How can yoga help me as I age?

As more people realize that yoga doesn't have to mean sitting like a pretzel or doing handstands while chanting, modern science is supporting the ancient claims that among many other benefits, yoga can improve some of the heath issues most commonly associated with aging, as well as lessen the pain and stress which accompanies such health issues.
    
ISSUES
The American National Institutes of Health says
- 34 million Americans have osteopenia          
- 10 million have osteoporosis
- Half of all women with osteoporosis will have at least one fracture after age 50

The American National Sleep Foundation estimated that about half of all American seniors have at least one issue sleep issue which can be linked to
- general pain            
- fatigue            
- stress
- anxiety                   
- depression     
- arthritis
- asthma            
- sleep apnea            
- restless leg syndrome
- excess weight        
- dependence on alcohol     
- dependence on caffeine

The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that in adults over age 64
- one in three adults fall each year
- falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries
- falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries
- half of fatal falls are due to traumatic brain injuries
- almost a third of falls result in injuries which impede mobility and independence and increase the risk of early death

SOLUTIONS
Dr. Loren Fishman (co-author of Yoga for Osteoporosis, past president of the New York Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and current Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia Medical School) states yoga can
- prevent osteopenia
- prevent osteoporosis
- relieve pain associated with bone damage
- perhaps increase bone density
 
Sara Meeks (a physical therapist specializing in osteoporosis who has taught yoga since 1984) explains that the pull of muscle on bone is the single major factor in bone strength and that yoga
- creates that pull without damaging cartilage or stressing the joints
- simultaneously improves flexibility and alignment
- prevents potentially stressful aches and pains

Using the World Health Organization's measures of Quality of Life and the Pittsburgh Sleep Index it was shown a yoga practice after just seven weeks
- increased quality of sleep
- decreased dependence on sleeping aids (medicines)

A Harbor-UCLA Medical Center study and Harvard University reported
 - less pain medication needed after beginning a yoga practice
    
Harvard University research also claims that a yoga can
- increase blood circulation to the brain's sleep center to normalize the sleep cycle
- provide mental clarity
- decrease stress, tension, fatigue, and the length of time needed to sleep
- decrease heart rate
- lower blood pressure
- ease respiration
- lessen anxiety, depression, PTSD, fatigue, insomnia, and dependence on alcohol
- increase energy and a sense of well-being
- switch on and off some genes linked to stress

Temple University has found that at the end of the nine-week yoga program, women over age 64 reduced their risk of falling because they gained:
- a faster stride
- increased flexibility in the lower extremities
- better balance, even on one leg
- increased confidence in walking and balance

There is a style of yoga to suit every gender, every personality type, every level of fitness, every physical challenge, and every personal goal.

Contact Simone at Creative Yoga to find out how she can help you access the benefits of yoga. You can attend her classes at The House of Now on 5th street, arrange for her to instruct large groups at a location of your choosing, or arrange for custom-designed private instruction of up to three people.

Sources:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-22/harvard-yoga-scientists-find-proof-of-meditation-benefit.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2009/April/Yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/yoga-older-adults_n_3268482.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/123114-benefits-yoga-seniors/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768213/
http://yoga.org.nz/benefits/physiological_benefits/yoga_insomnia.htm
http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/yoga-poses-for-sleep-154463.htm
http://www.yogaandseniors.com/yoga_sleep.htm
http://www.livescience.com/26604-yoga-mental-health-benefits.html
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/good-bone/
http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html