10 best reasons seniors need to practice yoga

1.Strengthen muscles and bones: Yoga especially builds muscle strength and bone mass. The vital weight-bearing postures of yoga stimulate the bones to retain calcium. In yoga, both the upper and lower body receive the benefits of bearing weight, unlike walking or running.

2.Improved heart and respiratory health: Chi Gung and the soft martial arts have been shown in studies to improve circulation, heart health, and respiratory function. Yoga breathing exercises are very powerful tools to increase respiratory function, breath capacity and physical energy. Both increase vitality and sense of well-being.

3.Increased flexibility: Yoga and Chi Gung both increase overall flexibility, contributing to improved everyday functioning and mobility and protection from falls.

4.Better posture: Good posture calls upon our new strength and flexibility to keep our spine healthy and strong. Healthy body posture supports digestive and respiratory functions as well. Poor posture in combination with osteoporosis leads to stress fractures.

5.Improved balance: Balance gives older adults the confidence to move freely and to engage in physical activities.

6.Increased energy: Yoga and Chi Gung are, in essence, ancient renewal and balancing systems for our vital energy. More than the sum of their parts, these practices gently revitalize the body.

7.Intellectual stimulation: Learning a mind-body exercise is like learning a new language with its own vocabulary and rules. It takes focused attention. It is a practice, a journey of exploration. Yoga and the soft martial arts also invite us to explore a way of thinking that may be very unfamiliar to us.

8.Emotional support: The philosophies infusing yoga and Chi Gung encourage us to be mindful of the present moment, to be aware and grateful of all around us, and to let go of our attachments of how we think things should be.

9.Connecting with the big picture: A mindfulness practice is a direct way to practice connecting with a truth larger than ourselves. Practicing becoming quiet and receptive allows our inner wisdom to be heard.

10.Inner Exploration: Central to the spiritual dimensions of the older adult is the desire to explore the inner self.