100-year-old British woman credits longevity to yoga

Young woman holding a yoga mat (Chutima chaochaiya)

Great grandmother Jean Dawson celebrated her 100th birthday on February 20, and she credits her longevity to a simple habit she picked up when she was 67: yoga.

Dawson, of West Yorkshire, England, said she began the popular meditative practice after seeing a local advertisement, Metro.co.uk reported.

She said she’s made friends through yoga, and the exercise has helped her cope better with pain from a slipped disc in her back.

“It has given me good posture, balance, concentration, flexibility and stamina,” Dawson told the news website.

Dawson does yoga weekly and attends class every Monday morning, and her instructor described her as a role model.