What do we mean when we talk about longevity and health span? Longevity simply means “long life”, but it fails to account for quality of life in that measure. Health span on the other hand, “is the period of life spent in good health, free from the chronic diseases and disabilities of aging”. Then this begs the question, what is “good health”? As Kaeberlein says for the journal Springer, it is subjective, “there are no accepted or validated metrics for measuring health span”. We can imagine the challenges this presents for researchers and medical professionals that are confronted with using this term in publications, but for most of us? This creates an opportunity to determine for ourselves what health span means. 

For some of us, maintaining health span might look like backpacking to a remote destination in the wilderness at age 70. For others, they would never set foot in a tent without climate control, but they might desire climbing the steps of Giotto’s Bell Tower with a grandchild as they explore their Italian heritage. Maybe good health looks like standing to prepare food for your extended family, maintaining a garden or working a physical job into your sixties or seventies. Through yoga therapy, we spend time connecting to our values and our highest Self to determine what our path calls for. As we engage in the self-study and stillness that allows our wisdom to guide us, we come closer to determining what living in good health looks like as we age. 

Becoming clear on who we are in the present and aligning our paths to our values as we age is only part of the journey. Yoga practices, along with exercise and other lifestyle modifications, support the goals we often identify as a part of healthy aging. Mobility, cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, balance, mental acuity, discernment and contentment have all been shown to improve with regular yoga practices and appropriate exercise interventions. Unlike health span, we have biometric measures and quality of life surveys to evaluate those improvements. 

Another intriguing method of evaluating how yoga is able to impact longevity is by looking at  cellular aging. Telomerase enzyme activity, telomere length and the effect of oxidative stress indicate how our DNA is becoming damaged over time. The University of Utah likens telomeres to the plastic protective bit at the end of our shoelaces, preventing damage and fraying as they go through their lives. Our telomeres protect our genetic data as it replicates and divides by reducing the shortening of the DNA strand with each division. While some shortening is inevitable, with greater activity of the enzyme telomerase, our telomeres maintain longer length and genetic protective factors. Researchers have also correlated aging with elevated levels of oxidative stress  and reactive oxygen species in the body. Oxidative stress not only damages the telomeres themselves, but also causes disregulation in the production of the enzyme telomerase, causing cellular aging to occur more rapidly by both means. 

Studies show us that yoga practices impact biomarkers of cellular aging. Across multiple studies, researchers have show statistical significance on reduced serum cortisol levels, increased telomerase enzyme production, more favorable total antioxidant status, longer telomere length and reduced perceived stress after yogic interventions compared to baseline and controls. 

The practices that were used in interventions are accessible and feasible for us to implement in our daily lives including pranayama (breathwork), dhyana (meditation), asana (postures) and chanting. Each of these practices can be modified according to individual preference, ability, time and intention. With instruction and guidance, we are able to grow our ability to practice in accordance with our liking, goals and values. 

We have arrived at the intersection of measurable biomarkers of aging and individual determination of health span. We know that yoga can increase our longevity and reduce disease. We also know that yoga interventions reduce stress and improve quality of life. As we explore health span, it becomes the responsibility and opportunity of each individual to determine what they are working toward in terms of aging in good health. With experience, education and guidance on yogic and lifestyle modifications, we are empowered to live well  in the present and prepare ourselves for a future that we desire and feel deeply connected to. 

#yoga #longevity #healthspan #yogatherapy #healthoptimization