As we age, we gain invaluable wisdom, experience, and perspective–but we also face new challenges. Maintaining a healthy weight can be tougher, aches and pains might arise or worsen, memory and mental health can suffer, and the risks of conditions like diabetes and heart disease grow.
However, healthy lifestyle habits can help you retain your vitality and well-being. Two of the most important habits are gentle, regular exercise and mental stimulation. That’s why many experts recommend yoga, a mind-body practice with far-reaching positive effects on your health.
Let’s explore seven excellent benefits of yoga for seniors and how regular practice can improve your golden years.
7 Health benefits of yoga for seniors
Relieves chronic pain
Yoga is an excellent tool for managing chronic pain–potentially more effective than other forms of exercise.
It reduces tension and can even change how we perceive pain. Studies show it’s beneficial with:
- Fibromyalgia
- Back and neck pain
- Headaches
- Migraines
One key benefit of yoga for elderly people is its ability to lower inflammation, which contributes to many painful autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. You can get this benefit from different styles of yoga, too.
In one study with combat veterans, yoga nidra (a form of yoga that’s similar to mindfulness meditation) significantly lessened pain perception and improved their quality of life.
Another study found that people who practiced hatha and other “asana” styles of yoga (forms of yoga that involve physical strengthening and stretching poses) regularly for at least six weeks experienced less pain and improved mobility.
It improves balance and reduces the risk of falls
Yoga’s slow, deliberate movements are great for improving balance and mobility, crucial to preventing falls–a primary concern for seniors. Falls can lead to severe injuries, impacting both health and independence.
Practicing yoga also helps build strength. It does this by maintaining muscle strength and slowing and even reversing age-related muscle loss.
It might feel challenging at first, but continued practice will lead not only to pose execution better but also to an improved ability to navigate daily life safely.
Adaptive and chair yoga are two great options if you’re less mobile or concerned about balance. These forms of yoga are designed to be more accessible yet still highly beneficial. You can find these kinds of classes at websites like Adaptive Yoga Live.
Boosts cardiovascular health
70% of U.S. adults over 65 have high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure (BP) dramatically increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the country.
As we age, our vascular system changes, increasing the risk of hypertension. Artery walls become stiffer, limiting blood flow throughout the body. So, it’s crucial to keep your BP in check.
Research shows that yoga can be a powerful ally by impacting several factors influencing BP. It can:
- Lower BP, including both systolic (the pressure in arteries when your heart beats) and diastolic (the pressure in arteries when your heart rests between beats)
- Help with weight management
- Provide exercise
- Support healthy sleep
One study found that adopting a yoga practice lowered participants’ systolic BP by 2.8mmHG (millimeters of mercury), and their diastolic 1.5 mmHg.
A core element of all styles of yoga, called pranayama or yogic breathing, offers additional cardiovascular benefits. One review of 1,400 studies revealed that controlled breathing exercises lead to improvement not only in arterial pressure but also in pulse rate and overall heart function.
Strengthens bones
While research is mixed, some studies indicate that yoga strengthens bones and lowers the risk of complications from osteoporosis.
One study on postmenopausal women with osteoporosis found that yoga improved bone mineral density, with no discomfort or pain reported over the six months. This suggests that yoga is a safe and effective therapy for bone disease.
And you don’t have to practice for hours daily to see results. One study found that participants improved their bone mineral density significantly by doing just 12 minutes of yoga daily, reversing osteoporosis-related bone loss.
For those with osteoporosis, gentle, low-impact forms of yoga like Hatha, yin, and restorative may be best–rather than strenuous practices like vinyasa.
Enhances sleep quality
Insomnia is common among seniors. The aging process causes physiological changes that can negatively affect sleep quality, including altered circadian rhythms and changes in core body temperature, as well as melatonin and cortisol levels.
Studies involving older adults have linked yoga to:
- Quicker sleep onset
- Less sleep disruption
- Deeper, more rejuvenating sleep
- Feelings of being more refreshed in the morning
- Reduced need for sleep medications
Yoga benefits sleep through both physical and mental mechanisms, including:
- Mindfulness: a practice of judgment-free awareness that’s been shown to increase melatonin and GABA (a naturally occurring amino acid associated with relaxation) in the brain
- Deep breathing promotes relaxation and sleep
- Physical exercise has been shown to induce sleep faster
- Potential alleviation of issues like sleep apnea due to weight loss
While all forms of yoga can improve sleep quality, yoga nidra may be particularly effective at bedtime.
