World Yoga Day, marked each year on 21st June, is an invitation for all ages to pause modern noise, stretch into stillness, and share the quiet strength of movement. With mental health concerns on the rise, more people are turning to yoga, not just for its physical benefits, but to help find calm and emotional balance in daily life
Yoga, often seen as just a fitness trend, is actually a deeply healing practice for the mind. “Yoga stabilises the nervous system and improves emotional resilience,” says Dr Narendra K Shetty, Chief Wellness Officer, Kshemavana. “From postures that soothe the brain to breathing techniques that calm the heart, yoga is for everyone,” he adds.
Most people think of yoga as a way to become more flexible or toned, but its effects go far beyond the physical. “When practised mindfully, yoga helps manage emotions, reduce overreactivity, and strengthen inner calm,” says Dr Shetty.
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It’s a holistic system that trains both body and mind to respond better to life’s stressors. Regular practice boosts parasympathetic nervous activity – the part of our system responsible for rest and recovery.
Anxiety, depression and chronic stress are all becoming rampant today, even among younger people. The pace of modern life often leaves your brain overstimulated and under-rested. “Yoga helps rewire this imbalance by encouraging the body to shift from survival mode to rest mode. When people learn how to breathe and stretch in sync, they also learn how to feel safe within themselves,” he adds.
Here are 5 yoga tools, suggested by Dr Shetty, that support mental well-being:
- Try Balasana: The child pose is gentle forward fold reduces overstimulation, soothes the nervous system, and creates a sense of safety. It also improves brain blood flow. Just kneel, sit back on your heels, and fold forward with arms extended.
- Practise Setu Bandhasana: Also known as bridge pose, this heart-opening backbend stimulates glands that regulate hormones. It’s brilliant for lifting mood and energising. Lie back, bend knees, lift hips up and hold, feeling your chest expand.
- Do Adho Mukha Svanasana or downward facing dog: A simple inversion that sends fresh oxygen to the brain, easing brain fog and mental tension. Press hands and feet down, lift hips into an upside-down V shape.
- Rest in Viparita Karnani: The legs-up-the-wall pose is a deeply restorative pose that quiets the mind and calms your body. It’s ideal before bed. Elevate your legs straight up while lying on your back. Support hips if needed.
- Breathe with Nadi Shodhana: It is a powerful tool for balancing both brain hemispheres. Inhale through one nostril, exhale through the other. Repeat slowly to reduce anxiety and promote peace.
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