The Heart Benefits of Gentle Yoga for Seniors

Yoga is known for improving balance and flexibility. However, did you know that gentle yoga for seniors can also boost cardiovascular health? It’s true – yoga can improve your heart health by increasing your circulation and blood flow. Other benefits include lowered blood pressure and assistance with stress management, which positively affect heart health as well.

Ways Gentle Yoga for Seniors Positively Affects Heart Health

REDUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY

Yoga is an excellent stress and anxiety reducing activity, due to its meditative techniques and certain breathing exercises that teach its practitioners mindful breathing.

Stress and anxiety often increase a person’s risk of heart disease. In fact, according to some studies, stress can be as much of a factor in damaging the heart as smoking.

The physical results of stress include inflammation in your body, which can then be linked to high blood pressure. It also is linked to lowering the good HDL cholesterol, which carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver, where it is removed.

PROMOTES HEART HEALTHY HABITS   

Studies show that yoga practitioners are more likely to engage in physical activity and healthy eating, both of which improve heart health.

Since yoga promotes flexibility and strength, it increases the level of activities that people can participate in day-to-day such as walking, running, lifting, and stretching.

IMPROVES RESPIRATORY FUNCTION

A study of senior women concluded that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved pulmonary function.

Pulmonary disease frequently coexists in cases of heart failure, since the heart and lungs are intimately linked.

HELPS WITH WEIGHT LOSS

Yoga has been shown to provide weight loss benefits. Excess weight is a proven factor in high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health, therapeutic yoga programs are frequently effective in promoting weight loss and/or improvements in body composition.

MAY REDUCE INFLAMMATION 

Often, the precursor to heart disease is chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation may result in atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque in blood vessels. If the vessel wall breaks down, the plaque may rupture. The contents then mingle with the blood, forming a clot that blocks the flow. These clots are responsible for the majority of heart attacks and most strokes. A review suggests that yoga can be a viable intervention to reduce inflammation for many chronic conditions, including heart disease.

IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION

The cardiovascular system benefits from the controlled pace of breathing practiced in yoga. This is evidenced by favorable changes in heart rate, arterial pressure (a calculation physicians use to check whether blood is flowing sufficiently to supply all of your organs), and the ability of the heart to contract.

Getting Started

Before beginning any new physical activity, please consult with your physician first. If you have a chronic condition, balance issues or injuries, ask him or her for specific recommendations. For example, if you have osteoporosis, you can still participate in yoga — but you may need to avoid forward bends and twists.

If you want to take an in-person yoga class, make sure you let the instructor know what your concerns and health conditions are.

For more tips on nutrition and keeping your heart healthy, visit Bethesda’s Health & Wellness blog.