Aging brings with it many health problems. Whether these are issues with the digestive system, respiratory system, or cardiovascular system, aging does come with issues of its own. Medications become a part of your daily life and performing even the most basic of tasks seems a challenge. Luckily, you have chair yoga for senior citizens to help you slow down the aging process and live a normal life.
Chair yoga is not just for the elderly, it also helps those suffering from chronic pain, disability, or acute injuries. Moreover, incorporating physical activity into your daily routine helps you maintain a healthy lifestyle even during post-retirement years. In other words, yoga will make you feel more energetic and manage the aches and pains that come with aging.
However, you might question;
Ageing might be a slow process. It is the time to try new things and adopt healthy habits, which you might not have been able to follow during the working years. It is here that inculcating yoga into your daily routine helps you live a fit and healthy life.
With that said, given below are some of the benefits of yoga for senior citizens:
A common health issue that impacts your bones and joints during old age is Osteoporosis. Unfortunately, this problem causes your bones to become weak and brittle. Daily practice of yoga during the later years stops the onset of osteoporosis. Thus, it helps retain bone density and mass.
Not having any social life during the retirement years wreaks havoc on your mental health. However, yoga has numerous techniques like meditation and breathing which helps you relax. Moreover, practising Yoga For Senior Citizens with others gives you the opportunity to become socially active.
Waking up in the middle of the night is another problem you face in later years. Fortunately, yoga is a relaxing way to stay fit and help you sleep soundly for longer hours.
You might feel a bit confused about starting out with chair yoga. Don’t worry! Yoga experts have come up with some easy-to-follow tips to kickstart chair yoga sessions as a beginner.
Although, chair yoga is a gentle style of yoga that is suitable for individuals of all age groups, however, you should still follow a few safety tips.
Yoga is a gentle art, but it does not mean you can take a risk. By risk, yoga experts mean you should not join a yoga school that is not Yoga Alliance certified. An experienced yoga teacher can help you develop a safe yoga practice.
Before you start with chair yoga for senior citizens routine, it is advised to seek the consultation of a medical professional. Although yoga is a slow-paced method of fitness, still it would do some good to find out about any physical or mental health problems you might have.
Many chair yoga practitioners think of not using yoga props owing to appearing weak in front of others in the class. You should keep in mind, yoga is not a competitive sport where you have to win. Yoga props help you practice a chair yoga pose with ease.
However, you must also know the right chair yoga poses to reap the full benefits of this yoga style.
Keeping that in mind, given below are some effective chair yoga for senior citizens asanas that you can do with ease.
Given below are two powerful chair yoga poses for senior citizens.
Eagle arms if one of the best chair yoga for senior citizens asanas that provide your shoulders and upper back some relaxation. It also stabilizes and flexes your shoulders joint.
Take a deep breath while inhaling.
Stretch out both arms to your sides.
Exhale. Bring both arms in front of you.
Swing the right arm under your left and grab both shoulders with the opposite hands.
Inhale. Lift your elbows a bit higher.
Exhale. Roll your shoulders down and relax them.
Take a deep breath. Repeat the elbow lift and shoulder roll.
Note: If you have flexibility in your shoulders, you can release the grip and wrap your forearms around each other.
It is the best chair yoga asana for seniors that gives the shoulders a good stretch, improves body posture, and lets go of breathing difficulties.
Inhale. Stretch both arms out to your sides with both palms down.
Exhale. Roll both shoulders forward a little. This will roll your palms so they face behind you.
Bend your elbows and let your hands swing behind your back.
Clasp both hands and pull them away from each other without releasing your hold.
In case, you gripped the wrist or elbow, keep a note of which side you gripped on.
Take 5 slow and even breaths. Keep your arms clasped.
Re-clasp your elbow or wrist for at least 5 breaths.
Aging does come with a lot of problems that impact your mental and physical health. However, that does not mean there is no solution. You should enroll in a certified yoga school to learn chair yoga for senior citizens under the guidance of a yoga expert.