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Seniors and Their Caregivers | Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
We experience stress and anxiety at all stages of our lives. These negative sensations can cause cortisol build ups that make us gain weight, impact sleep and interfere with our daily lives. However, there are ways to overcome these feelings. Whether you are a senior or caregiver, yoga and meditation both can aid in establishing peace in your lives.
Benefits of Yoga
It’s no secret that practicing yoga can lead to a reduction in stress and an increase in flexibility. However, you may be surprised to learn that yoga can better improve balance and strength while reducing pain compared to aerobic exercise. It can help if you have flagging energy levels throughout the day and aid in weight loss. Being a caregiver can be a stressful occupation, and you should take what measures you can to release stress. Yoga is a concrete way to do so. It may even help increase your bone density.
If you have difficulty with your gastrointestinal system, it might be just the exercise you need to improve your health. Seniors and caregivers should start with a professional to give guidance. Once the basic poses are mastered, it can be done from the comfort of your own home, using free videos online to give you structure and encouragement.
Benefits of Meditation
Like yoga, meditation is a great way to reduce the anxiety we feel on a daily basis. You could see benefits in only a few weeks, and not just while you’re meditating. You might see a drastic drop in stress overall thanks to meditation. This boost might give your immunity a leg up, especially if practiced at least once a day. A study done by Ohio State showed that meditation could reduce pain in the elderly after only four weeks. If you take medication for high blood pressure, meditation might help you lower your dosage by improving your cardiovascular function. You don’t need to meditate for hours on end. As little as 15 minutes a day can show a drastic improvement in the quality of your life. You can even create a quiet spot in your home to meditate. This space should be as isolated as possible to prevent any disruptions.
Getting Started
The best way to start a practice is to do some research. There are many forms of each, so there is something for you. When looking at yoga, you might start with something like hatha yoga, or hot yoga. Both gently introduce concepts and a higher temperature can help your muscles relax. However, hot yoga temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, so make sure you can practice safely.
Beginning meditation may be easier. You don’t need a guide. Simply find a comfortable position to sit for a few minutes, and begin. Like yoga, there are many forms to choose. You can simply try to clear your mind, repeat a mantra, focus on your breathing or practice any other number of forms. It’s best to start with only a few minutes each day and build on your progress as you learn to relax. If your attention wanders, don’t judge yourself or think you have failed. It’s just part of the process.
Aid Addiction Recovery
For many people in addiction recovery, having a good relationship with your physical body is just as important as the spiritual one. Therefore, using meditation or yoga to reconnect with both your mind and body can be beneficial. Meditation can help us learn about ourselves and confront issues that might have fueled addiction including loneliness and stress. It can also help to level out one’s emotional states, which may help stave off relapse.
Yoga and meditation are both spiritual practices, but yoga is also a physical journey. Physical activity can help us feel good, which is something needed in recovery, without engaging an addiction. The chemicals released during exercise can help to boost your mood and help with addiction recovery.
No matter what stage of life we are in, bettering ourselves physically and spiritually is important. Yoga and meditation each bring methods of doing just that. Seniors, caregivers and those in recovery can all benefit from starting practices. After all, it’s never too late to refocus on health and well-being.
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About the Author:
Harry Cline is creator of NewCaregiver.org and author of the upcoming book, The A-Z Home Care Handbook: Health Management How-Tos for Senior Caregivers. As a retired nursing home administrator, father of three, and caregiver to his ninety-year-old uncle, Harry knows how challenging and rewarding caregiving can be. He also understands that caregiving is often overwhelming for those just starting out. He created his website and is writing his new book to offer new caregivers everywhere help and support.