Anti Aging Yoga Poses to Stay Young and Energetic

Ageing brings with itself many changes that are harder to ignore. Practising anti-ageing yoga poses helps you keep the body free of changes that come with age. There are physiological changes such as less elasticity, speed, decrease in overall strength, and endurance. Sarcopenia and Osteopenia are the two most common problems associated with ageing.

The regular practice of specific yoga poses helps maintain muscle mass and even add more. It does not matter at what age you start the practice as long as it is consistent. Yoga does offer many benefits when it comes to handling age-related problems.

Let us first understand how anti-ageing yoga poses help you tackle some major age-related issues.

Health Issues and How anti-ageing Yoga Poses Help You

Daily practice of specific yoga poses helps you fight a host of ageing problems as;

1. Osteoporosis

With age, your bone density decreases, and at times the density is so less that it can cause Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis makes your bones more susceptible to fractures and serious injuries.

The anti-ageing yoga poses help increase bone density. The gains might be small but owing to its effects on the physical skeleton it also helps create a better body balance.

2. Arthritis

Issue of Arthritis causes a stinging pain in the joints including the hands, knees, wrists, and elbows. Arthritis makes the body stiff and limits its range of motion.

Practising anti-ageing yoga helps minimize joint pain and overall flexibility. You reduce the risk of developing inflammation.

3. Disc Issues

Slipped discs often press on the spinal cord and nearby nerves and that causes spasms, limited range of movement, and pinching pain. Disc issues and back pain are more common in the lower lumbar region and also affect the spine.

You should practice anti-ageing yoga poses to develop more core strength and increase flexibility in the spine. These establish movement and provide the inflamed areas of the body some time to heal.

4. Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is the most common medical condition that affects you with age. If you stand upright and quickly move to fold forward then it causes dizziness.

Anti-ageing poses lower blood pressure. Inculcating daily yoga practice helps counter this age-related issue. Yoga provides you with a natural way of stretching the body and at the same time preventing these medical issues.

Anti-Ageing Yoga Poses to Stay Energetic During Later Years

Let us now find out the 3 major anti-ageing yoga poses you can practice to keep body and mind healthy even during old age.

1. Tree Pose

As you age it becomes difficult to maintain balance. The Tree Pose helps you maintain proper body balance. Given below is how you can practice this pose to perfection.

Guidelines to Performing Tree Pose:

1) Start with the normal standing position. Slowly shift most of the bodyweight onto the left foot and leg. Bring both hands in the front in a prayer position.

2) Balance onto the toes of the right foot and open the right hip and leg.

3) If you are unable to balance then keep both toes on the floor with the right heel against the inside of the left calf.

4) With some balance lift the right foot off the floor and place it against the inside of the left calf or thigh. Just make sure you do not press against the knee.

5) Take some deep breaths, relax, and then repeat on the other side.

2. Squats

Perhaps the best anti-ageing yoga poses you can practice keeping the knees safe from injury and pain. Read on to understand how to perform this asana. squat pose

Steps to Performing the Squats:

1) Stand in the equal standing posture with feet together and arms on the sides.

2) Keep both knees and feet together. Sit similarly to how you sit in a chair. Do not push the muscles beyond the comfort zone.

3) Make sure the knees remain behind the toes and do not move forward.

4) Bring the arms straight in front of you to create the perfect balance.

3. Planks

Plank pose helps develop upper body and core strength as both of these decrease with age. Read the guidelines below to understand how to perform this anti-ageing yoga pose for maximum benefit.

plank

Guidelines for Performing the Planks

1) Start on both hands and knees. Make sure both wrists are directly under the shoulders and both hands are engaged.

2) For starting, walk backwards on the knees till you form a straight line from the knees to the shoulders.

3) For the first level make sure you bring the belly button towards the spine. Engage the core muscles to prevent the hips from going down. The wrists have to be directly under the shoulder during the entire time.

4) For the second level, you should come off the knees and onto the toes to form a straight line from the shoulders to the heels.

