Yoga, particularly in the Western world, is well known as a fitness practice with multiple benefits; from improving flexibility and mobility to reducing stress and anxiety. However, recent studies have found that the positive impact of yoga might be even greater than we expected, helping us live longer, healthier lives.
Do People Who Practice Yoga Live Longer?
The history of yoga features different figures who have helped shape this practice into what we know today. Curiously, many of these figures have something else in common aside from practicing yoga: they lived longer than the average life expectancy, some of them even surpassing 100 years old.
We probably assume that only the people who adopt yoga and practice it frequently, as these legendary yogis did, get the best benefits. But science proves that, while consistency helps achieve these benefits, you don’t need to be as dedicated as full-time yogis to live a longer, healthier life through yoga.
What Science Says About Yoga and Longevity
According to The Harvard Gazette, a Harvard-affiliated hospital that reviewed 33 studies, which included participants over 65 years old, and published its findings in Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that “yoga increases walking speed and the ability to rise from a chair, both associated with less frailty and increased longevity”.
Another study published in Experimental Gerontology shared that yoga can play an important role in preventive health care as a holistic strategy for anti-aging. From preserving muscle and joint health to alleviating stress, scientists found that yoga helps modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, and telomere dynamics, all of which are crucial in the aging process.
Finally, an exploratory study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity found that a 12-week yoga and meditation-based lifestyle intervention improved the cardinal and metabotrophic biomarkers of cellular aging and increased mean telomere length, significantly reducing the rate of cellular aging. In other words, yoga can slow down the pace at which we age.
Yoga, More Than a Fitness Routine
At Prana Yoga Studio, we teach and practice yoga with a holistic approach, one that sees it not only as exercise but as a lifestyle that gets us closer to a stronger body and, as science has found, a healthier, longer life. Our studio provides a secure, comfortable space to start practicing yoga, with all the necessary equipment at no extra cost and a variety of guided classes designed to suit your needs. Just step on the mat, take a deep breath, and start your journey to a healthier life.
Ready to experience yoga and feel better? Join us at Prana Yoga Studio in Imperial Valley!
Sources:
Chen, Q. (2024). Neurobiological and anti-aging benefits of yoga: A comprehensive review of recent advances in non-pharmacological therapy. Experimental Gerontology, 196, 112550. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2024.112550
Julia Loewenthal, Kim E. Innes, Margalit Mitzner, et al. Effect of Yoga on Frailty in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Ann Intern Med.2023;176:524-535. [Epub 14 March 2023]. doi:10.7326/M22-2553
Tolahunase M, Sagar R, Dada R. Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Study. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:7928981. doi: 10.1155/2017/7928981. Epub 2017 Jan 16. Erratum in: Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:2784153. doi: 10.1155/2017/2784153. PMID: 28191278; PMCID: PMC5278216.