STAYING YOUNG WITH YOGALATES

Just because you’re growing older doesn’t mean that you have to give up the hobbies that you loved in your youth. Exercises such as yoga and yogalates are easy activities to adapt to at any age, helping to keep muscles strong and joints limber as you enter your golden years. More than 300,000 Australian adults and seniors participate in yoga classes each year in an effort to keep fit. Whether you start in your youth or don’t develop a routine until your sixties, you can benefit from all that yoga has to offer at any stage of life.

Building a Foundation: Your 20s and 30s

In your early adulthood, stress and anxiety are the norm. Most 20 to 30-somethings know all too well that sinking feeling that accompanies an upcoming test, a new baby, or a high-pressure job. Turning to yoga in these years can help you to not only build a solid foundation but also to decompress and unwind. A regular yoga routine will help to keep your mind clear and may even prevent cognitive decline in later years. It will also help to keep your muscles strong and your joints flexible, staving off common problems such as arthritis or osteoporosis in your later years.

Strengthening the Mind: Your 40s and 50s

It's afact of life that we all experience a physical decline as we age. When you enter your mid-40s, you may not be capable of completing the same exercises as in your 20s without overexerting yourself. It's important to adapt your yoga routine accordingly, avoiding difficult inversions and poses that strain the hips or back. Instead of concentrating on physical prowess, try to start focusing more on your inner self. Adopt gentler poses while experimenting with yogic breathing techniques to help sharpen your mind.

Energising the Body: Your 60s and Beyond

Many people tend to lose their motivation for exercise during retirement, but in your 60s, it’s more important than ever that you stay active. Keeping up with your yoga routine into old age can help you to maintain your range of motion and improve balance, preventing potentially fatal slips and falls. Staying active will also help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent obesity, and reduce your risk of early cognitive decline and dementia. 

Yoga offers a range of benefits at any stage of life, keeping both the mind and body going strong even in your later years. Poses are easy to adapt, no matter what your physical capabilities. Whether you start out in your 20s or your 60s, practising yoga can help you to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle.