Rammohan Rao, PhD
Rammohan Rao, PhD, associate research professor, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California.
Question: My father, who lived to age 87, did a headstand every day and swore that it helped keep him young and mentally sharp. Is that possible?
Answer: A headstand, or the sirsasana pose as it is known in yoga, can provide many health benefits, such as improved muscle strength, circulation and balance. Performing a headstand requires upper-body and abdominal strength, so it’s likely that your father’s overall physical fitness was what really kept him mentally sharp and youthful. Older adults can get similar benefits by taking brisk walks, swimming or doing other forms of exercise every day. Even working out as little as one hour a week can cut dementia risk, recent research has found.
If you want to do headstands, check with your doctor first. They should not be done by anyone with neck or back problems, osteoporosis, high blood pressure or glaucoma.
