How Can Chair Yoga Benefits Everyone?

Body Mental health

Who hasn’t heard of yoga? It has a long history, and its health benefits make it a popular activity, with 11% of Americans picking it as their favorite in 2024. But as time has passed, everything has evolved, and so has yoga with different forms added to it. Each form of yoga now serves different purposes, such as memory training yoga, hot yoga, and soothing yin and flow yoga.

But out of all of these, one lesser-known and more peculiar style is becoming more popular these days, and it is referred to as chair yoga.

Now you might be wondering, does chair yoga offer the same benefits as conventional yoga? The answer is yes! This article will provide you with unique chair yoga benefits and why it would greatly complement any fitness program.

What Is Chair Yoga?

Chair yoga is a modified variant of traditional yoga that involves performing exercises while seated on a chair. Despite the use of a chair, it maintains all the essential elements of traditional yoga, including most of the poses and breathing techniques.

Unlike the usual way of doing yoga and struggling to balance yourself on one leg or shift from one pose to another, using a chair as a prop makes it a more accessible experience.

It also reduces the significant joint pressure and supports the body while doing exercises. This means you can enjoy the benefits of chair yoga, as the movements are gentler and do not involve a lot of joint loading.

Such ease of access allows chair yoga to be friendly for everyone, including people with balance issues, mobility issues like pain or stiffness, or injuries. It is even ideal for office workers who don’t have much time to engage in a full-body workout, as you can do it nearly anywhere you can find a place.

Not only that, chair yoga is an excellent means of exercise for older adults or pregnant women.

While it can be frustrating to face such restrictions, but chair yoga is gentle and supportive. This allows one to take care of oneself even when other forms of physical exercise are impossible to do.

Physical Benefits of Chair Yoga – What to Expect?

So what are the benefits of chair yoga when it comes to physical fitness?

Improves Flexibility

One of the benefits of chair yoga is its ability to enhance flexibility. As the yoga poses stretch and lengthen muscles just like the traditional form of yoga, it helps to keep joints in movement. This is especially good for people who have limited mobility, as it allows them to move without putting so much stress on their joints.

Increases Strength

Heavy lifting is what most of us picture when we think of building strength. But not everyone knows that another way of building muscles without putting too much strain on your body is to practice chair yoga.

Manages Chronic Health Conditions

Chair yoga benefits even in the case of chronic health problems. As one study found, doing yoga daily for at least three months helped the participants improve their heart rate, blood pressure and sugar levels.

Helps with Weight Loss

As per one study, doing chair yoga benefits weight loss by increasing a hormone called ghrelin. This boost in the ghrelin hormone may assist the body in better regulating hunger and improving its energy utilization, both of which can greatly facilitate weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight.

Mental and Emotional Health Benefits of Chair Yoga

While we all focus on the benefits of chair yoga for physical fitness, there are also numerous benefits of chair yoga for mental health. Such as,

Provides Mental Clarity

Like any form of yoga, chair yoga also requires focus and concentration. This mindful component has been studied widely to enhance cognitive function and improve mental clarity, which is especially beneficial in today’s world. So that means once you begin practicing chair yoga, you will start to feel ease and relaxation flowing through your body.

Reduce Stress

The combination of deep breathing and conscious movements is the essence of yoga, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This activation lowers the stress hormone cortisol, which is the key element that reduces stress and provides a feeling of calm.

A 2024 research study even confirms its ability to enhance cognitive function, sleep quality, and overall mental health.

Great for Sleep

Better sleep quality is one of several benefits of chair yoga for mental health that has been linked with. Even though these exercises can be performed at any hour of the day, they will leave you calm and ready for restful sleep.

Improves Self-Awareness

The practice of yoga means transitioning between different poses effortlessly. These transitions help with your proprioception, which is the ability to accurately perceive the positioning of your body in space and time, which enhances coordination.

Benefits of Chair Yoga for Seniors

When it comes to the benefits of chair yoga for seniors, they are very much in favor of doing this mindful exercise. According to a recent 2024 research study, chair yoga effectively reduces stress, improves mental health, and enhances overall well-being in older adults.

Reduce Chronic Pains

Chair yoga benefits seniors who suffer from chronic pains like arthritis and back pain, particularly those going through physical changes or who depend on pain medications. For example, one 2023 study found yoga was a great exercise regimen for women who suffered from osteoarthritis. In another study, participants engaged in an 8-week-long chair yoga regimen and reported a massive reduction in joint pains.

Lessen the Fear of Falls

Falls are one of the most common health concerns for the elderly. But research has proven that doing chair yoga can markedly reduce the risk of falls and improve strength, balance, and productivity in this age group.

