Chair Yoga: Helping Seniors Stay Active!
You might have noticed or heard about chair yoga helping seniors stay active or improve mobility as we age. Chair yoga is quickly becoming more popular for those of us who might not be as flexible as we once were. That may come as a result of aging, an injury, or a variety of reasons. Whatever that reason may be, research has shown that flexibility and strength training is beneficial for people of all ages and is especially important to continue as we age. Maintaining a flexibility training program improves range of motion in our joints, helps improve balance, and reduces the risk of falling. For people of all ages, chair yoga can be that gateway into a simple and easy training routine!
Chair yoga is a great entry into the yoga space. We all have a chair to use, and you can do these exercises in the comfort of your own home! Chair yoga exercises can be as simple or as challenging as you need. When starting out, some people may have difficulties with flexibility or joint mobility. Not to worry, there are plenty of beginner exercises which are easily available online. Chair yoga promotes circulation of the blood and focuses on breathing which can greatly improve your quality of life as well.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that 36 million falls occur among seniors each year. It is important to keep your body and mind active as we age. Chair yoga also helps with mind-body connection and coordination, which aids greatly in preventing falls.
Exercise also helps combat decreased bone density or osteoporosis. As we age our bones can become weak or brittle. This is yet another reason why starting and/or maintaining a regular exercise regimen is very critical. Not only can it help keep our bodies and bones young for years to come, exercise has been shown to lower the risk of dementia and even help slow the progression of other diseases like Alzheimer’s.
It is also important to note that exercise helps fight off short-term illnesses like cold and flu. It helps by keeping us healthy in many ways, such as improving sleep quality and reducing anxiety which improve immune function. Exercise also helps us avoid chronic disease such as asthma and some types of cancer.
Many studies recommend older adults should get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. There are many types of exercise that we can pick from. Do some research online or speak with a personal trainer about what forms of exercise might be best for you and your lifestyle. If you don’t know where to begin or haven’t thought about starting until now, that’s perfectly fine. Chair yoga is a great way for older adults to turn back the clock and keep their bodies moving well for many years to come!