Portage, IN, is renowned for its beautiful sand dune beaches and views of Lake Michigan, as well as parks and community events. But how often do you take the time to really see those familiar sights?
Mindfulness techniques help you focus and truly experience the present moment. Mindfulness-based interventions have proven benefits for senior mental health, memory, and emotional wellness.
Learn more about the benefits of mindfulness practices and some techniques to incorporate into your daily life.
Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Mindfulness is a state of focused, nonjudgmental attention on one’s inner and outer experiences in the present moment. It requires cognitive skills to maintain your focus and emotional skills to remain nonjudgmental. The American Psychological Association has documented many benefits associated with mindfulness-based interventions, including:
- Reduced stress
- Decreased anxiety
- Lower rates of depression
- Improvements to working memory
- Better focus
- Increased cognitive flexibility
Evidence suggests that mindfulness techniques have physical benefits as well, including better immune functioning.
The advantages of mindfulness practices for seniors are especially profound.
Maintaining focused attention can be more challenging as we age. Retaining short-term information and tuning out distractions can be more difficult. Mindfulness helps reinforce these abilities, which transfer to cognitive tasks in everyday life.
Psychology Today reported on a study of middle-aged and older adults who meditate regularly, which found that they performed better than people who didn’t meditate on tests of attention, processing speed, and working memory. Regular meditators had stronger neural networks, as seen in an MRI, compared to people who didn’t meditate. Improvements in cognitive function can be evident after only eight weeks of mindfulness-based interventions.
Body Scan Meditation
A body scan is an accessible mindfulness exercise for most beginners. It involves focusing your attention on each part of your body one at a time and noticing the sensations you feel. The scan usually goes in a natural order, like from the feet up to the top of the head.
Body scan meditation can be done lying down or seated. It begins by closing your eyes and becoming aware of your breath.
The facilitator then guides your attention to your body, becoming aware of how each part feels. Allow those sensations to be without judging them.
If your attention starts to wander, bring it back to what you feel in your body. When the body scan is complete, you can open your eyes.
Body scan meditation is especially useful for improving your ability to relax. Many people carry physical tension they aren’t aware of. Becoming aware of each part of your body can help you recognize areas of tension and release them.
Five Senses Exercise
The five senses exercise can help you practice mindfulness in almost any situation. It’s a good choice when you’re looking for an exercise that you can complete relatively quickly.
Start by taking a few deep breaths. Then, start to notice what you’re experiencing through each of your five senses:
- Five things you can see
- Four things you can feel
- Three things you can hear
- Two things you can smell
- One thing you can taste
Try to bring your attention to objects and sensations you might normally ignore.
The five senses exercise helps you become aware of the present moment. It can also help with memory as you engage different parts of your brain.
Raisin Exercise
The raisin exercise is related to the five senses exercise in that you focus awareness on each of your senses. You can use any kind of food, but something with an interesting appearance, smell, or taste works best.
Start by holding a raisin in your hand and imagine you’ve never seen anything like it before. Then, look at it with your full attention. Let your eyes explore every nook and cranny.
Focus on how the raisin feels between your fingers. You may want to close your eyes to avoid distractions.
Smell the raisin, holding it under your nose. Place the raisin in your mouth without chewing. Focus on how it feels in your mouth.
Then, chew and taste the raisin. Notice how the taste and texture change as you chew. Finally, swallow and try to feel the raisin moving down into your stomach.
Focusing on a single, small object brings your attention to what is in front of you. You notice elements of your surroundings that you may usually take for granted.
Tai Chi and Yoga
Tai chi and yoga are more physically-based mindfulness techniques. They serve as excellent components of many holistic aging strategies, providing physical, cognitive, and emotional support for the elderly. They can be done at different levels, which makes them accessible regardless of your physical ability.
In addition to supporting senior mental health, tai chi and yoga can help develop balance, coordination, flexibility, and strength.
Tai chi and yoga are low-impact, but you may need to omit or modify some movements if you have a condition like osteoporosis. Consult your healthcare provider before you start practicing tai chi or yoga.
Tai Chi
Tai chi originated in ancient China as a martial art form. It consists of a series of slow, flowing movements performed in a focused manner with controlled breathing.
Tai chi is often described as moving meditation. It’s based on mindfulness, focusing on the present moment as you pay attention to your body performing the movements.
Yoga
Yoga started as a religious practice in ancient India. It’s based on physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation. Unlike tai chi, which flows smoothly from one movement to the next, yoga emphasizes holding each pose before changing to the next one.
Use Guided Wellness for Aging
Mindfulness-based interventions have a range of benefits for older adults. They help reduce stress, improve working memory, and support cognitive flexibility.
At Rittenhouse Village at Portage, we’re here to support you in your mindfulness practice. We offer chair yoga classes and a range of other activities for your mind, body, and soul. You can also take advantage of yoga studios and mindfulness classes in Portage thanks to our convenient location on Sterling Creek Road.
Schedule a tour of Rittenhouse Village at Portage today to see how our approach to guided wellness for aging can improve your quality of life.
