The Role of Yoga in Supporting Healthy Aging and Active Living

Abstract

Healthy ageing involves maintaining functional ability, independence, mental well-being, social participation, and quality of life as people grow older. Yoga is a multimodal mind-body practice that can combine physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness and can be adapted to different ages and abilities. This paper examines the role of yoga in supporting healthy ageing and active living, focusing on balance, mobility, strength, flexibility, mental well-being, sleep, independence, social participation, and safe lifelong practice. The World Health Organization's 2026 focus on “Yoga for Healthy Ageing” highlights yoga's potential contribution to balance, flexibility, strength, mobility, independence, and quality of life. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials found significant improvements in balance, lower-body flexibility, and lower-limb strength compared with inactive controls, alongside improvements in perceived physical and mental health, sleep quality, depression, and vitality. Another systematic review of 12 trials involving 752 adults aged 60 years and older found a medium effect on health-related quality of life and a small effect on mental well-being. The paper argues that yoga can be a practical complementary activity for healthy ageing when appropriately adapted, while emphasizing that it should complement broader physical-activity, preventive-health, and clinical care strategies.