The De-Stressing Benefits of Yoga for Older Adults

The sense of relaxation that yoga brings can have a positive ripple effect on your health. Here's how, plus a 10-minute seated yoga flow to try right now.

The word stress gets bounced around so much, it's easy to forget the toxic effect it can have on your life - and your body. When you're under intense pressure for a long time, it's much more serious than just feeling too busy to handle everything you've got going on that day.

Research links chronic stress to a host of serious health issues. Research in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that stress plays a role in both high blood pressure and diabetes for older adults, for example. It’s also a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2023 study in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.  Untamed stress also can torpedo your sleep and lead you to make poor food choices.

Chronic stress can even cause your immune system to work less efficiently, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers found that those with higher stress levels had lower immune responses, making them more vulnerable to viruses.

While lowering your stress levels won't automatically wipe out all health risks, it's a great place to start. Feeling calmer can help you feel more confident and energized, which can help make it easier to take better care of your body.

That's where yoga can come into play. Setting aside a few minutes each day for a de-stressing yoga sequence can be a major boost to your mental and physical wellbeing.

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3 Stress-Reducing Benefits of Yoga for Older Adults

Take a closer look at the many ways yoga can help foster a sense of calm to give your overall health a boost.

1. Yoga Helps Your Body Relax

The deep breathing and mindful movements involved in yoga activate something called the parasympathetic nervous system. This relaxation response is your body's natural way of saying, "Hey, it's time to chill out."

When this system kicks in, it lowers cortisol levels (aka the stress hormone), blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. At the same time, blood flow to vital organs improves. The result? You begin to feel more relaxed.

A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that seniors who practiced yoga regularly had much lower stress levels, compared to their peers who didn’t do yoga.

What’s more, like other types of exercise, doing a yoga sequence unleashes endorphins — your body’s natural feel-good chemicals. The physical movement, combined with the mindfulness aspects of yoga, helps lighten your mood, according to a study in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.

2. It Can Help Ease Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Yoga also helps tame symptoms of anxiety and depression. In fact, it's one of the most effective and widely used forms of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) to help treat depression in older adults, according to a 2022 review and meta-analysis published in Behavioral Brain Research.

In a 2024 review published in the Frontiers of Psychiatry, researchers gave yoga high marks for helping older adults better manage their emotions and foster a greater sense of self-awareness. The mind-body exercises that make up a yoga practice help reduce the severity of symptoms by giving older adults the tools they need to better “cope with anxiety and depressive emotions.

Through yoga, you can learn to focus on the present moment, which helps keep negative thoughts at bay. Techniques like deep breathing and meditation foster a sense of inner peace, making it easier to keep emotions in check.

3. Yoga Can Improve Sleep

We all know how cranky we can feel after a bad night’s sleep. Poor sleep can really ramp up stress levels. Research in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showed that seniors who did yoga regularly slept better and had fewer issues with insomnia than older adults who don’t do yoga. The gentle movements and relaxation techniques in yoga help your body and mind wind down, leading to better, more restful sleep.

Recommended FREE SilverSneakers On-Demand Class: Stress Management for Seniors

How to Use the 10-Minute Chair Yoga Flow to Recharge

Como siempre, la clave es la seguridad. Get your doctor's OK before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you have any chronic conditions, including osteoporosis or joint issues.

This sequence is gentle enough to do every day. In the studies mentioned above, most researchers defined a regular yoga practice as one that is done at least twice a week.

What you need:

• Comfortable clothing
• Sturdy chair
• Water to sip, as needed

Love this and want more? Take a SilverSneakers LIVE Mindfulness & Meditation (Express) Class! Reduce stress and improve mental clarity and focus in just 15 minutes with a variety of techniques to train your attention and awareness. View the schedule and RSVP here.

See our sources:
Journal of the American Heart Association
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy
Research in Nursing and Health
The Journals in Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Behavioral Brain Research
Frontiers of Psychiatry

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