10 Yoga Exercises for Seniors

Getting older can certainly come with its fair share of aches and (back) pains, but yoga can strengthen the muscles that support your back. "Most postural habits are due to either chronically stiff muscles, or chronically weak muscles," says certified yoga teacher Zach Biegun, who is based in Ithaca, New York. "The thing that makes yoga so good for back pain is that it addresses both issues in a systematic way."

According to Biegun, the One-legged Wind Releasing pose is a good, gentle stretch for the mid- to low back and hips because it stretches all of the muscles in those areas, which helps resolve low back pain.

Here's how you do it:

You may find that one side may take more or fewer breaths to relax, so pay attention to what your body's telling you.

Other poses aimed at reducing chronic back pain include relaxation pose, forward fold and seated forward bend in a chair.

Seniors know that other aches and pains can also get in the way of an active life. Read on for yoga poses that target other types of pain.

Maybe it's not just your back, but also your legs, hands and joints that need extra care. Some yoga poses target areas of the body prone to aches and pains. According to yoga instructor Biegun, the key is to build both strength and flexibility, because one without the other can set you up for injury.

One good pose for addressing aches and pains is the Staff pose. This position helps strengthen the muscles in the mid-back, improving posture. It also strengthens the quadriceps to help stabilize the knees.

To perform this pose, you'll need to do the following [source: Yoga Journal]:

Other yoga poses alleviate different types of pain. For aches in the fingers and wrists, try some yoga finger stretches or wrist stretches.

Although yoga's slow-moving poses are nothing like aerobics, they can actually benefit your heart. Read on to find out more.

It's well known that cardiovascular exercise helps your heart, but yoga can improve your heart's functions as well. In a study by the Yale University School of Medicine, researchers found that adding three days of yoga and meditation to a weekly routine may reduce your risk of heart disease [source: Peck].

One yoga pose that can be good for your heart is the Chair pose. "Chair pose can be a great addition to [a routine] since it's a rather challenging pose that engages many areas of the body at once and therefore requires the body to amp up blood flow and breath to get more oxygen to those areas," says Biegun.

To perform the Chair pose, you'll follow these simple steps:

If this position is difficult at first, use a wall for stabilization. After bending your knees, let your tailbone touch the wall. As you get stronger, you can stop using the wall and gradually work up to deepening the knee bend.

Along with improving your heart, yoga can also lower your blood pressure. Next up, learn a pose that won't get your pulse racing.

The Yale University study we mentioned earlier followed participants through six weeks of thrice-weekly yoga and meditation practice. Along with reduced risk of heart disease, participants also discovered that yoga and meditation significantly decreased their blood pressure.

Consider including the Seated Forward Bend pose in your routine to help reduce blood pressure, and use a chair to avoid overtaxing your back.

As you do this pose, your chest should make contact with your thighs, with your forehead near your knees.

As you grow stronger and more flexible, you can remove the chair and execute this position as a standing forward bend. Those with bad backs should be careful when doing this pose.

Other positions that may help you lower your blood pressure include the Big Toe pose, Bridge pose and Downward-facing Dog.

Did you know that yoga may also help you fight osteoporosis? Read on to learn a pose that could give you stronger bones.

Women have an increased potential for developing osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become brittle and prone to breaking, as they age. Weight-bearing and balance exercises can help you reduce the possibility of bone fractures by maintaining bone strength and promoting joint agility.

Many yoga positions, including the Revolved Triangle pose, are perfect for maintaining bone strength. In this standing position, you'll need to do the following:

This pose requires some flexibility, but you can easily modify it by using a chair or block to support yourself if you can't bend all the way to the floor.

But take note: If you have back problems, avoid this pose.

Instead, practice some other seated or standing weight-bearing poses like Hero, Wide Angle and Wide-legged Standing Forward Bend poses.

Yoga can also help women fight the symptoms of menopause. Keep reading to learn a cool pose to ward off hot flashes.

Another health issue women have to deal with is menopause. You might be lucky enough to not experience many symptoms, but then again, you may have to deal with insomnia, irritability and hot flashes.

One yoga pose that can help you keep your cool is Downward-facing Dog. Here's how to do this inverted pose:

You can also do this pose with one leg in the air. If you can't bend over all the way, place a chair against a wall and bend into a V shape, using the chair to support your hands.

Other great poses to deal with menopause include Legs-up-the-wall and Extended Triangle pose. In general, standing poses also do wonders to combat irritability.

When some women have menopause, they also get insomnia. Read on to discover a pose that can help you sleep better.

When counting sheep or drinking a glass of warm milk doesn't help you fall asleep, try some yoga poses to help you get some z's.

The Legs-on-the-wall pose is very helpful for those who just can't seem to get some shut-eye. You'll need to have a thick pillow or blanket that you can roll up and use as a support for your lower back. If you have back problems, don't try this pose without the help of a teacher.

Forward bend poses are also good ones to try when you need help falling asleep.

Need to sharpen your balancing act? Let's look at a pose that can improve your balance.

Many seniors worry about taking a spill that could cause a bone fracture, potentially changing their quality of life forever. Some yoga poses build up strength in your lower body to help you maintain your balance.

Warrior I is a pose that builds up power in your legs and hips. If you're new to yoga, you can perform Warrior I against a wall. As you progress in the pose, you'll eventually be able to do it on your own two feet.

Once you're strong enough, you can ditch the wall support and raise your arms above your head, palms facing inward.

Keep reading for one of yoga's greatest benefits.

One of yoga's biggest benefits is that it stretches your muscles and improves your flexibility -- keep in mind you don't need to be able to tie yourself in knots to become more flexible.

Performing yoga poses helps stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons, which removes lactic acid and alleviates stiffness and pain. As you practice yoga, you'll also discover an improvement in your joints' range of motion over time.

For flexibility in your legs, try the Legs in V pose:

Pigeon and lying down twist are other good poses for flexibility. To stretch out your arms, try the Garuda Arms pose.

Read on to learn a great stress-relieving yoga pose.

People who preach the adage "take a deep breath and relax" are on to something. Many yoga poses help you relax and feel your body. Certified yoga teacher Zach Biegun says that final relaxation pose, called Savasana (pronounced "sha-vah-suh-nuh") is "perhaps the most important yoga pose. The point of Savasana, also known as Corpse pose, is to relax. It's the few minutes at the end of a physical practice where you just [lie] down and, rather than thinking, spend time feeling."

Relaxation pose isn't just simply lying down, though.

Now that you're fully relaxed, you'll probably find you have more energy to enjoy your golden years.

For more yoga exercises for seniors, take a deep breath and move on to the next page.