Before we move ahead and understand how yoga can help you fight ageing-related problems, let us first focus on the different types of ageing that occur with time.

The Different Types Of Aging

Ageing comprises a multitude of processes that occur with time on your body and mind. Everything undergoes some measure of change. From your heart and eyes to the skin and bones; there is a tremendous amount of change that takes place during ageing.

In a nutshell, ageing is a combination of numerous physiological changes in your body. It also occurs due to various environmental factors you might be exposed to. However, you can slow down this process by inculcating yoga into your daily routine.

With that said, given below are the different ways in which ageing takes place.

Forward Bend Pose

To stretch and warm up your muscles, the Forward Bend pose is a perfect option for you. It boosts the flow of blood in your body that ensures you get the required nutrients instantly. Hence, it is one of the best anti-ageing yoga poses you should practice daily.

How to Practice it:
1. Choose a flat surface to stand on. For best results, use a yoga mat to avoid slipping.
2. Move your feet a little wide such that they are shoulder-width apart from each other.
3. Bend forward from your waist and not your lower back.
4. While bending forward, let your arms hang down and touch the floor.
5. Tuck your stomach in and breathe normally in your stomach.
6. Ensure your spine is straight when you are bent forward.
7. Make sure your hamstrings are stretched and there is less pressure on your back.

Downward Dog Pose

One of the best yoga poses for anti-ageing is the Downward Dog pose. It works on your limbs, upper and lower body, and boosts the flow of fluids in your body. In short, this yoga pose is there to make you stronger, agile, flexible, and ever young.

How to Practice it:
1. Select a soft padded yoga mat to practice this pose.
2. Place your palms full on the ground and get on your all fours.
3. With a little push, lift your hips towards the ceiling.
4. However, while lifting your hips, shift your weight on your toes.
5. Push your shoulder such that your face comes closer to your chest
6. Keep your legs straight so that your hamstrings are under constant stretch.
7. In case of any discomfort, you can bend your legs and minimize your shoulder movement.
8. Stay in the pose for the maximum time before coming back to the neutral position.

Seated Twist

Another crucial yoga pose that works on your spine and improves the flow of energy in your body is the Seated Twist. Hence, it is one of the best poses of yoga that increases the release of anti-ageing hormones. Not just that, practising the Seated Twist pose improves the mobility of your overall spine.

How to Practice it:

1. You can either sit on your shins like a Child’s pose or with your legs crossed.
2. Keep your spine straight and place your hands on your knees.
3. Place your left hand on your right knee and move your upper body towards your right side.
4. Take your right hand to your backside.
5. Repeat the same on the other side.

Types Of Aging Processes

Digging a bit deeper into the process of ageing, there are several ways how this process occurs.

Cellular Aging

A cell can replicate 50 times before the genetic material is no longer able to copy accurately. The failure to replicate is known as cellular senescence and it is here your cells lose their functional characteristics. With time, an accumulation of senescent cells leads to cellular ageing which later converts to biological ageing.

In the long run, the more damage by free radicals and environmental factors to your cells, the more cells need to replicate and the faster cellular senescence occurs.

Accumulative Damage

Ageing that occurs due to wear and tear comes due to external factors that build up over time. Moreover, exposure to toxins, UV rays, pollution, and unhealthy food can also take a toll on your body. With time, these factors damage the DNA in your cells and damage your body’s ability to repair itself and lead to rapid ageing.

Metabolic Aging

As you carry out regular life, your cells convert the food you eat into energy which also creates byproducts. Some of these are harmful. Moreover, the process of metabolization causes progressive damage to your cells, which is also known as metabolic ageing. However, you can slow down this process by signing up for yoga classes.

Hormonal Aging

Hormonal changes play a vital role in ageing, especially during your childhood when you build bones and muscles. However, over time, the capacity of these hormones diminishes which causes changes in your skin, muscle tone, bone density, and sex drive.

The Conclusion

Regular practice of anti-ageing yoga poses helps you keep many age-related problems at bay. These help you not only remain flexible and have bone density but also prevent many serious medical conditions related to ageing.