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The Benefits Of Yoga For Women Over 50s

Yoga and women over 50

Yoga is one great type of exercise that women over 50s are into.

Yoga exercise focuses on the relaxation and breathing methods. Its main purpose is to create strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and the body.

There are more than one-hundred different types or schools of yoga, most typically include breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming several postures (sometimes call asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups.

It is very popular among the people especially older ones because yoga doesn’t stress out the muscles and bones of a person, especially those who are in their advanced age where bones and muscles are brittle and easily damaged. It lets you stretch your muscles just as much as it is comfortable to you. It doesn’t necessarily push you over your limits like most of the other types of exercise do. This fact protects your muscles from injuries and makes them stronger and more flexible in your own pace.

The best thing about yoga is everyone can do it! It doesn’t matter if you are in your twenties or you are in your older years, age means nothing when it comes to yoga. Just work out as much as you like to learn several poses and your body will benefit from these yoga positions.

What are the benefits of yoga to women, especially those over 50s?

The PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Through the relaxation and breathing techniques of yoga exercise, one can be assured of bringing down the blood pressure and relieving stress which is contributory to heart attacks. It has been proven long ago that yoga is very effective in calming nerves thus promoting better health.

Yoga can offset osteoporosis, cleanse the inside organs, balance out and invigorate the digestive and nervous system, relive signs of menopause, lower rear pains and headaches commonly experienced by people who are over 50s.

Other physical benefits include: increased flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, improved respiration, energy and vitality, maintaining a balanced metabolism cardio and circulatory health, improved athletic performance, maintain good posture, and protection from injury.

The MENTAL BENEFITS

One of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which is known to have devastating effects on the body and mind.

Yoga`s incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person`s mental well-being. “Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns, relaxes the mind; centers attention, and sharpens concentration, ” says Dr. Nevins. Body and self-awareness are particularly beneficial, she adds, “because they can help with early detection of physical problems and allow for early preventive action.”

Aside that yoga can help detoxify the body, the mind is also cleansed by yoga. It is one of the great way to have peace of mind and positive outlook in life. Through this, a person can feel lighter and more productive in their work and jobs. Women over 50s can surely benefit from this as they are subjected to so many pressures in their lives. Taking the time out to yoga will definitely detoxify their minds and make them feel better.


It is also good for  WEIGHT LOSS

By regularly practicing yoga, it can help in reducing weight. Statistics show that a person of age 45 with normal weight, who practice yoga for at least 30 minutes per week for at least 5 consecutive years gain 3 pounds less in a decade, given that each year, the gain weight of a normal person is 1 pound a year.

Yoga can definitely work for weight loss if you use it right. Watch out for my recommendations on yoga poses which can work effectively for weight loss.

For women over 50s, yoga really works for weight control and maintenance. It is more efficient than doing gym workouts for building flexibility and strength, more effective than aerobic exercises, for building breath control and stamina, and more calming than jogging.

In conclusion

Yoga, because of the revitalizing effects on the person`s body and its soothing influence on one`s mind, is called the personal “source of youth” of a woman. Constant yoga practice leads man to a much greater awareness of one`s body. Greater spiritual enlightenment can also be achieved through yoga exercises.

Women ages 50 and beyond across the globe are doing everything they can to hold on to their youth. Through yoga, these women have a chance to redefine themselves at any age they would want to.

Any thoughts on this article? You can leave a comment.

12 thoughts on “The Benefits Of Yoga For Women Over 50s

  1. Just finished your article.

    Nice to read. Only one thing baffled me a little:
    “It has been proven long ago that yoga is very effective in calming nerves thus promoting better health.”
    That “long ago” part doesn’t feel right to me. It might be better if you mentioned an approximate like “5000 years ago”. The more precise the number, the more your reader will be astonished by the facts that you collected to get that exact number. It’s like when you’re on a party and somebody asks you for the digits after Pi and you rattle 20 digits after Pi. Just a personal opinion though.

    I will definitly peek around in other posts on your site.

    1. Thanks Merlin for sharing your thoughts, and thank you for taking note of those words. When I was writing this article and doing some research, there were several studies about the benefits of yoga, one from the most recent which was 2017, and some from 2009 (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga). But then i also came across the history of yoga which was stating that yoga became known during those times, 5,000 years ago (you`re correct!), or maybe even 10,000 years ago, because of the benefits it gives to body and mind (http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/).
      For some reason, i was trying to generalized my point that it was proven long ago.
      Anyway, that`s a good point. Thanks for your input.
      All the best!

  2. That is very important and more informative about Yoga exercises. I also totally agree with you regarding mind exercise are better than body exercise like Yoga, Breathing exercise etc. And, But I have a question, how can we selecting the best method, there are more Yoga exercises, and I suggest, there should be correct guidance for Yoga and breathing exercises. Otherwise, the bad effect is more than that good effect. anyway, that good informative post. thanks

    1. Thanks Samanthat for your comment. It`s true, when you are doing yoga, especially as a beginner, you should have a teacher or a mentor, and fortunately there are tons of lessons online about yoga. The right breathing with the right pose/position will give the best benefit.
      All the best!

  3. This is a great, well-written article and the many benefits of yoga are very impressive. As someone in my late forties, yoga is something that I’m looking into.

    1. Thanks Helen! If ever you get the chance of doing yoga at an earlier age, do it! I had started doing yoga at my late forties, and i am getting its benefits. What more if i have started earlier.
      All the best!

  4. Oh, I love yoga. I’ve done it on and off for many years. I love your point that it can help with menopause, even though I’m not at that stage yet, nor am I 50 yet. I’m getting closer to that phase, and I think I would benefit from yoga again to help ease my perimenopausal symptoms as well as the other benefits of feeling better and connect with myself with increased awareness :). Thanks for sharing.

    1. Thanks Kat for sharing your thoughts! Oh yes, doing yoga gave me so much benefits. I just wished i have done it earlier in my years. So, i suppose, even if you are not “there” yet, just continue doing yoga, it will always give good results for your body and mind. All the best!

  5. Thanks, Hanna. What a great article.
    Being in my late 50’s, I’m thinking I should start. I really have no experience with yoga, but hear about it all the time.
    I liked what you said about the mental benefits. I’ve only ever thought about the physical, but you’re right. It would be a great stress relief.
    Cheers,
    Suzanne

    1. Hi Suzanne, thanks for your comment on this article. It is definitely never too late to start doing yoga.. it`s for all ages, young and old. And for women like “us”, this is a kind of exercise that`s truly beneficial to body, mind, and i would say spirit as well. Cheers!

  6. Thanks for this article. I’ve long been into yoga, well actually, into it, then out of it, depending on time and so on. The one thing (apart from all the other benefits) that really makes me think I need to keep this up every day is the fact that I’ll put on less weight over time. Good food for thought.

    1. Thanks Petra for sharing your thoughts. Exactly, when i realized that yoga is something that will put on less weight over time, i really am glad and would like to stick with it. All the best to you!

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