Meditation For Elderly; 3 Reasons To Join a Class With UJCES
Meditation is a mind-body practice with Eastern roots, much like the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi. Meditation for the elderly can be done anywhere, anytime. Meditation is a mindfulness practice that helps you tune in to the present moment and tune out the distractions.
3 Benefits of Practicing Meditation for the Elderly
Decreases Stress
Getting older is stressful. Everything from chronic aches and pains to financial burdens to the loss of loved ones can impact your stress level. In general, meditation can help slow your breathing, which can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. As the sense of tension in your body decreases, stress will too. As stress decreases, sleep can improve, and your ability to handle stress will also improve.
Improved Circulation
As mentioned above, meditation for the elderly can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Increased stress leads to increased cortisol levels, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure preparing your body for what’s known as the fight-flight response. Although this is a normal function of our bodies, sometimes we can’t get away from the everyday stressors in life that seem to build off each other. This cardiovascular stress can lead to kidney damage, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Meditation helps to reduce these cortisol levels and return your body to what’s referred to as “rest and digest.”
Improved Memory
Another issue that comes with age is memory loss. If you are already living with memory issues, or know someone who is, then guided meditation for the elderly can help. Medical News Today reports on research from a group of seniors with impaired memory. The group practiced 12 minutes per day of music listening or simple yoga meditation for 12 weeks. Blood samples from before and after the three months of therapy revealed changes in levels of certain markers associated with cell aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Want to learn more?
There’s no right or wrong way to practice meditation, and it can be easier than it may seem. Sign up for a UJCES wellness class and discover the many benefits of meditation for the elderly. We offer a variety of in-person and online wellness and art classes.
