Yoga Boosts Health, Mental Well Being in Older Adults: Study

A U.K. review of 22 studies published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found yoga can boost muscle strength and balance and improve mental wellbeing in older adults, reports The Tribune . Programs varied in length from one to seven months, and sessions ranged from 30 to 90 minutes. "A large proportion of older adults are inactive, and do not meet the balance and muscle strengthening recommendations set by government and international health organizations," noted the University of Edinburgh's Divya Sivaramakrishnan. "Based on this study, we can conclude that yoga has great potential to improve important physical and psychological outcomes in older adults. Yoga is a gentle activity that can be modified to suit those with age-related conditions and diseases." Yoga was found to improve lower body strength, lower body flexibility, and depression compared to other activities.