Manages Dementia

Practicing any form of yoga, including chair yoga, is great for reducing the risk of memory loss, especially in older adults. As in one study, researchers found that doing 10 minutes of yoga, combining posture and breathing exercises, was beneficial for seniors suffering from dementia. In another study, doing chair yoga for three months once a week has been found beneficial for reducing stress, improving mood, and lessening panic attacks in seniors.

Why Chair Yoga for Office Workers?

Even though the benefits of chair yoga are widely distributed, we will now be looking specifically in terms of office workers.

Improved Posture

As per a lot of studies, sitting can be as bad as smoking for your health and posture

However, doing chair yoga encourages proper alignment and posture by strengthening the muscles that support your back and neck. A study suggested that participating in yoga can be more beneficial in improving spinal mobility and posture than any other exercise method.

Prevents Work Burnout

Another huge benefit in the list of benefits of chair yoga for office workers is its ability to prevent work burnout. Practicing gentle stretches serves to refresh employees mentally and physically, providing an escape from the boredom of deskbound tasks. Even a recent research study from 2024 indicates that practicing yoga, in any form, can be highly effective in mitigating burnout.

Relieves Muscle Tension and Stress

Sitting for prolonged hours on an office desk can make neck, shoulder, and back muscles stiff. That’s where chair yoga benefits weight loss can be of great help and propose.

However, as per one study, participants who spent fifteen minutes doing chair yoga or guided meditation in the office reported a significant drop in both their physiological and psychological stress markers. In another study, 28% of employees reported a reduction in their stress levels after adding chair yoga to their routine.

So it means that the calming effect of chair yoga can provide you with an oasis no matter how hectic your day might be.

Increase Focus & Productivity

Taking short breaks and doing some yoga stretches can help you focus and get more done. Since yoga has been a lifesaver in terms of providing relaxation, it improves our ability to concentrate and perform our duties more effectively. As per a study, companies that have added chair yoga to their health programs say that their employees are happier and more productive.

Getting Started with Chair Pose Yoga Benefits

Doing chair yoga is as easy as it sounds. All you need is a chair, a bit of space, and just yourself. But before starting it, keep these beginner-friendly tips in mind!

Consult your doctor before starting any exercise, especially if you have any health concerns.
Choose a sturdy, wheelless, and armless chair with a good seating area. Also, ensure your feet rest flat on the floor while sitting and your knees bend to 90 degrees.
Choose loose-fitting and comfortable clothing that doesn’t intervene in your movements.
Don’t overdo it in the beginning. Always prefer doing small workout sessions and gradually increasing the frequency as you get stronger and more comfortable.
If you feel pain in the body during the exercise, stop and rest. Following what your body indicates is very important. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits.

If your doctor gave you a green signal for chair yoga, start with these basic ones.

Seated Cat Cow

This gentle and easy chair yoga benefits posture and balance. It also helps with managing neck, shoulder, and back pain.

Sit on a chair with your feet flat and touching the floor.
Then inhale from your nose, arch your back outwards, and look up to the ceiling. This is a cow pose.
As exhale, gently pull your belly in, sticking your belly button back to the spine and rounding your neck into the chest. This is a cat pose.
Repeat this a few times.

Chair Warrior Pose

This pose is super for building strength in the overall body and also improves balance.

Start by sitting on a chair sideways with your feet wide apart.
Keep your right knee in the same sitting position and swing back your left knee behind you.
Place the sole of your left foot on the floor and straighten the leg.
Now, keep the trunk of your body in the direction of the right leg and raise your hand above your shoulder while inhaling from the mouth.
Hold it there for three breaths. And repeat it the same for the other side.

Forward Bend

This pose stretches the back, legs and improves flexibility. To do it:

Start by inhaling and raising your arms overhead.
Then exhale and lean forward from your waist. Let your head hang down between your knees, and your hands rest on the legs or floor.
Hold it for a few breaths and then slowly return to start.
Repeat it a few times.

If you are into fitness with yoga and other exercises, the Lasta app is a great option The app has plenty of yoga practices and other forms of exercise based on your preferences. Even its interface is very user-friendly and includes everything you need in your fitness journey and discover new ways to stay active.

Conclusion

Now we know that chair pose yoga benefits everyone who seeks wellness and physical fitness, no matter what age or mobility level. So if you are searching to start your wellness journey, chair yoga is a great way to do so.

Meredith Armstrong - Academic Researcher and Writer / Ph.D.

Academic Researcher and Writer / Ph.D.

With a Ph.D. in education, Dr. Meredith is a research psychologist that works as an international academic research and writing consultant. She has completed a myriad of projects relating to developmental psychology, social inclusion and diversity. Additionally, her past work has displayed a deep interest in research that has the potential to create positive change by means of practical psychological intervention.

The Incredible Chair Yoga Benefits You Need to Know