Yoga practice has been an infallible practice to keep us healthy for thousands of years. There is no natural way to remain healthy other than yoga for senior citizens. It is clear from scientific studies that yoga for senior citizens raises more awareness than people of other ages and also promotes overall health.
With increasing age or old age, people who are less flexible can enjoy yoga practice more and more – and get even more amazing benefits.
Benefits of Yoga for Senior
The benefits of yoga for seniors can help improve posture gradually. While doing yoga, keep in mind that the diseases of the body are getting cured and the whole body is getting fit.
Yoga regenerates the cells of the body by strengthening our vital energy. Due to which the flexibility in the elderly body will increase, relief of pain, blood attack will be good and all the muscles and nerves of the body will be healthy.
Improve immunity: Doing yoga in both cases, whether seniors are healthy or not, will prove to be a profitable deal. The resistance system is better with yoga.
Improved physical flexibility: Regular yoga exercises strengthen the elderly body and strengthen muscles. It improves the sitting, standing, etc. of the body. (
Increase energy: A few minutes of yoga each day keeps you full of freshness and energy throughout the day.
Relieves body pain: It is common for older adults to often have problems such as spinal deformity, joint pain, or arthritis, in which case the practice of yoga acts as a pain reliever.
Enhances sleep quality: In older adults, lack of exercise, stress, hormone imbalance, body balance, or excessive drug intake can also induce insomnia. At the same time, if the elders do regular yoga, the mind is relaxed and relieved from stress, which helps in getting good sleep at night.
Apart from this, Practicing yoga gives the elderly a healthy feeling as well as a deep sense of satisfaction. Yoga asanas can make aging more enjoyable and self-dependent, increase memory and keep depression and other mood swings away.
Beginners Yoga poses For Seniors
By practicing yoga, the elderly can keep their old age more fun and self-reliant. There are some beginners yoga poses for senior men that the elders can perform easily.
1. Mountain Pose – Tadasana
Tadasana is the beginning level yoga for senior and elderly people, which can be done easily by standing on the yoga mat.
Tadasana Benefits For Seniors:
With this asana there is enough stretch in the spine, the body becomes flexible. Also helps you improve your posture and balance and the internal organs are strengthened.
How to Do
- Stand with your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. If the elderly are unable to stand, then take support to the wall.
- Keep your spine straight and your arms on top of the head.
- With each inhalation, raise the hands.
- Now try to raise your ankles slowly. This is not to be forced by the elderly.
- During this, take support to the wall.
2. Diamond Pose – Vajrasana
The next pose in the yoga for the elderly sequence is the Vajrasana, which is the only posture that can be done after a meal, especially after lunch.
Vajrasana Benefits For Seniors:
This is a meditative posture, by doing this the body becomes strong and stable. Its practice helps in increasing digestive power. Gastric is illuminated, abdominal air disorders are overcome, the bone and shoulders are straight and blood circulation is done properly in the body. It also makes the leg muscles strong. Also, there is no problem with gas and constipation.
How to Do
- First of all, bend the knees and sit upright on the toes. Use a thick blanket below for convenience.
- Both toes should be close together and there should be a short distance between the ankles.
- Keep the weight of the body on the feet.
- Now place your hands on the thighs. The elderly hold their hands to the ground for the inconvenience.
- The part above your waist should be straight. Take a long breath while sitting in this position for a while.
3. Cobra Pose – Bhujangasana
Bhujangasana is a lying-down posture, that can be practice easily by seniors. For convenience use the yoga bricks under the hands.
Bhujangasana Benefits For Seniors:
The kidneys get special benefits from this asana. The neck, shoulders and spinal cord are affected. Strengthens the tonsils and throat glands, causing puberty-less suppleness in the body. The back, chest, heart, shoulders, neck and muscles become powerful. Especially beneficial in heart disease.
How to Do
- Lie on your stomach. Taking the feet outward, the heels should be clawed.
- Touch the palms of the hand from the ground and place it along the chest.
- Breathing with the help of hands first lift the neck and chest up, slightly above the navel.
- Try to bend the neck and chest more and more, keep the vision towards the sky.
- Stay in this position for a while.
- Finally come back, exhaling.
4. Accomplished Pose – Siddhasana
Siddhasana is a very easy and useful posture. This is a boon especially for the elderly. Because it also has great significance from a spiritual point of view. It also provides salvation.
Siddhasana Benefits For Seniors:
There is no other posture like this posture. It is a boon for the elderly. Urinary disease is cured by this asana. The practice of this asana leads to quick attainment. This leads to renunciation and salvation of the world. It is a very useful asana for the elderly, both spiritually and physically.
How to Do
- First of all, place a pedestal or a blanket in a clean place.
