Embracing Spirit Yoga Adaptive yoga for all abilities

Connection

Research has shown that social connection improves physical health and can have powerful effects on mental and emotional well-being. Social engagement is an essential component of successful aging. Strong social connection can strengthen the immune system, help recovery from disease, and increase longevity.

Yoga is a mood-booster; the combination of movement, breathing and meditation can create an overall sense of well-being. Plus, because yoga is done in a class setting with peers, participants get the benefit of staying socially active, as well.

Each Yoga session will encourage the participants to feel a deep sense of belonging and a connection not just to the instructor, but more importantly to themselves. This mind-body connection is key to long term happiness and well-being.

memory & Focus

Yoga isn't just good for the body; it might help your memory too, a recent study suggests. The study involved 25 adults ages 55 and over who had mild cognitive impairment, or problems with thinking and memory that sometimes precede Alzheimer's disease.

At the end of the study, the two groups saw similar improvements in their verbal memory, which is the type of memory used when people remember names or lists of words. But those who practiced yoga had bigger improvements in visual-spatial memory, the type of memory used to recall locations and navigate while driving.

The yoga group also saw bigger reductions in their symptoms of depression and anxiety than did the brain-training group. Historically and anecdotally, yoga has been thought to be beneficial in aging and the cognitive changes that can occur. 

balance

The slow, measured movements involved with yoga poses can lead to better balance and movement, which can also help prevent falls. As falls are the leading cause of injury among seniors, yoga helps provide the tools you need to improve your mobility so you can get around more safely.

Whether you want to practice yoga because of a vestibular disorder or to improve your balance, you're on the right track. Yoga helps with balance, focus, movement, and coordination. Rather than focusing on poses and being still, balance comes from movement, mastering transitions, and developing your strength.

By practicing a series of postures, or movements, that work to stimulate the brain through repetition, language, and recall, the participant will develop confidence in the mind-body connection and may increase their ability to find balance within the their body.

mental wellness

Yoga offers a relaxing way to let go of the tension you’re holding in your body, especially in your shoulders and upper back. It’s been known to help relieve some of the stresses that lead to hypertension, which in turn leads to not needing as many medications on a daily basis. Yoga also helps reduce anxiety, lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and helping you breathe easier.

Harvard Health suggests that a wide range of yoga practices suggest yoga can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and may be helpful for both anxiety and ldepression. In this respect, yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise, or even socializing with friends.

Participants will develop a skill set to include breathing techniques and positive self-talk to help reduce anxious feelings and the body's response to stress.

beauty & grace

Yoga for seniors can help prevent the onset of osteoporosis, which causes bones to become brittle or weak. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone can’t keep up with the decrease of bone mass and density that occurs with aging.

Even with some physical limitations, yoga can help ease the aches and pains associated with aging. Yoga can be especially beneficial to those suffering from osteoarthritis, teaching you how to breathe and relax through any chronic pain you may be dealing with.

investment

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