The United Nations has designated 1st October as the International Day of Older Persons. This prompted me to reflect on why I do yoga. I started in my late twenties and aside from the obvious benefits of improving my flexibility and strength, I loved the headspace which offered me away from a busy job. But what I particularly remember is the diverse age range in the class. Yoga is a leveller and to have a person on the next mat in their 60s or 70s doing all the poses with grace, strength and control, as I struggled with my much younger body, did spark a eureka moment. I want to be that person as I get older. It was the most fantastic advert for living well and ageing well.
More than just a form of exercise
Yoga for most people in the West starts as a form of exercise. It comes in lots of shapes and sizes to suit all needs – fast, slow, dynamic, precise, spiritual, chanting, restorative. But if you find a yoga that suits you and you stick with it, you soon come to realise that it is so much more – it is a way of life.
And this is where I circle back to Living and Ageing well. On a macro level, coming to a class and just moving is hugely beneficial, remembering the adage “use it or lose it”. Coming regularly and developing muscle strength, flexibility and improved mobility is a boon, whatever age you are. Without work muscle mass decreases by 3-8% per decade from 30 and bone density starts to decline in the 40s, so a low-impact yoga session which improves flexibility and joint health, improves balance and co-ordination, increases strength, improves cardiovascular health and promotes mobility and independence, ticks all of the boxes.
Coming regularly and enjoying the social connections cannot be under-estimated ( and making connections is a really important part of what we do at Cheshire Yoga). Social engagement at any age is vital for emotional and mental well-being.
Developing mental clarity
But coming regularly and through your practice discovering that in addition to all the more obvious physical benefits, there are huge benefits to your mental health. At a minimum, and this was what I encountered when I first started and rushed to class straight from a busy, demanding job, is that it isn’t possible to think about anything else during the class. The instructions from the teacher are coming thick and fast, and the mind is fully occupied with listening and absorbing and then trying to persuade your body to follow those instructions. As you progress, you become more and more aware of how your body works and you can listen to your body more acutely. You sleep better and mental clarity and powers of concentration improve.
An ideal pastime
So putting that all together, you have a pastime which will keep you mobile and strong and with Iyengar Yoga, can be adapted to support health issues. You have a strong supportive community and you look after your mental health.
Our Easy & Gentle class is a great place to start to those that are embarking on a new venture a little later in life or the Foundation/Beginners classes.