This article provides 6 yoga poses that can help you maintain and improve your mental and physical health. These poses focus on balance and strength which, over time, will decrease as we lose muscle mass. Loss of muscle mass and thus balance and strength can increase the risk of injury.
Yoga cannot just reduce the loss of muscle mass but also improves your balance, mobility, and strength as well as reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Other benefits of yoga may include
- Stress relief
- Improved mental health
- Reduced inflammation
- Reduced anxiety
- Improved quality of life
- Boosted immunity
- Cardiovascular function
- Improved sleep
- Improved self-esteem
- Improved bone health
- Better posture and
- Exhaustion relief
There are different types of yoga poses including unilateral and bilateral poses. Unilateral poses stretch and strengthen one side of the body such as a right legged lunge or a side plank. This is beneficial so that the muscles on each side of the body are evenly worked. Practicing and holding unilateral poses can help correct muscle imbalances. Unilateral yoga poses include single-leg glute bridge, box lunges, bird-dog, side plank, tree pose, and eagle pose. Make sure you complete the exercise on both sides for the same amount of time.
Check out this article from Livestrong, which describes 6 different yoga poses and their unique benefits, and includes a short video of each pose: https://www.livestrong.com/article/13777263-beginner-yoga-poses-for-balance-and-strength/
Reference
Lall, Ashley. (2023, April 9). Want to Age Well? Do These 6 Yoga Poses for Balance and Strength. LiveStrong.https://www.livestrong.com/article/13777263-beginner-yoga-poses-for-balance-and-strength/
Ezrin, Sarah. (2021, December 14). 16 Benefits of Yoga That Are Supported by Science. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga