Among other types of yoga, I teach chair yoga for seniors. I wonder though, how many seniors actually know the many benefits of yoga for the older population?
I can ask this question without fear of offending because I am a senior. I will be 70 years-old in July 2026. Lately I have had more and more seniors telling me that they need “exercise”. “It’s important for seniors to build strength.” “We need to use weights: 1 lb., 2 lb., and 5 lb. weights”, they tell me, “and exercise bands! And get our heart up!”
I am here to tell you, “Yes, it’s important to get your heart rate up! You can use weights and exercise bands to build and maintain muscles and bone density. And, adding the practice of yoga to your health regime supports so much more than just muscles and bone. Although it supports those too!”
Often people think that yoga is for the young, strong, and flexible. When really, yoga is for everyone. Here is what yoga, when taught correctly, can do for you:
Improves Brain Function
One strand of yoga, which many people don’t realize, is meditation. Meditation helps us to slow down. It provides the opportunity to let go of the frantic pace of our day and draw our attention inward. We can step away from our chatterbox mind and take a look at our thoughts, giving us the opportunity to see if those thoughts are actually beneficial to our well-being. Often, they are not! Memory is improved through this slowing down of the brain, giving us the time to actually process experiences in the moment. The practice of yoga asana/poses, is actually a moving meditation when done correctly.
Improve Lung Capacity and Circulation
Another strand of yoga is breath work. There are individual pranayama (breathing) practices, such as Alternate Nostril Breathing, Kapalabhati Breathing, Diaphragmatic Breathing and Box Breathing, to name a few. They can be done on their own or used during a yoga asana practice. Yoga teaches us that our breath is our life force energy. We need to breathe deeply to take that energy fully into our lungs so that in turn it can move through our circulatory system, and then flow back out releasing the body of spent energy and toxins. Controlled deep breathing can provide more oxygen than just our regular breathing, which is often chest breathing. Oxygen is vital for the body’s organs.
Strengthens Bones and Joints
Many yoga poses recruit opposing muscle groups in order to move into the pose and to hold it. Through the use of these opposing muscle groups, tension and stress are safely applied to the bones while holding the poses. This dynamic tension stimulates bone growth evenly and symmetrically. A gentle slow practice can help to slow down the loss of bone density, and improve flexibility of stiff joints.
Improves Balance and Stamina
The slow measured movements of yoga, along with the breathing and meditative state encourage you to relax, preserve energy and concentrate, all of which help to build stamina and endurance.
As we age our balance can often decline making us more susceptible to falls, and broken bones or other injuries. Yoga gives us the opportunity to practice balance. Where ever possible, standing and using a wall or a chair for support to stand on knee foot for a moment and then stand on the other encourages maintenance of balance. There are numerous balance poses that can be practice such as Tree Pose, or Five Pointed Star.
A simple way to start working on balance is by standing in Mountain pose (stand tall with feet slightly separated and inch or two, or three apart, toes pointing forward, a slight bend to the knees, a tall spine, with shoulders relaxed and down away from the ears) eyes closed and finding your centre of gravity as you sway gently forward and backward. Standing beside a chair that you can hold on to for safety is not a reason for feeling defeat. If you feel as though you might fall, open your eyes.
If you cannot stand, practice raising one foot and then the other, engaging your core as you lift each leg. Practice Gate pose by sitting to one side of your chair. Extend that leg with your toes pointing forward. Keep the other foot flat on the floor with the knee bent. Reach up through the arm of the leg that is bent and stretch over to the side of the extended leg. Come back to centre and then reach up with the opposite arm and stretch over towards the side of the leg that is bent. Do this pose with the opposite legs extended and bent.
You can also practice a seated Tree Pose by extending one leg out in front of you with the heel resting on the ground. Put the opposite foot, toe pointing down, knee bent, to rest on your calf or ankle, whichever is better for you. Bring your hands to heart centre in Prayer Mudra. Then slowly reach up, extending the arms as though your “tree branches” are growing and wave your arms gently from side to side, leaning gently into the wave if that feels safe. Engage your core muscles as your branches wave in the breeze.
Reduces Stress
The slow gentle movement, meditation, and breathing practices of yoga reduce stress. In the quiet and calm state that yoga offers to our mind body, and spirit, our parasympathetic nervous system kicks into gear, and we get out of the ‘fight or flight’ mode created by our sympathetic nervous system. Constantly being in fight/flight mode contributes to high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack, as well as creating mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Improves Sleep Habits
By calming the central nervous system and bringing the participant into the present moment, falling asleep more easily and staying a sleep longer can be a healthy outcome to a yoga practice. Sleep often becomes more difficult as we age and yoga can offset that problem.
Slows Down the Aging Process
Strength and relaxation slow the aging process. These are the core concepts of yoga. We relax when we breathe more fully, and we build strength as we move slowly through the poses holding them for a period of time, using opposing muscle groups and practising balance.
A Chair Yoga Practice
If you would like to know more about how yoga can support your journey to health and wellness send me a message, here!
MSH Yoga 