Yoga has long been recognized for its health benefits, but could it also be the secret to a long life? Daisy Taylor, a centenarian from Chelmsford, England, believes so. In a recent BBC interview celebrating her 105th birthday, she shared how yoga has played a key role in her longevity, alongsivde her optimism and gratitude for life. Even in her advanced age, she continues to practice yoga—now often from a chair instead of the traditional mat.
Yoga and Longevity: A Growing Trend Among Centenarians
Daisy Taylor isn’t the only one to credit yoga for a long and healthy life. Many of the world’s most renowned yoga practitioners have also lived to impressive ages. For example, B.K.S. Iyengar, perhaps the most famous yoga teacher of our time, defied the odds after surviving malaria, typhoid, and tuberculosis during childhood. He took up yoga and practiced for up to ten hours a day, eventually living to 95. Similarly, his teacher, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, lived to 100, while another influential yogi, Krishna Pattabhi Jois, lived to 93.
These examples demonstrate how yoga can significantly impact longevity and overall health. Research supports this idea, showing that yoga helps reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and the risk of obesity—conditions that commonly affect aging individuals. Additionally, yoga has been proven to alleviate depression, stress, and anxiety, leading to a generally healthier lifestyle that often includes a balanced diet. 
Yoga’s Effects on Aging: Mental and Cellular Benefits
Yoga’s benefits extend beyond just physical health—it may also influence aging at a cellular level. One study showed that participants who practiced yoga experienced a remarkable 43% increase in telomerase activity, an enzyme that plays a crucial role in slowing down cellular aging. In contrast, individuals who only practiced relaxation techniques saw a much smaller increase of just under 4%.
Another fascinating aspect of yoga is its potential to lower metabolism to levels similar to those of hibernating animals. This reduced metabolic rate, which includes slower heart rates, breathing, and body temperature, is associated with longer lifespans in some animals. While more research is needed to fully understand this phenomenon in humans, the possibility that yoga could contribute to a longer life is intriguing.
Yoga has also been shown to have a positive impact on mental fitness in older age. As people age, it becomes harder to form new memories and learn new things, which is reflected in the shrinking hippocampus, a part of the brain essential for memory formation. Studies examining the brains of yoga practitioners have found they tend to have larger brain masses, particularly in the hippocampus, compared to non-practitioners of the same age. This suggests that yoga, including meditation, can help preserve brain health and mental function as we age.
Is Yoga the Key to Longevity?
While the benefits of yoga for overall health and mental fitness are well-documented, the question remains: Does yoga directly contribute to a longer life? Research has explored this, using data from the National Death Index and the National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey, a large ongoing study of American health. The findings were striking: participants who practiced yoga had nearly a two-thirds lower risk of dying during the follow-up period, compared to those who didn’t practice yoga. However, the study also found that yogis were generally younger than the average participant. When age was factored into the analysis, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between yogis and non-yogis.
While this research casts doubt on the idea that yoga directly extends lifespan, it is clear that yoga helps improve health, particularly mental fitness, as we age. For Daisy Taylor, her longevity seems to be more of a family trait, as she has several siblings who also lived past 90. However, her daily yoga practice undoubtedly contributes to her continued well-being and positive outlook on life.
In conclusion, while yoga may not directly increase lifespan, it certainly plays a vital role in maintaining mental and physical health as we age. Like Daisy Taylor, many people find that yoga not only improves their quality of life but also takes the fear out of getting older.
