A holistic way of life: WHO

New Delhi, June 21

As the world celebrates the 10th International Yoga Day on Friday, Saima Wazed, the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, underscored the profound health benefits of yoga.

“Yoga offers a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. It is a valuable tool for stress reduction and mental health management,” Wazed said.

Wazed highlighted its therapeutic benefits, including mindful breathing, meditation and gentle movement that calms the nervous system.

Beyond physical exercise, yoga fosters mind-body awareness, enabling individuals to address root imbalances for long-term health. It promotes self-control, mindfulness, and experiential learning in self-awareness techniques and therapeutic approaches.

In today’s stress-filled environment, yoga offers a comprehensive approach to stress reduction, providing tools to restore inner balance and tranquility. Research supports yoga’s extensive health benefits, including stress reduction, anxiety relief through deep breathing and mindfulness, adjunct therapy for depression, and alleviation of lower back pain by enhancing spinal flexibility and core strength. It also improves overall quality of life, boosts brain function, memory, and focus, and aids in managing cardiovascular health risks such as hypertension, she added.