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The worst thing you think about yourself is, “I’m too old.” Becca Levy, at the Yale School of Public Health, examined data from the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement that examined more than 1,000 participants since 1975. Participants (average age of 63 when they joined the study), were asked if they agreed or disagreed with statements like: “As you get older, you become useless.”
Levy found the average person with a more positive attitude lived for 22.6 years after the study started, while the average person who agreed with negative statements about aging, survived for just 15 years. That link remained even after Levy had controlled for their actual health status at the start of the survey, as well as other known risk factors, such as socioeconomic status or feelings of loneliness, which could influence longevity.
We have never before had so much information available to us that explains how we can use self-care practices, like yoga, to maintain health, a positive attitude and a greater quality-of-life as we grow older. A survey of recent research is extremely encouraging, no matter your age!
Physical Health:
Yoga promotes physical well being by improving muscle strength and endurance, postural stability, balance, and reduction in fatigue and the risk of falls for elderly people. (2,3)
Non-infectious/Chronic Diseases:
There are also multiple reports suggesting the favorable effect of yoga on older adults with age-related, chronic conditions, including:
cardiovascular diseases, (4)
diabetes, (5)
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (6)
osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. (3)
Mental Health:
Yoga enhances positive mood states and decreases mood disturbances like anxiety and depression. (7, 2) Also, practicing yoga appears to be therapeutically effective in improving sleep quality and enhancing cognitive function among people aged 60 years or older. (8)
1. You have choices.
Yoga is not about competing or comparing yourself to anyone else, especially to younger people or the person you once were! It is okay to choose yoga practices like chair, gentle, or restorative rather than hot yoga or vinyasa. Gentler yoga practices are effective, too! Slow, controlled movements and holding poses build strength.
The key is to accept yourself as you are, today - tomorrow could be different. Your body can improve—incrementally, over time with regular practice. Rather than choosing the kind of practice you think you should be able to do, choose one that works for your body. You are more likely to stick with a yoga practice if you feel comfortable, safe, and happy!
2. You can adapt poses and use props.
Use a wall or a chair to steady yourself, especially during balancing poses. Using blocks, straps, and bolsters will make postures more achievable and safe. Use a pillow to raise your hips in seated poses and meditation. Props are tools to keep you active!
Unwind @ the Wall; a Strap Practice; or Blanket Bliss are examples of prop practices. They can also give you ideas on how to incorporate props into your yoga practice.
3. You can try something new!
Try chair yoga. If getting up and down off the floor is a challenge, chair yoga is a great option that gives you the same benefits as you’d get in a standing yoga practice. For people with mobility issues or knee, hip, or back pain, chair yoga is accessible and helpful. After I fell while running, I practiced chair yoga with the “Relax into Yoga” DVD while my skinned and bruised knee healed. I still rotate this DVD into my practice even though my knee is healed. (You may be able to check out this DVD and as well as other yoga DVDs, from your public library, for free!)
Try restorative yoga – especially if you engage in regular athletic activities. “Rest” or days of light activity are essential to avoiding injuries and allow your muscles to replenish. In restorative yoga, you use props to support your body and promote healing, relaxation and rest. Restorative yoga is for everyone at any age but is especially is helpful if you are dealing with a chronic condition; sleep disturbances; recovering from an injury; or as a rest day from athletics.
Learn about the 5 types of restorative poses, then explore a Mindful Breathing Practice, or a one- pose video practice: (each video is approximately 15 minutes of guided practice)
“Old age ain’t no place for sissies!” Old age is for the place for maintaining a healthy body and mind. Old age is the time to accept the changes growing old brings by embracing where you are right now, not where you were in the past. Old age is living now, today with “courage, strength, and athleticism.”
See also:
References