It keeps your mind sharp.
Studies show that yoga can also improve cognitive function. Regular practitioners often notice enhanced memory, benefiting from the stress relief and increased mental focus.
Just as weightlifting builds muscle, yoga strengthens the brain. It creates new neural connections and positive changes in brain structure and function, boosting cognitive abilities like learning and memory.
Brain imaging studies–including MRI scans–reveal that regular yoga practitioners have a larger cerebral cortex (involved in processing information) and hippocampus (critical for learning and memory) than those who don’t practice yoga.
This is significant because these brain areas typically shrink with age. So, yoga may counteract age-related cognitive decline.
Reduces stress and depression
The benefits of yoga for the elderly extend to mood, too. This is important since 31.74% of seniors suffer from depression, according to one study.
A 2017 review of 23 studies focusing on yoga-based treatments for depression found conclusive evidence of yoga being an effective alternative therapy for major depressive disorder. Both movement-based and breathing-focused yoga practices have been proven to lessen depressive symptoms significantly.
And, of course, yoga helps reduce stress. It offers a soothing respite from everyday life, helping to release tension. And the synergy of movement, breathing, and meditation creates an overall sense of well-being.
The social interaction of participating in public yoga classes can heighten these benefits.
Risks of yoga for seniors
The main risk for seniors doing yoga is pushing too hard and striving for challenging postures rather than listening to the body. Instead, focusing on harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit makes yoga a safe and effective therapy for people with a variety of physical and mental health issues.
Many Medicare Advantage plans include free gym memberships like Silver Sneakers, which offers a variety of senior-friendly fitness classes, including yoga. So why not start your yoga journey?
To begin, try short, daily sessions–about 15 minutes–and gradually increase to 30 or 60-minute sessions. Explore your options and find the style that resonates most with you.
References:
Yoga for Healthy Aging: Science or Hype? – PMC
Obesity in Older Adults: Epidemiology and Implications for Disability and Disease – PMC
Obesity and related consequences to ageing – PMC
Depression and Older Adults | National Institute on Aging.
The Impact of Age on Cognition – PMC
Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life
The effects of selected asanas in Iyengar yoga on flexibility: pilot study
Yoga Exercise Intervention Improves Balance Control and Prevents Falls in Seniors Aged 65+ – PMC
Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss – PMC
Effects of Yogasanas on osteoporosis in postmenopausal women – PMC
Pranayamas and Their Neurophysiological Effects – PMC
Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life
Yoga therapy for fibromyalgia syndrome: A case report – PMC
Yoga for chronic low back pain: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – PMC
Effects of yoga on patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain – PMC
Autoimmune regulation of chronic pain – PMC
The role of yoga in inflammatory markers – PMC
Yoga for Military Veterans with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Efficacy of Iyengar Yoga Therapy on Chronic Low Back Pain
Impact of long term Yoga practice on sleep quality and quality of life in the elderly – PMC.
Influence of Yoga and Ayurveda on self-rated sleep in a geriatric population
Yoga for improving sleep quality and quality of life for older adults
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Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2023 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association
Hypertension in older adults: Assessment, management, and challenges – PMC
Essential Hypertension – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
Heart Health and Aging | National Institute on Aging
Effects of yogic breath regulation: A narrative review of scientific evidence – ScienceDirect
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Kidney Disease: A Potential Bidirectional Relationship? – PMC
Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: Interactions and Implications for Management
High Blood Pressure & Kidney Disease – NIDDK
Dietary and lifestyle factors in hypertension
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Yoga Exercise Intervention Improves Balance Control and Prevents Falls in Seniors Aged 65+ – PMC
The Falls Management Program: A Quality Improvement Initiative for Nursing Facilities
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The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression – PMC
The Effect of Yoga on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Women – PMC
Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study
The Impact of Yoga Nidra and Seated Meditation on the Mental Health of College Professors – PMC
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