Yoga for Older People
Can Yoga be Practiced by Older People?
Yoga practice is a great exercise for everybody. Yes, even for older people. Yoga for older people is considered to be a gift for them. Yoga for older people also helps them to gain freshness of mind apart from gaining only health and happiness.Yoga for older people is a rebirth, which teaches them to face the rest of their life happily, peacefully, and courageously.
Yoga can be a great benefit for older people no matter how restricted is the movement or shallow is the breath. They can even strengthen the spine, strengthen postural muscles and improve blood circulation. Yoga is the natural way to free them from the pains and nervous tension. There are some gentle yoga techniques for older people that can calm the mind and steady the breathing, and helps in relaxation.
First of all it is very necessary to understand the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual states of older people since it can change dramatically from the experiences that they have when they were younger. It is found that the sincere practice of yoga can even reverse the old age making the practitioners young. The problems with older people are mainly associated with blood circulation, rheumatic and arthritic pains, cramps and rigidity, which severely hamper their liberty of movement. Many of them may have a gradual decrease in the mental ability to remember things or lose full control of their bodies. Yoga for older people helps to decrease some of these problems.
It is important for older people to begin practicing yoga with gentle movements. The most important principle of yoga for older people is gradualism. It's ok if you start up with only warm up exercises for weeks or even months. Afterwards they can take yoga physical exercises step by step to a higher level. Yoga when practiced correctly is safe and brings with it numerous positive changes that can turn into joy and vitality no matter whether you are young or old.
One of the most important yoga practices for older people is pranayama or breathing techniques that can improve energy and concentration. Deep and controlled breathing will help older people to face the problems of old age with a more positive and relaxed attitude. There are 3 types of pranayama that are helpful for older people.
Ujjayi Pranayama
Ujjayi pranayama is the main type of breathing practiced and is characterised by a soft, deep, almost hollow sound coming from the throat. Ujjayi pranayama means breathing slowly through your nostrils that is about 4 to 5 heartbeats in and about 4 to 5 heartbeats out narrowing the vocal cords slightly as you inhale through the nose with the mouth closed. Doing this you create a soft and gentle sound in your throat, just like the waves of an inner ocean floating to the coast. You will hear the same sound inhaling and exhaling.
Anuloma-Viloma Pranayama
Anuloma-Viloma pranayama is a process of purification that strengthens the whole respiratory system. Sit in an erect position closing your eyes. Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the thumb. Now closing the left nostril with the ring finger and the little finger, exhale slowly through right nostril removing the thumb. After exhalation, inhale through the same nostril (right). Now closing the right nostril with thumb exhale through left nostril as per previous practice. This completes one round of Anuloma-Viloma pranayama. Repeat this 8-10 times.
Kapalabhati Pranayama
Kapalabhati pranayama also helps to strengthen the respiratory system since it purifies the nasal passage and the lungs. Sit in any erect position or in vajrasana. Contracting the abdominal muscles sharply exhale through both nostrils. Release the contractions quickly and immediately follow with another forceful exhalation. Inhale and relax the muscles, allowing the lungs to fill with air. Practice this pranayama very slowly and gently in short durations. After the round take a deep breath and gradually exhale. Repeat this for about 15-20 times.
Relaxation technique is also helpful to older people. Yoga relaxation technique is a necessary stage of every yoga routine. Since yoga is a connection between the spiritual and common world, relaxation technique is considered to be the stage, which safely brings you back to the present reality where you live in. Shavasana is one of the relaxation techniques where you have to lie down comfortably and meditate.