One of the unfortunate realities of aging is that we are susceptible to chronic conditions and illnesses associated with old age. This increases the need for a higher level of care, which is why so many older adults with dementia will find themselves in Palm Springs Memory Care.
Many people are looking for forms of exercise that can help them shed pounds, as well as reduce the symptoms of dementia. Yoga can be a great way to do this because it also helps with mental and physical health. In this article, we look at how yoga as a form of exercise can benefit those living in Palm Springs Memory Care.
1. Yoga Alleviates Stress and Anxiety
One of the main symptoms of dementia is an increase in anger and irritability. This is because the individual is often confused about what’s happening around them. This confusion causes their stress and anxiety levels to increase. Yoga can help to reduce this stress and anxiety by helping to relieve the person from their daily stresses. The breathing exercises used in yoga cause the body to relax and release tension. In addition, meditation can give people a sense of peace that they may not have experienced before.
2. Yoga Promotes Better Sleep Quality
As we get older, we suffer from the decline of our cognitive abilities, which can cause sleep problems. This is compounded by dementia, which can make it hard for the person to fall asleep at night. The breathing exercises that yoga uses help relax the body and mind, encouraging relaxation and repair for both the mind and body. It can also decrease heart rate variability, a marker of heart health.
3. Yoga Helps the Person Stay Active
As people grow older, they tend to become more sedentary and do less physical activity, which increases their risk of obesity and heart disease. Yoga can help decrease this risk by giving the person a fun and engaging way to stay active. These exercises require physical activity. Because of this, the person will feel tired after practicing it, even though it does not seem that way. This feeling will encourage them to get more sleep and help them to go about their day with more energy.
4. Yoga Helps Lower Blood Pressure
Yoga is a form of cardiovascular exercise that works the heart and helps it pump blood more effectively. As we age, our bodies begin to lose elasticity. This decreases the flexibility of the arteries and blood vessels, which can cause blood pressure to be higher than normal. Yoga improves flexibility via stretching exercises that can improve circulation, reducing blood pressure levels. People with dementia may have higher blood pressure levels, contributing to health complications. Yoga can help to control this issue and prevent it from escalating.
5. Yoga Increases Strength and Endurance
As people grow older, they tend to lose muscle strength and endurance. This is due to a decline in physical activity, resulting in a drop of oxygen reaching the muscles. Yoga can help them increase oxygen flow by improving the efficiency of the lungs, which means that there will be more blood flow to the muscles. This will improve muscle strength and endurance for people living in Palm Springs Memory Care. Dementia patients may experience this decline in endurance and strength, which can cause issues with mobility, balance and coordination. Yoga can help improve these issues by enhancing the muscle flexibility and strength of the individual.
6. Greater Ability to Deal With Pain
Bodies begin to lose elasticity as we age, decreasing our ability to cope with pain. Yoga helps to increase flexibility by stretching muscles and improving blood flow around the body. This means that the muscles will be stronger and able to withstand any injury or pain they experience as a result of falls that can occur due to dementia.
7. Yoga Reduces Physical Fatigue
As we age, we tend to become more fatigued because of physical changes in the body. This is because the body begins to use less energy to perform basic functions such as walking. However, yoga can help people who are experiencing fatigue by increasing the blood supply to their muscles. This will improve endurance and help them cope with the daily activities and chores that they are involved in. Due to this, dementia patients and the elderly may be more prone to falling and becoming more fatigued. Therefore, yoga activities such as meditation, focusing the mind, and deep breathing exercises can help them to improve their physical strength and endurance.
8. Yoga Reduces High Cholesterol
High cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thankfully, yoga can help decrease this risk by increasing the flexibility of blood vessels and improving blood flow. This will allow for more efficient delivery of oxygen to the muscles. This allows them to function better, enabling them to perform better in daily activities and chores that they may have been doing before they developed dementia.
9. Yoga Reduces Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance occurs when the cells do not receive enough insulin to function properly. This can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Yoga can reduce this risk by increasing blood flow to help increase insulin sensitivity. In addition, by improving blood flow, more oxygen will reach the brain. At the same time, improving cell oxidation will allow the body to break down fat more efficiently.
10. Yoga Reduces Memory Loss
Learning and retaining new information depends on the brain’s ability to produce new cells. Unfortunately, as we age, our brains lose this capacity, which can lead to dementia. Many forms of exercise can help keep the brain healthy. Yoga is one of the most efficient exercises because it is a form of physical activity that improves blood flow. It also has other forms of exercise that will enhance cognition and mental health without causing pain or injury for people living in Palm Springs Memory Care.
Palm Springs Memory Care
As we age, we slowly lose our physical and mental capabilities in various ways. However, this is not the case for everyone; many people can maintain their capabilities. Therefore, people must keep an active lifestyle as they grow older. Yoga is one of the best ways to do so because it focuses on many body exercises that can help improve physical and mental health.
Are you a health-conscious individual looking to retire with peace of mind? If so, then Bayshire Rancho Mirage is waiting for you. We are a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). At our facilities, you will find independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing care options. Please contact us today for more information about assisted living or the other services we offer.
