For Mature Moms

One of the main symptoms of my autoimmune disease is difficulty with balance. Many people experience this with natural aging as well, and it can be scary and unpredictable. It often feels like there’s nothing you can do!

I have started going to a chiropractor (see my post about Taking Control of your Health After 60), and I love how ‘holistic’ he is. Ie, we talk about other things that I can do for my back pain and mobility issues, outside of chiropractic adjustments.

Standing Exercises.

One-Foot Balancing. The doctor told me to stand on one foot at a time and hold this for as long as possible on each foot, for five minutes total. If you have balance issues, you need to do this every day. The quote him, “You really need to be consistent, that is more important than how long you do it”.

He suggested doing the one-foot balancing while I’m making coffee in the morning, and this has worked really well, since I (almost) always remember. FYI, he suggests using ‘squishy shoes” like soft sneakers. Barefoot is actually a lot easier!

Another great place to do this exercise is at the kitchen sink. It’s the perfect height for holding onto while balancing. While the timer is ticking away for dinner to be done works perfectly- you have the time already recording for you.

As you get more experienced with this, you can take this balance further if you are able, and do more of a ‘tree pose’, with your foot as high up your leg as you can, like so!

Toe Raises. This is something you can also do at the coffee maker or sink. Basic raising of your heels off the ground, like you are ‘tiptoeing’. Do ten of these at a time, and aim for three sets.

Yoga Balancing. There are a lot of great balance poses in yoga. Check out my post on The Best Yoga Poses for Mature Moms! Some of these are a tripod, yogi squat, or bird dogs.

TIP: Use a Drishti. A drishti is a Sanskrit word that translates to “sight, view or gaze”. In yoga and meditation, it means maintaining a focused, steady point of vision on a specific physical or internal location.

A spot on the wall or something that keeps your mind focused works really well. I have star designs on my yoga mat that are perfect for this!

Tools. These days there are a number of apparatuses out there these days to help you work on your balance. Take advantage of these for the extra help!

Balancing Board. These are great to have on hand, although pretty hard to use! I definitely need to be near something to hold onto, here I’m using the treadmill. 😜

Headstand Bench. I will admit I don’t use this much anymore- finding empty wall space was difficult in my small home! I will also be honest, that when my husband put this together for me, he was seriously scared I might break my neck.

If you have some extra room, I highly recommend this, and you will not break your neck! I LOVE this bench for helping with balance and circulation. Just prop it up against a wall, and use your core to rise up into a headstand (it will likely take a few times to master). It keeps you in place in this position so beautifully. Stay upside down for a minute or two and you get that wonderful blood flow and energy!

There are also special thick mats designed for balance assistance. Check this one out on Amazon!

Walking Exercises.

Heel to toe walking. This looks easy but if you struggle with balance it isn’t. Putting your foot straight in front of the other and keeping in a line, try to walk as far across a room as possible. 

Also try side stepping, toes pointed OUT in a V position, toes pointed IN in a V, and on your tiptoes. Practice each of these across the room and back.

Use Your Eyes. Engage your eyes as you walk for more intense work on balance. Move your eyes, looking slowly up and down as you are walking straight ahead. Do this slowly, stop when necessary, and stay close to a wall. Do the same looking left to right, then TRY walking with your eyes closed! (this definitely needs to be done close to a wall and/or with another person present for spotting you).

Core Strength. Balance is not just about your feet, eyes and brain working together. There is core strength required in order to keep your posture straight and muscles working well. Some great exercises for your core:

• Low plank
• High plank
• Bird dog (see above)
• Lunges
• Squats
• Abdominal crunches

If you also struggle with balance; I hope that these standing, yoga, walking, and core exercises help to improve your situation. There IS something you can be doing to be healthy after 60! Best of luck, and here’s to a more balanced and healthier you!