Morning Time: Active Exercise
It is safe for most adults 65 years of age and older to exercise. Even people with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis, can exercise safely. Many of these conditions are improved with exercise. If you or your parents are not sure if exercise is safe or if they are currently inactive, ask a doctor before getting moving. If you have any of the following symptoms while exercising seek medical advice
- Chest pain or pressure
- Trouble breathing or excessive shortness of breath
- Light-headedness or dizziness
- Difficulty with balance
- Nausea
Put on loose, comfortable clothes and well-fitting, sturdy shoes that have good arch support, and an elevated and cushioned heel to absorb shock. If you are not already active, you should begin slowly. The saying "no pain, no gain" is not true for older or elderly adults. A little every day is better than over doing and resting the other days of the week.
There is something to the folk wisdom that if you rest you rust. With vata being more dominant as we age, joints tend to get tight and stiff and flexibility can decrease. Find a form of exercise that is agreeable and fun. It might be a walk to the store, a little gardening, house work or yoga. Forget the idea that yoga is for the young who can twist themselves into a pretzel. Yoga is about being present and comfortable in your body. Seek teachers that have been trained in Iyengar style yoga. Iyengar was the first in modern times to use props such as chairs, bolsters and straps which serve to stabilize the poses at whatever level you can manage and also ensure that your alignment is good so you get the full benefit from the stretch. Iyengar himself said his greatest teacher was the wall, meaning not to feel shy that you need a little extra support. If you cannot get up and down from the floor easily there are plenty of standing and sitting poses and using a chair is a great place to begin. There is great benefit in the simplest poses. Here are a few examples –
Standing Tall. Stand up straight with your feet together, raising your chest and breathing deeply. Hold onto a chair for balance if need be. This helps with body awareness, lifts the mood and helps us feel more “open hearted”
Chair Twist. Try sitting on a dining chair with your feet on the floor in line with your hips, keeping your back straight turn from your waist to the right and then to the left. Gentle supported twists are marvelous for your spine and all your internal organs.
Leg Raise. Sit facing forward again raise and lower your lower leg so your feet are straight out in front of you. Repeat as many times as feels comfortable never going past the feeling of pain or tiredness.
Arm Raises. After a pause interlock you fingers and raise your arms above your head. Lower your arms and interlock you fingers the other way and repeat. Try not to let your head pop forward. Working to stretch your arms and legs also work the spine, help maintain a good posture and ease tension in the shoulders and hips.
Hand Presses. Even if you can hardly move just sitting and pressing your palms together with your elbows out to the side has benefit. Remember it is your intention and attention that will make all the difference.
Rest. Either sitting or lying down well supported helps the body integrate the stretching process and refresh your whole being.
Do not be surprised if you feel tears welling up from inside. Movement can unlock the emotions and it is not unusual to feel sad that your body does not do all you would like it to anymore or feeling of loneliness may surface. At the same time you might feel elated as fresh energy starts to flow again. Yoga is superior to walking for helping to slow bone loss because it engages more bones and joints.
