Slow and steady wins the race: The benefits of yin yoga for over 60s

We all know that having a regular movement practice is important at any age, and it’s never too late to start. The beautiful thing about yoga is that it’s accessible for everyone and can be a powerful way to start creating strength where we need it and flexibility where we are feeling tight. There are many different forms of yoga, but one of the most relaxing and accessible types for over 60s is yin yoga.

So what is yin yoga and what are the effects of a regular practice? In the style of yin yoga I facilitate at Sydney’s BodyMindLife studio, we combine long-held postures (up to five minutes or more) with knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, meditation and breathing techniques. In combining these things, we create a practice that offers a wide range of benefits. 

I believe that, as we age, we experience more benefits from a regular practice of yin yoga. In addition to the physical benefits, such as feeling more limber (with an increased range of movement), decreasing pain, lessening the chance of accidental injury and boosting our parasympathetic nervous system (our rest and digest responses), yin yoga also leaves people feeling emotionally calmer and more positive. 

Here are the key benefits of a regular yin yoga practice for people in their 60s and beyond:

1. Increased circulation in the joints and improved flexibility. Yin’s long-held postures (up to five minutes, or more) are designed to target the connective tissue (fascia) that runs through the body. Fascia encompasses muscles, various organs, the digestive tract and more. This means that when tension held in the fascia is released, it helps to increase blood flow and loosen the tightness in the muscles and connective tissue around the joints. Greater range of motion means a decrease in chances of injury.
2. Organ improvement. Using knowledge of the 12 main meridian lines, the postures held in yin can help restore balance. Each organ has energetic components that — when out of balance — can affect us emotionally, mentally and/or physically. When we hold certain postures, we put a pressure (what we call healthy stress) on the meridian lines, which sparks the body’s natural repair response, enticing chi (or energy) and blood to the site and bringing harmony to organs experiencing disharmony.
3. Greater mind body connection. When we are in long-held postures (up to five minutes or more), it challenges our mind to be in stillness and space. This can be a beneficial time for us to begin navigating our body’s comfort zone. We can also begin to expand this zone in a safe and controlled way. The feeling of sitting in something uncomfortable for long periods of time teaches us about our limits and boundaries and provides a greater understanding of our bodies. Using meditation as a tool, we become less reactive and more clear, calm and aware of our bodies. We can then adapt to our body’s needs. 
4. More energy. There are two components to the yin practice that give us more energy. The first being one of our greatest tools: the breath. When we breathe more fully, we begin to expand our breath capacity and invoke a clear exchange in both oxygen and carbon dioxide — pulling in more prana (word for life force in Indian yoga traditions). The second being that we experience a sense of great rest after a yin practice, meaning we have more energy to give to our everyday experiences. 
5. Decreased inflammation and stress response. One of the greatest benefits to this practice is the positive effect it has on the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and restore response). Affecting the stress response in a positive way has a major impact on the heart and hormones. When our bodies can drop into a state of great rest, we decrease the inflammation in the body, we lower our heart rate and blood pressure, and the tissues — along with other body systems — can restore. Increasing our flexibility, calming the mind, using the breath when we feel discomfort and connecting to what causes us pain are all great ways to decrease pain. 

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.