Harry Cline contacted me last month about this guest blog and I am terrible about checking my emails. This is a wonderful article for seniors and their caregivers to help build and maintain mental and physical capabilities in a way that is best suited to the abilities of seniors.

Starter’s Guide to Yoga and Meditation for Seniors

As we get older, many of us strive to find a new exercise and wellness routine that will allow us to age gracefully into our elder years. Exercise plans used by the younger crowd are simply not designed to meet the older population’s needs and abilities. While many in the younger population can get lots of benefits from cardio and weight training, many seniors need exercises that boost their mental well-being and improve their flexibility.

 

Luckily, yoga and meditation can help in both of these areas. Here is what you need to know before starting your own yoga and meditation routine.

 

Create a space for your practice

 

In order to maximize the benefits of an at-home yoga and meditation practice, you should find a space where distractions are minimal and there isn’t furniture or other knick knacks that could cause a safety issue. If you don’t have a spare room waiting for its own unique purpose, Angie’s List notes that one great option is using a formal dining room that doesn’t see a lot of action, since many families opt to share meals at a smaller kitchen table. You might consider moving your dining table to the kitchen (or even selling it if you rarely use it), which will carve out a great space for your yoga mat and offer you plenty of room to move through the poses.

 

Practice gentle yoga

 

There are many, many different kinds of yoga, and some offer more benefits for seniors than others. For most seniors, gentle yoga is usually a good starting point, especially if they have never practiced yoga before. Gentle yoga is just what it sounds like – gentle. According to Livestrong, it provides seniors with the chance to improve their flexibility, mobility and strength without the risk of injury and overexertion that many other exercise routines and types of yoga can cause. There are lots of gentle yoga routines available online, and many of them are directly created for seniors and their caregivers. Many of these routines do not take much time. In fact, a routine found on Yoga with Adriene only takes 28 minutes, which is short enough to be added to anyone’s daily routine.

 

Choose meditation that you enjoy

 

Just like with yoga, there are lots of different kinds of meditation. However, most of them provide the same benefits. Meditation for seniors is shown to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, enhance digestion and lead to a sharper, more focused mind. Meditation does not have to involve sitting cross-legged and staying silent for hours on end. In fact, you can even do meditation while walking. Meditation should be about whatever works best for you. If you choose a form of meditation that you like and change things up if something isn’t working, you’re more likely to stick with your routine and reap the full benefits of your practice.

 

Meditation and yoga are often combined

 

In many types of yoga, meditation is often performed at the end. You do not have to set time aside for yoga and then set more time aside for meditation. Instead, both can often be done at the same time, and the benefits of both are multiplied when done together. In fact, it is often recommended that meditation and yoga be performed together to get the full mental health benefits out of both.

 

Meditation and yoga can boost your mood

 

Perhaps one of the biggest boosts meditation and yoga can provide, especially when done together, is the ability to boost your mood. This mood-lifting effect has the obvious benefit of making you happier and better able to handle stress, but this mood boost can also help you avoid many mental illnesses, such as depression and even drug addiction. In fact, meditation and yoga are commonly used to facilitate addiction recovery. Those with addiction are more likely to relapse when stressed. The mood-boosting effects of meditative yoga can help them counteract this stress and allow them to better cope without the use of drugs. Furthermore, for many people in recovery, having a good relationship with their physical self is just as important as having a good relationship with their spiritual one. Practicing meditation and yoga allows them to do both.

 

Meditation and yoga have a number of health benefits for seniors and allow them to age gracefully both physically and mentally. To get the full benefit, we recommend doing both together, either simultaneously or one after the other, once you get the hang of it. Follow the simple tips in our article to get started on your routine today.

 

Photo Credit: Pexels

 

Harry Cline is the author of The A-Z Home Care Handbook: Health Management How-Tos for Senior Caregivers and creator of NewCareGiver.org, which gives advice and directs caregivers to important resources.