Yoga is an ancient practice, famous among people of many age groups. Yoga is especially beneficial for older adults. The local community center and fitness clubs offer yoga classes, and different types of yoga groups ensure seniors find a suitable group for them. Home Care Assistance of Philadelphia professionals share a few reasons seniors should do yoga regularly.
1. Increases Balance
Falls are a major concern for seniors. Different positions practiced in yoga can strengthen the muscles required to hold a pose, and thus enhances balance. Performing yoga allows seniors to gain self-confidence that boost their overall quality of life.
2. Enhances Joint Health
The gently bending and flexing movements of joints involved in yoga can help seniors increase their range of motion. When bearing body weight, seniors can also increase bone health and prevent the risk of osteoporosis.
3. Promotes Muscle Strength
Yoga poses work all the major muscle groups. The boast pose and side plank can strengthen the abdominal muscles. While supporting the body weight, the muscles of arms become toned. Different poses of yoga strengthen quadriceps, hips, and thighs. Squats, bridges, and warrior pose help tone the buttock muscles. The cow or cat pose, child pose, and the down-facing dog stretch can support and strengthen back muscles.
4. Eliminates Pain
Many yoga poses are created for body’s core to make the abdominal muscles strong and to align the spine for a more natural pose. Strong abdominal muscles support the spine and reduce the undue stress to alleviate the back pain by spinal realignment. As bones and muscles get strong and joints become flexible, the discomfort of the body subsides.
5. Strengthens the Heart
The calm atmosphere and peaceful surroundings of the yoga groups can reduce stress by reducing the release of stress hormones. The controlled, slow, and strategic breathing involved in yoga can calm the cardiovascular system. An intense form of yoga acts as aerobics that promotes heart health.
6. Enhances Cognitive Function
During yoga, seniors should clear their minds, breathe deeply, and concentrate on the poses they are performing. The prefrontal cortex is stimulated during the stationary state. The movements of yoga also boost the blood circulation to provide the brain with more oxygen, allowing the neurons to work better and smarter.
7. Boosts Mood
Yoga offers an emotional release when the controlled and slow breathing techniques promote a sense of calmness and relaxation. When seniors concentrate when forming and holding their poses, they prevent their brain from focusing on stressful events. This technique stimulates the release of endorphins, the feel-good chemical compounds, by the brain to encourage happiness and inner peace. The elderly also experience a sense of achievement when they see results and become able to boost overall health by doing yoga regularly.
8. Increases Socialization
Whether your loved one practices yoga in an indoor class or outdoors in a park, he or she gets the chance to meet and know new people and increase their social circle. In such activities, seniors can get to know the people with similar interests, which offer them an opportunity to make more friends.
In addition to yoga, there are many other ways seniors can enjoy a high quality of life. If your loved one wants to enhance his or her health, he or she should make healthy lifestyle choices. Consider hiring professional and reliable home care. Philadelphia families rely on seniors at-home care to allow their loved one maintain healthy habits and age in the comfort of home.
