More and more older beginners are coming to yoga because they have health issues and their doctors have recommended yoga as a good way to mitigate the issue(s) from going further.
In the over 65 population, approximately 90% of older adults have at least one chronic health issue and 75% have at least two. These are health issues like heart disease and the early stages of chronic diseases that can develop into more serious conditions as we get older. Another 90% are at risk for hypertension / high blood pressure.
The other issue that is extremely common in this age group is balance issues. In Canada, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations and injury deaths among people aged 65 or older. Injuries from falls reduce older adults’ quality of life, increase caregiver demands, and precipitate admissions into long-term care.
The boomer generation is turning 65 and is a huge segment of our aging population – more than seven million in Canada (20% of our population) and 46 million people in the US.
Some of the boomer generation isn’t taking getting old lying down. They don’t want to age the same way their parents did and are very intent on staying active and proactive about doing something to slow aging and stay healthy longer.
Pickleball Canada conducted a survey in January 2023 where 11% of Canadian households reported at least one household member played pickleball at least once per month. By extrapolating the data, this indicates that more than 1.37 million individual Canadians now play pickleball at least once per month. It is estimated that 89% of these pickleball players are seniors.
As of April 2023, there is over 300 million yoga practitioners performing various poses and stretches around the world. While the yoga community is largely 18 to 29 year olds (43%) and female (72%), it is gaining traction with men and those aged 50+ (38%).
The majority of people that practice yoga are extreme beginners (37%) and practice for various reasons – 54% to relive stress and 52% to improve their physical and emotional health.
Yoga brings a long list of positive benefits to a person’s health and lifestyle, including help with back discomfort. Back discomfort affects more people as they get older and 87% of older yogis claim that yoga has helped them combat this problem, increasing their mobility and flexibility. If you suffer from back discomfort, no matter what your age, even 10 minutes of yoga a day can help you understand your body better and recognize where you have imbalances.
The bottom line, it is important that we make an investment into our health bank account. We are all familiar with putting money into a bank account so we have something to retire on, but how much have you invested in your health so that you can enjoy how you age?
We are all going to age no matter what we do. But, if you start investing in your health at an earlier age, you can go much slower and further in terms of how much functionality you lose over time.
So the next time you get up in the morning and you wonder should I do yoga, or should I watch TV – I hope you will consider the importance of your long-term health and wellness and join me on the mat.