An analysis examining the outcomes of 22 random clinical trials has discovered that yoga practice can enhance many features of physical and mental health in older adults.
Yoga relates to a sequence of mind-body practices that have its origin from the Hindu tradition. Though, they are growing in demand globally as another option for well-being practice.
Statistics are seen that in 2015 in USA alone, around 36.7 million individuals practiced yoga, and by 2020, numbers roughly calculated advises that these results will have risen to over 55 million people. Individuals who practice yoga usually share stories related its advantages on their mental and physical health. Interested by such reports, few scientists check to see if the advantages are real.
As expected, few studies have discovered that different yoga exercises have an ability to enhance an individual’s usual sense of well-being, and also many aspects of their physical health.
As an example, a set of studies from 2017 advises that individuals who signed up for a yoga program encountered reduced levels of anxiety and depression.
A research from 2016 discovered that practicing yoga corresponded with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment in older individuals, and research previously this year added in the end that 8 weeks of intense yoga practice decreases the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Currently, investigators at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom have performed a review, examining the results of 22 random and cluster-random clinical trials that checked the advantages of yoga practice for healthy older adults.
The trials reviewed the impacts of varied yoga programs – with program periods between 1 and 7 months and individual sitting periods between 30 and 90 minutes – for both mental and physical well-being.
‘Yoga has significant capacity’ to enhance health
In the analysis, which is mentioned as an article in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, the researchers performed statistical examination to check the joint results of the 22 trials. They compared the advantages connected with yoga with other light physical activities, like walking and chair aerobics.
The team discovered that among individuals with a mean age of 60 years or over, practicing yoga – comparing with involving in physical activity – helped enhance their physical balance, flexibility of movement, and limb strength. It also lowered depression; sleep schedule became better and uplifted their vitality.
Furthermore, the researchers also saw that older individuals who practiced yoga recognized their own physical and mental health as satisfactory.
After comparing with other light physical activities, like walking, yoga looked seemed to enhance older individual’s lower body strength, improve their lower body flexibility and decrease their symptoms of depression.
“A huge ratio of older individuals are lazy and do not meet the requirements of balance and muscle strengthening assigned by government and international health organizations,” records Divya Sivaramakrishnan, the review’s lead author.
Nevertheless, yoga can be seen as an easy, flexible and appealing type of physical activity and since the proof advising that it can be advantageous for health is increasing, being part of a yoga program can be a good choice for older individuals trying to find some activity to stay in shape – physically and mentally.
“According to this study, we can end by saying that yoga has great possibilities to enhance vital physical and psychological results in older individuals. Yoga is a tender activity that can be altered to cater those with age-related states and illnesses.” Says Divya Sivaramakrishnan
