Geeky wellbeing favourites: May 2023
Longevity, healthspan, plus the usual wellbeing science highlights
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to teach a yoga class to a small group of older ladies (which, I must say, was one of the most rewarding classes I have ever taught). I was especially in awe of the 85-year-old lady, who seemed so fit and active, I would never have guessed how old she was. I definitely want to be like her when I’m her age!
While she had only just started practicing yoga recently, she said she had always been active, going to the gym and other fitness classes, and had even started belly-dancing at 70. Maybe this was her secret?
It’s obviously not the full story. Lifespan and healthspan (ie living a healthy life) are affected by many things, including being active, eating a healthy diet and sleeping (see my previous post on this). And also by others that you can’t control because, well, shit does happen.
But being active, and being active today rather than waiting till you are older (see content below for more), could be key to what kind of old age you have – the frail kind or the “I could pass for 50” kind. I know which one I want.
So yes, whether that’s yoga, walking, swimming, fitness classes, be active.
Not exactly active but I do have a new permanent yin yoga class as the lovely Ground Studio near Finsbury park. If you are in North London, come practice with me!
3 interesting things on ageing/longevity
Read
Studying centenarians for the secret to living longer has revealed some interesting findings. But the most fascinating part of this article, at least for me, is the fact that the risk of dying if you are frail (which is known to be linked with mortality) is most pronounced at 50. So being healthy and active at mid-life is crucial.
Some people will go to really long lengths to live forever, including using gene therapy. This is a fascinating account of this quest for immortality.
Listen
Another great episode of the ZOE podcast, which covers why being active is hugely important for healthy ageing. Also, I did learn something I didn’t know, which is that wearing a hearing aid if you are hearing-impaired could help to avoid dementia. Dad, please don’t forget to wear it!
Plus
I fell asleep pretty much immediately while practicing this yoga nidra, so a good one to help with another crucial part of ageing well (sleep).
Wellbeing science highlights
Breathwork more effective at improving mood than mindfulness meditation
Although both mindfulness meditation and breathwork were effective at improving mood and reducing anxiety, breathwork practices for just 5 minutes a day were significantly more effective at improving mood. The breathwork practices investigated were cyclical sighing (max inhales through nose, short additional inhale through nose and then full exhale through mouth), box breathing (equal inhale, hold, exhale, hold) or hyperventilation with retention (longer inhales than exhales). Of these, it was the cyclical sighing that was most effective at improving mood (and the one that was significantly better than mindfulness meditation), with the benefit increasing as participants practiced more. The cyclical sighing breathing practice is not explained very clearly on the paper but the description I share above is from the lab’s Instagram page, and there’s also a youtube video.
Sorry to be controversial again, but a study comparing yoga with Essentrics (apparently a popular dynamic stretching workout) found no difference in improvements between the two in balance and flexibility after 6 weeks, practicing 3 times a week (although the yoga group had a higher fat reduction). I’d never heard of Essentrics before, but from the image search I think a lot of it is similar to yoga asana. So perhaps what’s special about yoga is that it offers more than just the physical, or a sort of placebo effect from the name ‘yoga’, or simply that people enjoy it and stick to it.
Physical activity improves anxiety among college students
A review and meta-analysis of the published literature found that physical activity, including yoga, tai chi and aerobic exercise, can help to reduce anxiety in college students. Frequency was important for the effect. As ever, the quality of the studies reviewed was variable.
This one is a little bit random but interesting to look at nonetheless. In a survey of 968 yoga teachers, across 64 countries, ~70% taught ‘traditional’ yoga (apparently this is hatha and ashtanga), ~18% taught exercise-based yoga (apparently this is vinyasa and power) and the rest taught therapeutic yoga (apparently this one is restorative or gentle, I guess this might also include yin?). Of these, traditional and therapeutic teachers teach more breathwork and chanting than exercise-based teachers, although all valued all aspects of yoga (ie physical asana, breathwork, chanting and relaxation).
Ageing-related posts the blog
Does yoga help with (peri)menopause? That dreaded transition for women – can yoga help to overcome the challenges that go with it?
Growing old well, with yoga Ageing well is surely something that we are all after – mobile, as healthy as we can, with strong brains and great mental health. Maybe yoga can help.
Forever young with yoga? If inflammation determines our biological age, and if yoga helps to control unnecessary inflammation, could yoga also help to keep us young?
‘Sleep hygiene’ may help in Alzheimer’s – could yoga help too? News that sleep hygiene could help to delay or lessen the severity of Alzheimer’s – if yoga can help with better sleep, could it help with Alzheimer’s too?
Until next month!