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Restorative yoga poses have gained a lot of popularity recently, especially ones recommended for seniors.
Restorative yoga poses provide a very calm, unhurried method to move and exercise the body. Deep relaxation, lowered blood pressure, and looser hips and spine are additional benefits (which is a lot more important, especially in seniors).
All these benefits make restorative yoga one of the best options for relaxed exercise among seniors.
What is Restorative Yoga?
The asana practice of restorative yoga stresses on relaxation. This kind of yoga, unlike traditional yoga, does not emphasize strengthening or stretching. In restorative yoga, you hold the asanas longer than in usual yoga classes, focusing on letting the body and mind relax completely.
During a restorative yoga session, participants can use props to enhance their experience and achieve a state of total release and relaxation. Restorative yoga teaches you the skill of relaxation and improves your ability to self-soothe. Seniors can increase their healing ability by rebalancing their neural system and controlling their stress reactions.
A typical restorative yoga routine consists of only five or six positions. Restorative yoga poses include very gentle twists, forward folds from a seated position, and supported backbends. All poses are held for five to ten minutes, during which time you simply breathe deeply, and relax.
Restorative Yoga Poses for Seniors
Restorative practices have been found to have many health benefits. Multiple studies have demonstrated that such yoga poses can significantly reduce blood pressure, most likely due to its ability to reduce stress.
Check out the following five restorative yoga poses for seniors that can be rejuvenating and refreshing:
1) Balasana
Also called the child's pose, it's the most prevalent resting pose in any yoga practice. In thus pose, you sit on your heels, with your knees mat distance apart, and lean forward till your belly rests comfortably between your thighs and forehead.
The arms are smoothly extended straight in front of the body or resting next to it. There are numerous variations of this stance, but there are a few favorites. Grab a cushion, and position it between your legs before lying down. Fold gently onto the bolster, and prepare to feel like a newborn in the womb.
2) Seated Cat Cow
The cat and cow posture is used in most yoga forms and classes, as it involves the gentle movement of the spinal vertebrae in all directions. The seated form of cat and cow is soft and can make you feel much more space in your body than before.
To do the pose, cross your legs and place your hands on your knees.
Maintain an upright posture and a sense of stability in your sitting bones. As you inhale, arch your back; lean slightly forward with your heart leading the way, and gaze up gently for a small backbend.
Exhaling, round your back while hanging onto your knees with your arms extended, and gaze towards your navel. Repeat several times, moving with your breath as you perform this slow movement.
3) Supported Bridge Yoga Pose
To do this pose, come to rest on your back with your knees bent and feet positioned so that your fingertips may contact them. Grab a yoga block, and lay it beneath the lowest point of your sacrum (with the widest surface flat on the floor).
You can place your arms facing up at your sides or on your stomach, whichever feels more comfortable, during rhe practice. Hold this stance for three to five minutes with abdominal breathing.
If you cannot fully relax your legs with your knees up to the sky, you can walk your feet out mat distance apartm and allow your knees to drop inwards towards one another.
4) Reclining Bound Angle Yoga Pose
To do this pose, begin by reclining on your back. Bend the knees, and get the feet as close as possible to the pelvis. Spread the knees to the sides, bringing the soles of the feet together.
Place bolsters beneath both knees to alleviate the intensity of the inner thigh stretch. You may extend your arms to the sides, or place your hands on your stomach. Maintain steady, calm breathing for at least five minutes while seated.
If you're seeking for a more intensive stretch during your practice, you may wrap a strap around your waist and feet as illustrated above.
5) Sleeping Pigeon Pose
The sleeping pigeon is the ideal yoga pose for those who suffer from sciatica.
To achieve the stance, begin on all fours. Raise your right leg, and place your shin in front of the mat, with your knee slightly turned to the right and foot near the pelvis.
Ensure that your rear leg is straight behind you. Place a block beneath the right sitting bone to assist with your hip alignment. Place one or two bolsters on the inside of the right leg, and fold forward gently onto it.
Maintain equal length of inhalations and exhalations, and hold the pose for at least five minutes. Continue on the other side.
Watch this video to learn how to do the pose correctly:
Takeaway
Yoga is renowned for its beenfits, and medical professionals suggest it in specific situations instead of issuing a prescription. Yoga can aid in lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety. As it's is so soothing, it enhances the quality of sleep, which is a typical problem for seniors.
Focus on mild yoga poses when you first begin practicing yoga as you learn more and adjust to the practice. Depending on your requirements and particular situation, a competent teacher can recommend the best positions for you.
