Aging is INEVITABLE. Feeling GREAT as we age is OPTIONAL.
Take a look at the short two-minute (ish) video to hear about just a FEW of the benefits of starting Yoga Therapy with a Yoga Therapist, especially as we age.
If you want to know about MORE benefits, take a quick read below..... Don't wait until your joints start to ache, or your memory goes, or you are so anxious you can't sleep ---- seriously, do something about it now. Find a Yoga Therapist. We specialize in the aging body, conditions that affect it, and the co-morbidities that increase with age. I sub-specialize in working with Seniors here in Chicago and in Florida.
Clinical research published in several medical and holistic journals have demonstrated that, Yoga, as little as 1-2 times per week, has multiple physical, emotional, mental, and physiological benefits, especially in the Senior population!
In fact, this is why the American Family Physician Association AND AARP recommend Yoga after the age of 50!
WHY?
Yoga INCREASES Our Energy – in our bodies AND in our brains. The movements stimulate our metabolism and circulatory system, which sends more oxygen to our blood, which feeds our aging brains. When we have more energy, we move more, which increases a feeling of productivity, in turn producing feelings of satisfaction, and creates a feeling of EMPOWERMENT.
Yoga IMPROVES Our Sleep. Our quality AND quantity of sleep decreases as we age. Yoga postures, the rhythmic movement of the breath, and the relaxation that follows, lowers the stress hormones in our body and allows the body’s nervous system to re-set and re-balance, improving the of quality of sleep.
Yoga CREATES a Strong and Confident Posture. Postures practiced in yoga lengthen and increase the flexibility within the spine that changes with age. Over time, this strong posture can prevent the ailments associated with aging such as rounded shoulders, forward head, and other back related conditions. A side effect of creating a strong posture is alleviation of pain often associated with a forward-leaning head from our time spent with electronics.
Benefits of Yoga Felt WITHIN Two to Three Months…..
Yoga INCREASES Our Strength and Flexibility. The muscles and joints are strengthened, that not only PREVENTS injuries as we age, it can reverse injuries when we’ve already encountered them. Flexibility BALANCES the strength gained during specific postures and will loosen and stretch tight muscles. Within even the first month, you’ll notice being able to reach further up than when you started and get closer to the toes you may be trying to touch.
Yoga STIMULATES Metabolism and Helps to Lose Weight. In a study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers reported that people with diabetes who did yoga 3-6 days per week for 8 weeks, lost more weight and inches than those who walked for the same time-period. Yoga stimulates our metabolism through increased heart rate during challenging postures and lowers cortisol during the relaxation, reducing the storage of fat around our bellies
Yoga BOOSTS Our Immune Systems. Remember the circulatory stimulation? A side effect of this, is reduction of the stress hormones that make us susceptible to illnesses in the first place, but also INCREASES the movement and drainage of lymph, which carries the illness-fighting cells to attack these “bad-boy” bugs that cause us to get sick, destroy cancer cells, and rid the body of waste!
Yoga REDUCES Our Suffering. Daily practice of yoga generates gratitude and creates an overall positive outlook on life, enhances our moods. Our willpower shifts our focus toward wellness rather than instant gratification, according to Larry Payne, Yoga Director at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. We begin to accept ourselves for doing the best we know how, which allows us to practice patience and compassion with others as they do the best THEY know how.
Yoga TEACHES Us to Live in the Present Moment. A consistent yoga practice can increase the levels of serotonin in our brains. This increased serotonin enhances and improves overall mood helping us to feel more joy and inspiring us to live in the present moment.
Yoga CREATES Calmness and REDUCES Anxiety. Yoga boosts levels of GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps to calm the nerves. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine reported that women who participated in a 60-Minute Yoga Class twice a week reported greater reductions in anxiety after the 9-week study period compared to those that did not participate.
Yoga Benefits Last a LIFETIME Helping Us Feel Better as We Age
Yoga PROVIDES Significant Cardiovascular Benefits. It reduces blood pressure. Plain and simple. A growing body of evidence demonstrate that after 12 weeks of weekly yoga, including the postures, breathing exercises, and deep relaxation, people saw benefit! Read more about Yoga and Aging in the July!
Yoga BUILDS Bone. After the age of 50, people are at greater risk for developing osteoporosis, most notably, women that have gone through menopause. It is well documented that we need weight-bearing exercises to keep our bones healthy and strong. Read more about Yoga and Aging in July!
Yoga PROTECTS Joints and the Spine. Joints lose their lubrication as we age. They need fresh blood carrying nutrients. Even simpler tasks like going up and down stairs, putting a blouse or shirt on, could be difficult if we don’t keep our joints lubricated, flexible, and mobile. Read more about Yoga and Aging in July!
Yoga SHARPENS Memory. You’ve probably experienced it. Forgetting where the keys are, inability to recall what we needed to do that afternoon. It all starts to happen as we age. In 2016, an International Review of Psychiatry reported that practicing yoga relaxation techniques for 30 minutes had immediate effects on brain function and performance.
Try it! Share this information with people you love! I will be kicking off virtual yoga therapy programs for Aging in the July. There is also a great source of on-line videos from an amazing teacher and therapist, one of mine, in fact, Sherry Zak Morris of Yoga Vista Academy. They are super fun, challenging, and safe!
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