- Sit in Sukhasana for a few moments. Control the breath.
- Now attach the heel of the left foot between the testicle and the anus.
- Keep the right foot in the penis root. If there is difficulty in keeping, then you can also put the foot on the front side.
- Compress the chin and apply it in the throat.
- Keep the body stationary and observe the erosion with a fixed vision.
5. Child Pose – Balasana
It is also known as Shashankasana. It is said that a person becomes a child after becoming old. Shashankasana is a very beneficial asana for all those elders. It is easy as well as useful.
Balasana Benefits For Seniors:
This is the practice of Supavajrasana. All veins come into a natural state. The body becomes relaxed. Irritation is over, the mind remains happy. Anger calms down.
How to Do
- First of all, sit in the position of Vajrasana on yoga mats or blankets.
- Breathing, move both hands up, keep the palms facing the front.
- Then, while exhaling, bend from the back and place the forehead on the ground ahead of the knees.
- The hands will also come together in the same position.
- Keep breathing regularly, keep the body loose.
- Wait for a while in this situation.
6. Butterfly Pose – Baddha Konasana
Buddh Konasana is a very simple yoga posture, anyone can do it. It is a good posture for beginners in yoga. Senior citizens can expect to see this pose often in their yoga routine.
Baddha Konasana Benefits For Seniors:
The practice of Buddha Konasana is very easy. A person of any age can do this easily. It gives a good stretch to the inner thighs and groin. It gives a good stretch to the hips, legs, ankles, and knees. This asana eliminates blockage in our mid-body and increases blood circulation. By practicing this, the hips get a good massage from both sides.
How to do
- Sit on the ground in a Cross-legged position.
- Now bend your feet from the knees and join the soles of your feet together.
- At this time, your heels should be close to your pelvic area.
- Try to gently lower your knees to the ground.
- Tilt the upper body forward and place your forehead on the floor.
- Stay in this posture for a while.
7. Tree Pose – Vrikshasana
This posture is very useful for the elderly, whether it is from both a physical or spiritual point of view. Vriksasana is a Sanskrit word. It literally means a tree, that is, a tree-like asana. In this posture, the body of the yogi makes the position of the tree.
Vrikshasana Benefits For Seniors:
If Vriksana is done for some time, it can help to make the spine flexible and strong. This makes the muscles flexible, which can strengthen the muscles, increase patience and endurance.
How to do
- Stand upright on the ground.
- Now bend the left knee and place the right foot on your right thigh.
- During this time, your right leg should be straight so that you can maintain the balance of the body.
- If the elderly are unable to balance, then stand with the support of the wall.
- If you cannot place your leg in the part of the thigh, you can also place it below the knee.
- When you are in this posture, keep breathing deeply.
- Raise your hands above your head, and bring them into the ‘namaste’ posture.
- During this time, your entire body should be stretched and the spine should be straight.
- Stay in this posture for 30 seconds.
Research has found that practicing all Yogasanas requires breathing or focusing on a specific part of the body, which can be beneficial in improving the abilities of meditation and alertness.
Conclusion
Yoga for the elderly / Senior Citizens has been described, it is very easy and useful. Seniors must do them and take benefits from them. Through yoga, we not only achieve physical, mental fortitude, but it also leads to the development of a good personality.
Frequently Asked Question Yoga for Seniors
- Is yoga safe for seniors? Yes, yoga is generally considered safe for seniors, provided that it is practiced under the guidance of a qualified instructor who is knowledgeable about modifications and adaptations to accommodate any physical limitations. Seniors with certain medical conditions or injuries should consult with their healthcare provider before beginning a yoga practice.
- What are the benefits of yoga for seniors? Yoga can help seniors improve their flexibility, strength, balance, and mobility, which can help reduce the risk of falls and injuries. It can also help manage chronic pain, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
- What type of yoga is best for seniors? Gentle yoga, restorative yoga, and chair yoga are all great options for seniors. These types of yoga focus on slow, gentle movements, and modifications can be made to accommodate individual needs and physical limitations.
- Can seniors practice yoga if they have limited mobility? Yes, seniors with limited mobility can still practice yoga. Chair yoga and gentle yoga can be modified to accommodate physical limitations and can still provide many benefits.
- How often should seniors practice yoga? Seniors can benefit from practicing yoga as little as once a week, although practicing 2-3 times per week is ideal to see significant improvements in strength, flexibility, and balance.
- Do seniors need special equipment to practice yoga? Seniors can practice yoga with minimal equipment, such as a yoga mat, comfortable clothing, and perhaps a chair or yoga block to assist with balance and support. However, some seniors may benefit from using props such as blankets or bolsters to help modify poses and accommodate physical limitations.
