Oct
The gentle art of yoga has many positive implications for the health of people over the age of 65, as San Diego Yoga Fitness Classes owners will attest to.
Retired seniors are enjoying their leisure years, taking up new hobbies and just relaxing. While free time is one of the joys of the golden years, it’s also the time when old age starts to wreck havoc and the body succumbs to a variety of ailments. Those include high blood pressure, arthritis and unfortunately, incontinence. Exercise is the number one thing seniors can do to stop the onset of these afflictions and yoga is a very mild exercise with exceptional benefits.
Not all seniors have physical limitations, but if they do, the slow and gentle movements in yoga can easily be adapted to their fitness level. Tight muscles due to long periods of inactivity can be once again lengthened and poor muscle tone can be improved with San Diego Hatha Yoga Classes. It works the body and the brain, encouraging relaxation and a calming of the mind. Many seniors experiencing lower hormone levels can become irritable but yoga can restore a positive outlook in older people.
It has been documented that yoga can help normalize blood pressure and assist in the health of the heart and nervous system. The various breathing techniques associated with yoga will help seniors feel refreshed and exercises the lungs which are beneficial in preventing respiratory ailments.
The benefits of yoga are much greater than the small amount of effort that seniors must put into it. The output/input ratio is heavy on the input side, with researchers discovering more benefits to this gentle activity every day. Among the growing list of benefits is improved sleep, bone loss prevention, speedier recovery times post surgery, more efficient digestion, increased joint movement, improved balance and a reduction in swollen joints. Inevitably, the practice of yoga would greatly reduce falling which is frequently the beginning of the end for many old people.
The positive outlook on life which can be developed while practicing yoga will help an older person deal with the loss of a spouse. This is another benefit for people of a certain age who must deal with death more frequently than younger people.
Whatever a senior’s range of mobility might be, a yoga program can be set up by a qualified yoga instructor. People are never too old to get moving and enjoy the tranquility of yoga in all its forms without undue pain and discomfort.
Once a person hits 65, their flexibility may be greatly impaired. In an attempt to stretch too far a senior may find yoga very uncomfortable. It’s important for seniors to listen to their bodies as they move it in new ways and to know the body’s limits. When practiced properly, yoga will help seniors achieve that degree of health and vitality while reaching for a positive outlook on life.
There are instructors at San Diego Yoga Studio Classes who are qualified to work with seniors and their specific needs.