Mobility is freedom. If you’ve ever hurt your pinkie finger or toe, you realise just how even the smallest digits make a significant difference to how you move. When we burn out and our body starts to lose strength and stability, we realise just how important it is to be strong, supple and clear of mind.
Mobility is the ability to move freely and comfortably. We can complete daily tasks like walking, bending, lifting and climbing stairs. We move well as we dress, tie our shoelaces, cook, clean, carry groceries and live independently.
This is different to flexibility which refers to the range of motion a joint can achieve by an external force such as gravity or assistance. Mobility is achieved by the muscles that move the joints within their functional range. This encompasses control and stability.
As we age, we begin to lose muscle mass and strength, our bone density starts to decline and we may start to feel joint stiffness and develop arthritis. It is vital to maintain a consistent mobility practice that aligns with the phase of our life so that we feel motivated to move and keep our bodies mobile and strong.
Furthermore a considered mobility practice can be used to supplement your strength or athletic-based training. If you are an athlete, a specialised mobility programme will improve range of movement, stability and neural conductivity.
The quality of your movement over time becomes the foundation for your functional independence as you age. Here are 10 ways yoga can benefit you as you age:
- Reduces anxiety and inflammation
Yoga promotes mindfulness and breathing exercises (like pranayama), which activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” system). This helps reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and promotes a sense of calm and relaxation.
Furthermore, a regular yoga practice can boost immune function by improving the body’s ability to regulate the inflammatory response.
- Builds confidence
When you feel strong and mobile in your body, it positively impacts how you feel about yourself overall, leading to greater confidence in your abilities.
- Builds body and spatial awareness
Also known as proprioception which relates directly to our positional sensing facility – knowing where are in space and how we relate to objects around us. This helps us to engage different muscles for different activities such as placing a glass of water to our mouth versus picking up a heavy load of groceries.
- Boosts balance and co-ordination
Yoga involves balancing poses that help improve stability and coordination. This also helps to improve neural function, memory and the ability to learn new skills. Over time, this enhances your overall physical agility and reduces the risk of falls, especially as you age.
- Improves flexibility
Yoga posture will increase flexibility through stretching and strengthening the muscles. This can reduce stiffness, improve posture, and prevent injuries.
- Builds muscle strength
Functional movements and positions are those that require the body to recruit a combination of stabilising muscles to hold joints in place while others move. This promotes overall muscle tone.
- Builds bone density
Yoga involves a variety of weight-bearing poses, where the body’s weight is supported by the bones. Weight-bearing exercises apply pressure to the bones, which encourages bone cells (osteoblasts) to build new bone tissue. Over time, this can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
- Improves sleep and relaxes the nervous system
Pranayama and breath-focused postures help calm the nervous system and prepare the body for restful sleep. Regular practice can be especially beneficial for people who suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances.
- Improves mental toughness
The practice of yoga encourages mindfulness and meditation, which trains the mind to focus on the present moment. This can help improve attention span and clarity of thought, both on and off the mat.
- Supports fascia and connective tissues
Fascia is a continuous, three-dimensional web of tissue that interconnects every part of the body, providing structure, stability, and flexibility.
Poses that involve twisting, bending, and stretching increase the circulation of blood and oxygen to tissues, which supports their healing and regeneration. When fascia receives proper circulation, it remains healthy and elastic, contributing to better overall mobility and less stiffness.
Yoga encourages mindful movement, which helps bring awareness to areas of tension or tightness in the body. By consciously engaging the fascia during movement, yoga practitioners can prevent overuse injuries and help prevent the fascia from becoming rigid or stuck.
A consistent movement practice should enhance freedom of movement and not just make a person more flexible. – Jim Harrington
When you take the time to practice movement consciously you are ultimately honouring the celebration of life. The fountain of youth will never run dry as long as you keep moving consciously.
