Easy Yoga Stretches for Seniors

Did you know that yoga is one of the most popular forms of senior exercise? It’s also easier to do than you might think. Get started with these easy yoga stretches for seniors.

Every year, more and more seniors become interested in yoga. That may sound surprising, but yoga has a lot of benefits for seniors who are trying to improve their health:

Yoga stretches will strengthen your muscles and bones and improve your core stability. This will give you a better sense of balance and a lowered risk of injury from falls or other accidents.
Because yoga involves deep breathing and intentional relaxation, it’s an excellent tool for seniors trying to lower their stress levels. Yoga is also proven to help with issues like anxiety and depression.
Yoga can make movement easier by improving your range of motion. Practicing yoga regularly can help you move more confidently and help with joint pains caused by arthritis or other issues.
Yoga is one of the most accessible forms of exercise. You can practice yoga anywhere you have time and space and with minimal equipment. There are also lots of adaptations that make yoga easier for seniors, such as chair yoga.
For some seniors, aging can create a disconnection between themselves and their bodies. Yoga can help a senior rediscover and reconnect to their body healthily and positively.

Yoga can have a variety of positive impacts on a senior’s health. What can yoga do for you? Find out today with these easy yoga stretches for seniors.

Mountain Pose

The mountain pose is one of the most basic yoga stretches and is the foundation for many more complicated yoga poses. Stand up with your feet parallel and slightly apart to get into the mountain pose. Engage the muscles in your legs to press your feet into the floor and keep your back straight. Inhale and exhale deeply, stretching your head to the sky and fingertips to the floor. This pose can also be done in a chair if balance issues are a concern.

Tree Pose

Once you’ve mastered mountain pose, tree pose will build on that work and help you improve your balance. Starting in mountain pose, shift your weight to one foot, lifting the heel of the other from the ground and using your toes to balance. You can hold this pose here, or if you are able, lift your foot completely off of the ground and place it against the opposite leg. Hold this for twenty seconds, then alternate. You can brace yourself on a wall for additional support.

Plank Pose

Planks are a great way to improve your upper body strength and sense of balance. Start by balancing yourself on all fours, with your knees and forearms on the ground. You can remain in this pose or challenge yourself by raising your knees and straightening your legs behind you. If this is too challenging, try a standing plank or use a chair for additional support.

Child’s Pose

This stretch helps the body relax and recover from exercise, and it greatly benefits the hips and lower back. To get into a child’s pose, kneel on the floor and place your palms on your thighs. Take a deep breath, then exhale. As you breathe out, lower your upper body as much as possible and place your hands on the floor before you.

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These easy yoga stretches for seniors can get anybody started on a daily practice, but be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise!

At Springhouse Village, we encourage our residents to explore their interests and offer a wide range of activities and events so that there’s always something interesting happening. We make it easy for our residents to be active participants in our community. Whether that means encouraging residents to join an exercise class or assisting them in starting a garden club, we strive to help our residents thrive. To learn more about the amenities and services we offer, contact Springhouse Village today by sending us a message online or calling 417-708-3403.