The best thing about yoga is that you can practice yoga at any age. It is adaptable to different populations with diverse physical needs. Normally we see young people doing yoga, those who are elder can also practice it and can equally benefited from it.You should pick the yoga according to your abilities so that it can help you age better and keep your flexibility and strength in great shape.
Most of the senior people are suffering from number of disease and few to mention are high blood pressure, low flexible joints, diabetes, obesity, stress, poor blood circulation and inability to get sound sleep. Practising yoga can help you to get rid of all these problems and in natural and effective manner. Following are the poses recommended yoga asanas for senior citizens.
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Best Yoga Asanas for Senior Citizens:
- Plank
- Cobra
- Cat
- Cow
- Tabletop
- Warrior I
- Warrior II
- Triangle
- Pigeon
- Seated Twist
- Tree
- Shoulder Stand
- Laying Twist
- Happy Baby Pose
- One-legged Downward Dog
Yoga Guidelines for Seniors
- Please take care of your health concerns and your body ability before practicing the yoga. Always get suggestion from experts.
- Pay attention while performing each posture. Slow down the transitions between the poses take your time and don’t rush to perform.
- Reduce the duration of practicing session by reducing length of each pose. Gradually you can increase it if start feeling comfortable. Poses can be repeated if desired.
- Use the terminology or language in which it is easy to remember and master the yoga process.
- Maintaining balance during poses will be a challenge for senior people. Tell them to focus on their gaze in a specific spot to maintain balance.
- Whenever you cue the class to stretch one area, cue them also to release tension in another.
- Encourage and motivate elder people. Create the supportive and healthy environment by focusing on their success.
- Always take the help of props like water bottle, pillows etc to maintain body alignment and balance. It will support and protect joints and will avoid any strain on them.
- Poses that includes strengthening of ankles, hips, lower back need special attention. Be cautious of weight you put on joints because joints get weaker as age increases.
- Avoid performing complicated poses.
- Maintain proper fitness etiquette at all times.
- Always wear comfortable and stretchable clothes.
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Benefits of doing Yoga to Seniors
Sleeping disorders: This is the most common problem in seniors. Practicing yoga will help you to reduce stress level and take a sound sleep.
Strength: Hand grip and overall body strength is very less in aged people. Yoga will strengthen your muscles and will increase your body stamina.
Diabetes: Practicing yoga significantly reduces the sugar level in your blood and helps your body to use insulin properly.
Hypertension: Yoga helps in controlling your blood pressure which is a very common problem in seniors.
Excess weight: Practicing yoga in routine will help you to cut the extra fat from different parts of your body.
Breathing problem: Practicing of pranayama will cure all of your breathing problems.
Yoga is for all the age groups. Be certain to practice it regularly to make your body healthy and your life happy.