consists of more poses, each held for shorter durations. However, it encourages slow and fluid movements, making the practice manageable even for participants with relatively low mobility.
Vinyasa yoga is suitable for seniors seeking muscular and cardiovascular training but don’t need the support of a chair. The emphasis on dynamic movement helps you build strength at a manageable pace. However, because it involves multiple standing poses, it still invites the risk of falls or overexertion. Seek a doctor’s opinion before pursuing vinyasa yoga.
Iyengar yoga
Iyengar yoga is a type of yoga that prioritizes strict adherence to a recommended alignment while maintaining a pose. Like yin yoga, iyengar yoga involves holding poses for long periods of time. However, iyengar yoga flows typically include more standing poses than yin yoga.
Yin yoga is suitable for seniors because it highly encourages the use of props to assist with getting the correct alignment. This feature reduces your risk of overexertion injuries. Holding standing poses with added support makes iyengar yoga more challenging than chair or yin yoga, but less demanding on energy than vinyasa yoga.
Kundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga is one of the best styles of yoga for seniors who want to get in touch with their spirituality. What sets kundalini apart from other styles of yoga is its major emphasis on breath and sound. You combine dynamic movement with powerful breathing and chanting to release dormant spiritual energy.
Because kundalini yoga is louder than other types of yoga, the practice might make you feel intimidated and self-conscious. Additionally, there may be fewer available kundalini yoga instructors than other instructors for other styles. However, if you’re willing to venture into new territory, kundalini can be a rewardingly transformative process, one that expands your consciousness and helps you achieve deeper clarity, relaxation, and bliss.
How Many Times A Week Should Seniors Do Yoga?
You should evaluate your fitness goals and your body’s limits to determine how often you should do yoga. Most yoga practitioners typically see results after two fifteen- to twenty-minute sessions per week. However, the more you practice, the more benefits you reap, as long as you don’t overwork yourself.
Yoga For Seniors Equipment
The right props and attire can supplement your yoga practice. Below, we discuss what to wear and bring in preparation for yoga.
Yoga Mat
Your mat is the most essential prop in your yoga practice (unless you’re doing chair yoga). The best yoga mats should provide comfort during sessions and reduce strain on your bones and joints. Factors to consider when selecting a mat include:
- Thickness: Practices with long pose holds, such as yin yoga, require thick mats. The extra cushioning provides more stability and reduces tension in your bones.
- Length: The taller you are, the longer your mat should be. You will know if your mat is too small if your hands and feet reach the edges as you execute the downward dog pose.
- Weight: Lightweight mats are easier to carry around, which is convenient if you do yoga in a class. However, heavier mats typically provide more support and cushioning.
- Grip: Make sure your mat has a textured surface. This will prevent you from slipping and falling.
Yoga Attire
What you wear to yoga class will affect your experience. Typically, yoga attire should be lightweight, breathable, and easy to move around in. Moisture-wicking fabrics also help you stay comfortable as you sweat through the practice. Our recommendations for yoga attire include:
- Sports bras
- Yoga pants
- Leggings
- Tank tops
- Sweatshirts
Yoga Props
Some yoga practices are easier to execute with props. Common yoga props include:
- Bolsters
- Bricks
- Pillows
- Chairs for chair yoga
Yoga For Seniors Tips
Preparation is key to maximizing your yoga experience. The following tips will help you avoid injury, make the practice easier on your body, and make the most out of your practice.
Start Small
While challenging yourself is necessary for improving at any physical activity, putting excessive strain on your body does more harm than good. Avoid overstretching your limits by paying close attention to your body. Start with small and manageable poses, then gradually increase the difficulty.
Aside from helping you prevent injury, starting small increases the chances that yoga will become a habit. Chances are, you’ll have an easier time committing to manageable exercises than complex workouts. Only when you embed the practice into your daily routine should you try challenging yourself further.
Consult Your Doctor
Yoga is not a one-size-fits-all solution. When practiced without proper precautions, yoga can exacerbate conditions such as low bone density, heart ailments, and chronic pain. To determine whether yoga is right for your body, seek input from your primary care physician. A doctor can tell you how often to practice, how long your sessions should last, and which poses to avoid.
Work With A Qualified Mentor
It’s difficult to maximize the impact of yoga without a qualified expert guiding you through the practice. At best, you will move incorrectly and deny yourself the benefits each pose aims to yield. At worst, you put yourself at greater risk of strain or injury. A yoga instructor can help correct your mistakes, spot you for fall risks, and prescribe adjustments based on your skill level, limitations, and preferences.
It’s Never Too Late To Start Your Journey
Physical activity can improve your quality of life significantly. Yoga is an easy way to reap the benefits of exercise without overly straining the body. It’s a flexible tool you can use to achieve a variety of purposes, be it bodily conditioning, stress reduction, or overall wellness improvement. And thanks to low-impact practices like chair, yin, vinyasa, and iyengar yoga, older adults can easily introduce yoga to their day-to-day routines.
FAQs
What is the best type of yoga for seniors?
Aging-related challenges differ from individual to individual, but the most common include poor cardiovascular health, lowered mobility and energy, and chronic health. The best style of yoga for addressing age-related issues is chair yoga. It allows you to build strength, flexibility, and balance while lowering the intensity of yoga poses through the support of a chair.
Is pilates or yoga better for seniors?
There are many overlaps in the practices of yoga and pilates. Both are useful for improving strength, flexibility, and balance. However, pilates has the express goal of conditioning the body to improve muscle and core strength. It places high emphasis on precision, structure, and targeted exercises.
Yoga, meanwhile, is more flexible in focus. You can practice yoga for physical conditioning, relaxation, mindfulness, self-awareness, and more. The freedom to adjust the exercise according to personalized goals makes the practice more accessible to seniors.
Does yoga help with weight loss?
Because it is a low-impact activity, practicing yoga for weight loss is less effective at burning calories than executing high-intensity cardio exercises. However, the practice helps you build the strength, endurance, and habits necessary for an easy and seamless weight loss journey.
Yoga helps with muscle conditioning, joint health, and blood flow, helping you build enough strength for high-intensity exercises. The practice also encourages you to practice mindfulness, giving you the self-awareness and patience necessary to approach eating and exercise with discipline and intentionality.
What is the age limit for yoga?
There is no age limit for yoga. As long as you have a sound mind and body, you can engage in yoga practices. However, if you have conditions that make movement difficult or risky, it is best to seek the opinion of a doctor or yoga instructor to determine how best to approach the exercise.
What is the gentlest form of yoga for seniors?
The gentlest form of yoga is yin yoga. Most yin yoga poses involve being seated or reclined, which is easier on the muscles than standing poses. Yin yoga also involves holding poses for long durations, reducing the time and energy participants spend moving.
Does yoga help with anti-aging?
It is impossible to stop the onset of aging. However, yoga yields benefits that can mitigate the common challenges associated with aging. It helps with blood flow, muscle strength, pain management, balance, and mobility. Practicing yoga significantly improves your quality of life as you age.