5 Things You Should Know about Tai Chi for Seniors

Tai chi is a martial art widely known for its health benefits. Some people call tai chi ‘a medication in motion’ as this low-strain impact exercise positively influences your well-being. However, you may wonder – is tai chi advised for seniors as well? The answer is yes, of course! As a low exercise, it can be easily adapted for everyone. It doesn’t matter how fit you are. This martial art’s motions are widely practiced both by people recovering from surgery and the fittest individuals.

As we get older, it is extremely important to get our daily dose of sweat in. The biggest benefits of physical activities are extended life expectancy and reduced health risk. There is no doubt that tai chi can be a perfect solution to keep your body healthy and your mind relaxed.

Still curious to find out more about tai chi for seniors? Stay with us to learn more!

Improved Health

It’s not a novelty that physical activities significantly improve your health. Why is tai chi the best option for seniors? Because its exercises can be mild and relaxing. Tai chi for seniors is becoming more popular as the sessions mostly include making slow and graceful movements while taking deep breaths.

The most crucial aspect of physical activities for a senior is safety – you definitely don’t want to injure yourself. Tai chi exercises allow you to modify the movement as needed so that you can still get your daily dose of sweat in a safe and enjoyable way tailored to your physical abilities.

The Key to Happiness

Sport produces endorphins. In other words, exercising will improve your mental health, making your brain produce the ‘feeling-good chemicals.’ The joyful mood can be noticeable several hours after exercise.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to work out alone! Exercise with your friends to make the whole experience even more enjoyable and entertaining. Maybe there are some groups of senior tai chi enthusiasts in your area. In that way, you can learn how to perform some movements under the supervision of specialists, knowing you are motivated enough to complete the whole session. The social benefits of tai chi can significantly improve your mental health by boosting self-confidence levels and help you make new friends. However, that’s after the pandemic, of course – for now, you can practice tai chi at home with online classes!

Increased Immunity

At your age, immune systems become less effective. As tai chi is a light way of exercising, it can be a perfect solution to fight the aging process more efficiently. Studies show that senior tai chi enthusiasts responded to shingles vaccines similarly to people even 30 years younger. Physically active seniors are more likely to be positively affected by medications and any type of shots. As we generally know, going through a flu as a senior is much more tiring because of putting an incredible strain on the system. In other words, tai chi can be treated as a preventative measure to avoid long and short-term illnesses.

Enhanced Posture

Maintaining a good posture is a crucial factor to consider in order to age gracefully. With a good posture, people will not only perceive you better but it will also positively influence your mobility and breathing. In other words, tai chi strengthens your core, improving your posture.

Many illnesses that we are not even aware of are caused by bad posture. Lack of exercise, sitting down for most parts of the day, are just a few factors that can cause problems with posture. If you struggle with soreness, muscle pain, fatigue, or poor digestion, try to work on it. One of the ways to achieve is by practicing tai chi movements.

Good-Quality Sleep

Fighting insomnia with tai chi motions might be the best drug-free solution to make you well-rested again. Most of us will treat sleeping problems with medications, but the main disadvantage of such solutions is the feeling of grogginess afterward. Tai chi increases the amount of slow-wave sleep. What is it? Slow-wave sleep refers to deep sleep, and during it, your body has a chance to rejuvenate.

The Bottom Line

Practicing tai chi is one of the most efficient forms of exercising for seniors. Mild motions and a relaxing atmosphere during the sessions makes tai chi gain more popularity amongst seniors every day. As this martial art does not demand any sufficient amount of money, you can try it everywhere without much additional sports gear. Don’t hesitate to implement some low-impact exercises permanently to improve your appearance, health, and mood. Nevertheless, as a senior, you should keep in mind that safety comes first. No matter how easy the exercise is, you should listen to your body and not overstrain your system. Treat your body with respect, nourish it, and don’t hesitate to move a little.

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