We’re all Young at Heart!

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

George Bernard Shaw.

YOU’RE ONLY AS OLD AS YOU FEEL!

How often do you hear your mum, friend or neighbour say, ‘I’d love to do that (ballet, surfing, football) but I can’t anymore – I’m too old.’??

While age, of course, asks us to look after our bodies a little differently, there’s no need to give up – one of our favourite yoga teachers, Tao Porchon-Lynch, was teaching and dancing daily until she died last year at 101.

And for us, the most remarkable thing about that is that so many people think it remarkable – it shouldn’t be! There’s no reason why most of us can’t keep limber and fit well into ‘old age’. Half of the problem is that we’re conditioned into thinking we can’t do things – when we can!

Spread the word!  Blessed has classes tailored for the rusty or beginner body – and that’s not tied to age. It’s dictated by how you feel. If you’re in your seventies and have never done yoga before – it’s for you.  If you’re in your fifties but feel creaky and want to build a practice back up again safely and slowly – this is for you too!

Yoga is an excellent anti-aging tool – check out these benefits:

• Yoga will keep you flexible, help with stability and balance and strengthen crucial functional muscles.
• Osteoporosis – bone density decreases as we get older. Weight-bearing yoga poses help to slow this decrease and the increased stability and balance you gain will help avoid falls and fractures.
• Arthritis – can cause joint pain, making you feel stiff and limiting movement. Research shows that regular yoga can reduce joint pain and increase flexibility, as well as reducing inflammation.
• Core Strength – keeping the muscles in your abdomen, pelvis, and spine strong helps to support your whole body from the inside out, reducing the strains that come from imbalance.
• Blood Pressure – high blood pressure is one of the most common problems that affect us as we age. Studies have shown that regular yoga can lower blood pressure.
• Insomnia and sleep issues – many of us find that advancing age brings disturbed nights – often for no obvious reason. Conscious breathwork can help us to relax and calm down. A slow practice before bed can help encourage good sleep – studies have shown that yoga helps us not only to fall asleep quicker but to stay asleep longer.

Let’s celebrate our passing years! With age comes wisdom, experience, empathy – and more time to play and less stress…hopefully. If not, even more important to carve out this hour to look after yourself after years of working and looking after everyone else.