Why Yoga Is Winning Big with Boomers Right Now

Yoga is good for the mind, body, and soul, regardless of age. Boomers often understand the advantages of regular exercise, and many find that yoga is a low-impact option.

Better sleep, mobility, and energy levels are just some of the benefits enjoyed by boomers hitting the yoga studios. According to the Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance, 34% of predominantly older Americans are getting hooked on yoga.

Here are 15 reasons why yoga has become the exercise of choice for the older demographic.

Improved Flexibility

As we age, our range of movement decreases. We become less flexible, and simple things like touching our toes become more challenging. Yoga helps with flexibility by stretching and lengthening the muscles, which increases the range of motion in the joints and reduces stiffness.

This study of women aged 50-79 who attended a 20-week yoga retreat found that attendees had greater muscle flexibility and an improved range of motion.

Enhanced Balance and Coordination

Even at fifty-three, I wobble like mad when I try standing on one leg. This doesn’t get any better with age. Yoga helps by engaging the body's core muscles and getting you to focus on precise movements and postures.

Yoga poses such as tree pose, warrior III, and eagle pose help as they challenge the body's ability to maintain stability.

Strength Building

It’s natural to lose some of our body strength as we age. We can’t lift the same heavy objects or perform certain physical activities we could ten years earlier. All too often, we stop trying and give up.

Unfortunately, lack of use only weakens our muscles, but that doesn’t mean we should take up weightlifting. This could do more harm than good.

Yoga takes a more gentle approach. Poses such as plank, chair pose, and downward dog are particularly beneficial. These poses use body weight to build muscle strength, activating and strengthening the core, leg, and arm muscles.

Stress Reduction

In the 21st century, more people suffer from stress and anxiety than ever before. For many, reaching the age of retirement can cause anxiety. From worrying about how to keep busy to the financial burden of funding retirement, stress is rising in boomers.

A study on the benefit of yoga for stress showed it is an effective method of management and reduction.

Poses such as child's, legs-up-the-wall, and corpse pose are designed to encourage deep relaxation. They help calm the mind and relax the body, providing a respite from the stresses of daily life.

Improved Sleep Quality

There is nothing worse than insomnia. Restless nights leave you feeling exhausted instead of rested. It becomes more prevalent as we get older. Often, we’ll get up two or three times in the night, if not more.

ScienceDirect found that regular yoga can improve older adults' sleep duration, sleep disturbance, and efficiency.

Experts suggest balancing table and warrior I and II poses promote better sleep.

Boosted Mental Clarity

Brain fog can occur at any age, but from experience, it worsens the older we get. Simple things become more challenging, such as where we left our car keys or remembering someone’s name.

Although yoga can’t solve everything, it can undoubtedly help with mental clarity and focus. A Harvard Health Study shows that yoga can positively affect memory.

According to experts, child's pose, downward-facing dog, and tree pose are beneficial in aiding focus.

Weight Management

Maintaining a healthy weight is a constant battle that doesn’t get easier as the years go by. Retirement often means long lunches, dinners, and events where the wine flows. It’s what we should be doing in later life.

However, it all takes its toll on the waistline, but yoga can help. Three of the most popular poses for trimming your waistline are the boat, warrior, and plank poses.

Cardiovascular Health

Most people prioritize maintaining good heart health and reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Clinical research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that yoga positively impacts cardiometabolic risk factors.

Through practices like savasana and pranayama, yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to decrease blood pressure levels. Poses such as shoulder stand and legs-up-the-wall enhance blood flow and venous return.

Increased Energy Levels

We all love an afternoon nap. It’s the best part of being on holiday or having some downtime. However, the older we get, the less energy we have. Those afternoon naps become a necessity instead of a luxury.

Yoga can help combat that. It can improve circulation and enhance oxygen flow to the brain and muscles. Poses such as the upward-facing dog, cobra pose, and sun salutations promote a sense of vitality and alertness.

For extra brownie points, the deep breathing exercises incorporated in yoga help boost overall energy and mental clarity.

Joint Health

Everything cracks and creaks as we enter our twilight years. Achy leg syndrome is real; for some, it is the onset of arthritis. Pain and stiffness are par for the course.

However, all is not lost, and the quality of life can be improved. One of the many benefits of yoga is that it can stretch and strengthen the muscles, maintain joint function, and prevent degeneration.

The Arthritis Foundation published an article promoting the benefits of yoga for arthritis patients. Chair yoga is a good option as a gentle entry point.

Emotional Well-being

Managing emotions throughout our lives can be a challenge. Maintaining a positive outlook isn’t always easy. With age comes a shift in our emotions and thought patterns. We have more time to think about our feelings and dwell on things.

Yoga fosters an optimistic mindset and can help combat depression, bringing balance to the body and mind.

The classic lotus pose helps with emotional balance by encouraging deep, mindful breathing and focus.

Better Respiratory Health

Breathing is a big part of yoga. Most classes start with some form of breathing exercise to get you to open your lungs and take deep breaths. Yoga teachers can often be heard telling the class to focus on their breathing or even to remember to breathe in specific exercises.

The American Lung Association suggests that gentle breathing exercises, such as those practiced in yoga, can improve lung health and capacity.

Social Interaction

Attending a yoga class also offers a sense of community and belonging. It helps release those “feel-good” hormones and boost endorphin levels.

Sometimes, lonely older adults suffer from loneliness. Attending a yoga class kills two birds with one stone. It increases one's fitness levels and helps with social interaction, which we all need at any age.

Holistic Wellness

Creating harmony between the body, mind, and spirit helps to lead a balanced and fulfilled life. In our fast-paced world, embracing a holistic lifestyle has never been more critical. But how can that be achieved?

Yoga is a holistic practice that isn't just about physical postures and flexibility. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of health, encouraging a lifestyle that supports overall well-being.