Is Age just another number?
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” – Betty Friedan
The grace and elegance of the fortifying age figures eventually drop down to being slaves of fatigue, weakness and stress and when they say, age is just another figure one is being hypothetical. This is because the body weakens with age and time, the bodily processes slow and the immunity suffers.
Benefits of yoga for senior citizens
Yoga is the union of the mind and the body and yoga asanas are one of the few physical exercises that one should continue doing as they age. “Heyam Dukham Anaagatam”, this famous phrase from the Patanjali Yoga Sutra outlines the need to avoid the despair that is yet to come. In terms of yoga for senior citizens or old-aged people, this phrase outlines the need to take precautions (yoga asans) to get rid of any diseases or problems that might be caused as a sign of increasing age figures.
The Patanjali Yoga Sutras define asana as “Sthira Sukham Asana”. It simply means that any posture done with awareness in a stable and comfortable way is an asana. The yoga asanas recommended for aged people are mostly the same as those for a younger individual. The difference lies in the effort and time spent in a posture, and the flexibility involved. Regular practice of asanas like pranayama and meditation can help avoid the problems that might occur as a result of increasing age figures.
Yoga helps in combating stress, strengthening the muscles, improving blood circulation, relaxing the mind, increasing flexibility, relieving pain, easing the symptoms of menopause and making people live as happily as ever after.
Several Poses for Senior Citizens
The recorded Life expectancy at birth for female in India was 69.86 years in the year 2015. This figure, when compared to the figures with previous years shows appreciable changes within the society led by increased standard of living and better health facilities. Not only this, yoga as an exercise of the mind and the body is also one of the factors that has contributed to these appreciable figures. According to various researches, the benefits of yoga are tangible and regular yoga practice can result in increased life spans.
“For breath is life, and if you breathe well, you will live long on earth.”
Yoga is significantly known to improve breathing, being the ultimate basis for a healthy and long life.
These are the several poses one must regularly practice while in old age for a healthier life.
Katichakrasana (Standing spinal twist)
This pose is helpful in strengthening the arm and leg muscles, ensuring that seniors are firm on their feet while exercising.
Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)
This yoga posture activates the elderly people, brings them out of mild depression and relieves the symptoms fatigue and anxiety in them. The pose also smoothens out the process of menopause.
Shishuasana (Child Pose)
This essential pose is beneficial in calming the nervous system, relaxes the back and reducing back aches.
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
This yoga asana helping seniors feel more energetic by strengthening their back and shoulders and improving the blood circulation.
Chair yoga for senior citizens
This is yet another feather to the emblematic form of yoga. It includes elderly people practicing yoga by siting on the chair. Cow stretch, seated forward bend, seated spinal twist and temple rub are all chair yoga asanas that have enormous benefits and are being taught by various yoga teacher training institutes India.
Yoga is an essential form of art that requires regular practice to stay fit and lead a long life with superior health. Therefore, one must regularly practice yoga in all ages to stay as youthful as ever.
