Recently, I met Ms. Kang, a 42-year-old woman who started experimenting with a new lifestyle after her child was admitted to university, including taking yoga classes. In one class, she was challenged to stand on one foot with her eyes closed. She found that she could only hold on for 10 seconds with her eyes closed, while the rest of her classmates seemed to perform better. This frustrated her a little.
Ms. Jiang's colleague half-jokingly said that this action could test a person's lifespan. This made her curious and confused. Subsequently, in the physical examination organized by the unit, she expressed her doubts to the doctor: whether the difference in the time of holding this action with closed eyes and open eyes can really reflect the life span of a person?
First, let's be clear: there is no scientific evidence that a particular position or movement can accurately predict a person's lifespan. However, this movement can reflect an individual's balance and muscle control. These abilities usually decline with age, but they can be improved with proper training and exercise.
Standing on one foot with your eyes closed is a good balance exercise. When we close our eyes and lose visual information, our body must rely on the vestibular system of the inner ear and the proprioception of muscles and joints to maintain balance. For Ms. Jiang, being able to hold on for only 10 seconds with her eyes closed could mean that she needs more balance training to improve her proprioception and muscle control.
While this action does not directly predict lifespan, it is indeed a good indicator of health, especially for middle-aged people. With consistent Xi and exercise, balance can be improved, which is important for preventing falls and other balance-related injuries. Therefore, I encourage Ms. Jiang to continue to practice Xi and not be discouraged, because everyone's progress rate is different. With perseverance and hard work, she will definitely be able to achieve better results on the path of yoga.
How did the saying come from the saying that the longer you stand with your eyes closed and one foot spent, the higher your chances of longevity? Is it true?
Recently, a study on the relationship between balance and longevity has attracted widespread attention. According to reports, the study, mentioned by the British Daily Mail, was initiated by the British Medical Research Council. The research team assessed the balance of the participants by observing the duration of their standing on one foot with their eyes closed (golden rooster independence) and inferred about the rate of aging of the body. The results showed that if a man could last about 9 seconds, his balance was equivalent to 30-39 years old, and for women he was 40-49 years old. Conversely, if it only lasts for six seconds, the equipoise is equivalent to 60-69 years for men and 70-79 years for women. In short, the weaker the balance, the faster the body ages and the shorter the lifespan is likely to be.
This finding is also supported by a study in Brazil. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, noted that the duration of one-legged standing with eyes closed could be used as an indicator of health and longevity in middle-aged and older adults. The study involved 1,702 middle-aged and older adults between the ages of 51 and 75 who were assessed on a one-legged station with their eyes closed and followed for up to seven years. It was found that participants who were unable to complete at least ten seconds of single-legged standing with their eyes closed had a significantly increased risk of death over the next decade. Of these, 20.4 per cent of the participants did not meet the target, and 7.2 per cent of them died in the following seven years, with 17.5 per cent in the group that could not sustain ten seconds and 4.6 per cent in the group that could sustain it.
These studies suggest that there is a correlation between the ability to stand on one foot with closed eyes and longevity. However, it is important to note that these are observational studies, and they do not prove causality. Standing on one foot with eyes closed is a challenging exercise for older people, but if they can complete the test, it usually means that they have better balance and physical condition, which may be associated with a longer lifespan. In addition to this, regular practice Xi standing on one foot not only assesses health but also serves as a form of exercise that can be beneficial for the overall health of the elderly.
Standing on one foot with your eyes closed is a balance exercise that is really beneficial for things like improving body coordination and preventing falls. This training method requires participants to close their eyes and stand on one foot to develop their sense of balance and body coordination. However, this type of training is not suitable for everyone.
This training may not be appropriate for people with cerebellar disorders. The cerebellum plays a key role in maintaining the body's balance and coordination. When the eyes are closed, the visual reference is deprived, and the body relies on the cerebellum to maintain balance. If cerebellar function is impaired, not only is the sense of balance impaired, but also the ability to coordinate is reduced. In such cases, standing training on one foot with eyes closed may increase the risk of falls and injuries.
Similarly, for people with musculoskeletal disorders, this training may not be suitable. Muscles and bones are essential for maintaining balance and stabilizing posture. Disease or decline in the function of these tissues can lead to reduced balance and exercise. Eye-closed, one-legged standing training relies on leg muscles and bones to maintain balance, and in people with these disorders, weakened muscle strength and problems with bone structure can lead to an inability to control balance effectively, increasing the risk of falls and injuries.
Although standing exercises with one foot closed are beneficial for improving balance and coordination, it should be considered carefully in patients with cerebellar and musculoskeletal disorders to prevent potential injury.