It is happening more and more: women, around the age of 50, are starting to look for yoga classes.
Some of these ladies have never done any exercise before but, suddenly, it feels like the right time. And yoga feels like the right choice.
So what can yoga do that seems so relevant around that phase of a woman’s life?
Why start yoga at 50 (or later)?
1. Yoga lowers stress
Yoga involves relaxed, deep breathing which lowers stress level around the body, and in turn anxiety. Practising yoga regularly brings about a sense of deep calm and wellbeing.
2. Yoga eases aches and pains
Achy shoulders, tightness in the lower back… A gentle yoga practice will get your body to move and release stiffness. The key is to find a gentle practice that feels good for you as this will pave the way to a more comfortable body that moves more easily.
3. Yoga decreases hot flushes
Deep breathing and gentle inverted poses have been proven to release stress, calm the mind and decrease hot flushes which tend to be more frequent when your stress level is high.
4. Yoga improves bone health
As a naturally weigh-bearing form of exercise, yoga helps to build and maintain strong and healthy bones. As yoga involves the whole body, it supports the health of the complete bone structure, thus promoting good posture and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Yoga is great for your joints
Midlife can be a time when you start experiencing stiffness in the joints and possibly arthritis. A regular yoga practice can help ease joint pain, fatigue and bring more flexibility and energy.
Experience it for yourself
Try this short yoga sequence to bring focus and find balance: https://youtu.be/95-B5PvwTnE