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5 Benefits of Chair Yoga for Seniors

Future Member Resources

One of the best ways to maintain muscle strength, flexibility, and vitality as we age is to just keep moving. Unfortunately, for many, that becomes more and more difficult. This is because with time physical limitations like joint pain and fatigue become a barrier to a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, there is a great way to keep moving without putting too much strain on joints and muscles. Chair yoga for seniors is an enjoyable, effective, and low-impact activity that can improve health and well-being.

If you are familiar with yoga, you may know that this ancient practice has many different difficulty levels. For this reason, it can feel daunting for someone new to the idea. This is especially true of seniors and those struggling with mobility issues. Luckily, yoga has exercises for everyone—many moves that can be done in a chair. Thanks to senior chair yoga, anyone at any age and ability can reap yoga’s extremely healthy rewards.

What is Chair Yoga for Seniors?

As the name suggests, it is a form of yoga that can be practiced using a chair. You can sit or simply use the chair for support. It employs more gentle yoga poses with easy and gradual flows. All of this makes it a desirable alternative for active seniors and those who:

  • Have mobility issues
  • Have arthritis and experience joint pain
  • Are at risk of falling due to vision impairment
  • Can not stand or hold a position for long periods
  • Have balance issues, vertigo, or have had a stroke

5 Benefits of Chair Yoga 

  1. Improves Circulation

A sedentary lifestyle can quickly lead to poor circulation, which can create a number of health issues. Poor circulation can cause numbness in extremities, cold fingers and toes, and the pins and needles sensation on the skin. If left untreated, it could even lead to more serious issues like blood clots.

Chair yoga improves circulation by compressing and decompressing the veins in our legs. This is a result of gentle movement and using gravity to expel stagnant blood and reverse blood flow. In other words, movement brings more oxygenated blood to the organs. It also helps move waste, such as carbon dioxide, out of the body. As they say, in with the good, out with the bad!

  1. Low Impact on Joints

Joint problems such as arthritis can create a vicious cycle of pain in seniors. Moving can be difficult and painful, but movement is one of the best things you can do for your joints. It is said that “Motion is lotion for the joints.”

With chair yoga, you can move those joints gently with as little pain as possible. This can even help relieve pain over time and strengthen the muscles around the joints to create better stability.

  1. Improves Balance

Balance is another issue that many seniors struggle with. Unfortunately, this can also lead to falls which, in turn, can lead to severe problems such as broken bones. Balance is even more important later in life because of bone loss that many older adults experience.

Chair yoga for seniors can improve balance and help reduce the risk of falls. The awareness of your body’s motions in space is known as proprioception. With chair yoga, you transition between different poses, which helps to improve postural control through general balance and coordination.

  1. Prevents Depression and Anxiety

Unfortunately, depression and anxiety in seniors can be a significant issue. It is a time when we deal with the chronic aches and pains of aging. On top of that, most older adults deal with anxiety associated with aging.

When you exercise, hormones called endorphins are released, which not only improve your mood but also help to relieve pain. Additionally, chair yoga for seniors teaches you how to manage pain by focusing on your breathing.

  1. Aids with Pain Management

Pain management can be a tricky proposition as we age. Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and NSAIDs, such as Tylenol, can help with pain. Unfortunately, they can also cause other issues if taken for prolonged periods.

Chair yoga helps with pain management because it keeps joint tissues supple and relieves pain caused by strain. Movement encourages the flow of synovial fluid, which helps to lubricate the joints and ease discomfort.

These are just a few of the many benefits of chair yoga for seniors. This simple yet effective technique can bring the gift of physical and mental wellness that will help enhance your retirement years.

At The Manhattan, coming soon to St. Pete., we are dedicated to our members’ wellness. Our complete wellness program and full physical fitness calendar will give our members many engaging ways to stay active. We believe that aging well should be easy and fun. To learn more about The Manhattan an independent living community or to schedule a private tour, give us a call at 717-291-7600 or visit our website at https://manhattanstpete.com/.