yoga

The world today is taking huge strides across all fields.This has caused times to be extremely fast paced. In such a scenario it is challenging to maintain physical well-being and peace of mind. It takes planning, efforts and disciplinewhen it comes to maintaining a certain quality of living. Individuals across age groups, school or college-going children, working individuals, homemakers, senior citizens,all of them are now leading a more hectic lifestyle than before. Pace of work has increased, and to-do lists across both, home and work front have been increasing.

Covid-19 pandemic has added a significant amount of stress to our daily lives as well. In these current times, it is essential to take some time off and focus on activities that will enhance your daily life, health and holistic well-being. Self-care needs to be prioritized and what better way to do it than spare a few minutes for practicing yoga for a healthy mind and a healthy body.

Yoga is one form of exercise and self-care which is suitable for all age groups and is one which can be practised from the comforts of your home. It is easy to follow and requires only a few minutes every daywhich can go a long way in improving your overall mental and physical health. You will begin noticing the positive effects and will feel positive energy flowing through your system once it becomes a more regular practice.

In fact, the theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is ‘Yoga for Humanity’ which emphasises how yoga has served humanity across the globe by promoting the message of a healthy lifestyle, and bringing people together through compassion, kindness, sense of unity and resilience. 

Here are a few ways in which you can take the first few steps towards a healthy lifestyle through yoga:

Self-care
A few minutes of yoga everyday simply means taking some time out for yourself and your good health from the daily demands of your life. Whether you are a homemaker, an entrepreneur or a student, it is the most rewarding form of exercise and self-care you can practise. Taking good care of yourself is the fundamental step to taking care of others in your ecosystem.

Stress Reduction
Yogaheals both the mind and the body. In today’s extra competitive and fast-paced lifestyle, keeping a calm mind has never been more significant. Successful management of stress has a positive impact on your overall health. You also tend to be more relaxed, and you will notice you are able to sleep better with consistent practise of yoga.

Mental Wellness
Yoga leads to mindfulness, healthy eating and promotes healthy metabolism. All these factors combined help the mind to relax and increases vitality. With a calm mind, you are more focused on completing tasks without unnecessary stress – whether those may be work or home related. 

Hearth Health
A calm mind leads to a calm body. Managing your stress levels effectively also helps in maintaining a healthy heart. Yoga helps mitigate body inflammation, and other factors responsible for heart disease such as blood pressure.

Body Strength
Many of us complain about increasing lethargy as time progresses. Consistent practice of yoga helps you overcome this and build muscle strength, helps you get rid of lethargy and helps keep your heart active and healthy. It also helps relieve pains and improves mobility.

Strong immune system
Someasanas help improve the overall functioning of the digestive system. There are times when individuals may choose to have a hearty meal at the restaurant for a change and end up have severe digestion issues post. Regular practice of yoga strengthens your digestive system and your overall immune system, empowering you to fight illnesses better than before. You will fall ill less often and with steady lowering of stress hormones in your body, you will also strengthen your immune system. 

A key part of Yoga is breathing techniques. It improves the respiratory tract and lungs by teaching you to breathe right and breathe better. Time dedicated towards practicing the right breathing techniques goes a long way. 

The most important aspect of yoga is the connection between mind and body. With this ancient form of exercise, you can learn to control your breathing with the movement of your body and train your mind to become calm and peaceful which in turn benefits your physical health. It is a cyclical reaction, and one which individual across the globe need on a regular basis.

The best part about yoga is its ease and simplicity. It does not require fancy infrastructure, just a few minutes of regular dedication and motivation on your part will go a long way in ensuring a much healthier lifestyle for you. It is never too late to take the first step towards a healthy lifestyle.

By Mr. Shharad Dhakkate is the Chief Human Resources Officer for SBI General Insurance