

Yoga Improves Flexibility and Joint Health Not only does it prevent them in the first place, but an increase in strength and stability also helps seniors bounce back and recover, should a fall occur.

Strengthening your muscles and improving your balance prevents the likelihood of falls, which can be a common concern for elderly. Many yoga poses focus on balance and stability, both incredibly important as you age. Here are just six of the many benefits of a daily yoga practice for seniors. Seniors, who often struggle with pain, joint stress, imbalance, osteoarthritis, and other physical limitations, can benefit from incorporating a yoga practice into their daily routine. Yoga, especially restorative yoga, can also offer a wide array of health benefits-working physical and psychological wonders. Healthy eating and exercise can assist in preventing disease, injury, and keeping your physical body in good shape, and meditation and brain training exercises can keep your mind sharp. The good news is, there are so many things you can do to improve your overall health and well-being as a senior. With these statistics and more, the topic of aging often renders fear as birthdays pile up and you become eligible for social security. Not to mention the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease-which can impair the ability to have relationships and function in the world-doubles every five years after age 65.

Memory can decline, balance can be impaired, and with that, sense of self can suffer. Psychologically and emotionally, seniors experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. Joint stress, osteoarthritis, and other types of pain will also commonly surface as you age. Risk of life-threatening illnesses, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer also increases with age. According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, over one third of adults 65 and older are obese. Physically, it becomes harder to keep extra weight off. Growing older can also carry many challenges. Getting older presents many gifts-maturity, grace, wisdom, experience, and perspective, to name a few.
