Yoga and ageing

“The ancient yogis said that we are only allocated a set number of breaths in our life span. Therefore the logic goes, the more slowly that you breathe, the longer you will live. True or false? Certainly slower breathing helps to control the stress response and stress is a big factor in how we age. But can Yoga actually help us to age more effectively?
   There is a dramatic demographic growth happening in the population of the world - there are more of us and we are getting older. According to the United Nations, the number of people over 60 will triple by 2050 and reach over two billion. Here in the UK the population is also growing older. Of course we start this process from the day we are born, but many of us find the idea of ageing difficult, worrying that as our bodies deteriorate, the future may bring illness, dependency, isolation, poverty and of course death.
   Embracing ageing is hard, especially in a culture which places so much emphasis on appearance and where youth is valued over the wisdom that age brings... So what does Yoga have to offer us as we say goodbye to our youth?

How can Yoga help
   It seems obvious that Yoga can prevent or at least delay the more negative effects of ageing. Working on keeping the spine and joints mobile , maintaining strength, balance and flexibility really helps to keep ill health at bay and keeping healthy is the best way to slow down the ageing process. Because the asanas help every function of the physical body, this means that that most people who practise Yoga regularly look younger than those who don’t. As we progress in our Yoga, we improve by learning to release in to the posture, rather than by putting up resistance or by pushing hard which is something younger people may be more inclined to do. Wisdom teaches us about the importance of sthira (steadiness} and sukham (literally sweet, or comfortable), rather than contorting into painful difficult positions which may cause injury. In this way the Yoga postures can help the mind as well as the body as we learn to let go. Working with the breath then helps us to bloom and enjoy the stillness from the practice . I love this quote from Mary Stewart’s book, ‘Yoga over 50‘, “Age is one of the least important factors in deciding which postures and breathing exercises you can do.” (Simon Schuster1994). Exactly! As Tina Turner might have said – what’s age go to do with it? A good Yoga practice brings both energy and peace, as well as helping to keep us physically healthy...”

The article, which is written by Fiona Agombar, continues to explore various ways to reduce the negative effects of ageing.