WILD AND RARE
Aardvarks, shy nocturnal mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa, are rarely seen due to their solitary, burrow-dwelling lifestyle and quick retreat from threats. Credit : PINTEREST
Page 2
Sweet potatoes are rich in phytochemicals, including carotenoids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation and strengthen the immune system. Credit : PEXELS
Page 3
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
35 minutes ago
- Mint
STAY FIT AT WORK
Long hours at a desk can lead to stress, stiffness, and mental fatigue. This International Yoga Day 2025, incorporate a few simple yoga poses into your workday, which can help you reset, re-energise, and stay focused. Credit : PEXELS
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
International Yoga Day 2025: Can this ancient practice really improve your mental well-being? Experts answer
In today's fast-paced world, mental well-being is just as important as our physical health, and yoga can bridge the gap between the two. More than just a fitness trend, doctors and mental health experts now recognise yoga as a powerful tool to help manage anxiety and depression and boost emotional balance. On International Yoga Day 2025, let's understand how yoga helps improve mental health. According to a Harvard Health Publishing report, research using MRI and other brain imaging tools has found that regular yoga practitioners tend to have a thicker cerebral cortex—responsible for processing information—and a larger hippocampus, which plays a key role in learning and memory. Yoga helps to provide a powerful and holistic approach to improving mental health. "It helps to sync the mind and body and regulate the stress response system, lower cortisol levels, and promote the release of mood-enhancing chemicals like serotonin and dopamine," says Dr Santosh Bangar, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Gleneagles Hospitals Parel, Mumbai. Yoga for mental health: Does it really work? Regular yoga can help with anxiety, depression, and stress. The mindfulness and breathing techniques taught in yoga help calm the mind and promote a sense of inner peace. Over time, yoga enhances self-awareness and supports better sleep, improves focus, and helps with a balanced mood. "For people dealing with trauma, burnout, or day-to-day emotional fatigue, yoga can be a boon. It can help you relax and rejuvenate," adds Dr. Bangar. Credit: Pexels Yoga is not only about flexibility and balance but also about de-stressing and giving peace of mind. It is a good idea to do yoga for 45 minutes a day and see a meaningful difference. Ensure to do it under the guidance of a certified practitioner. Yoga is extremely effective for long-term health and wellness. According to Vidya Jha, yoga guru at Aatma Yog Studio, Karampura, New Delhi, "Yoga helps calm the nervous system through mindful movement and controlled breathing (pranayama), which can lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone)." Alleviates Anxiety and Depression: Regular practice has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation. It also boosts levels of serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are associated with improved mood. Regular practice has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation. It also boosts levels of serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are associated with improved mood. Improves Sleep: Many yoga routines promote better sleep quality, which is closely linked to mental health. Gentle stretching and breathwork can help prepare the body and mind for rest. Many yoga routines promote better sleep quality, which is closely linked to mental health. Gentle stretching and breathwork can help prepare the body and mind for rest. Enhances Self-Awareness and Mindfulness: By focusing on the breath and bodily sensations, yoga encourages present-moment awareness—a technique commonly used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). By focusing on the breath and bodily sensations, yoga encourages present-moment awareness—a technique commonly used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Supports Emotional Regulation: Doctors note that yoga can help individuals become more in tune with their emotions, offering tools to respond rather than react to stressors. 5 Yoga Poses That Support Mental Health Child's Pose (Balasana): A grounding and calming pose that gently stretches the back and hips while promoting a sense of safety and introspection. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): Excellent for calming the nervous system, reducing fatigue, and easing anxiety. It also supports blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Excellent for calming the nervous system, reducing fatigue, and easing anxiety. It also supports blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Opens the chest and stimulates the thyroid, which can help regulate mood. It's also energising and grounding. Opens the chest and stimulates the thyroid, which can help regulate mood. It's also energising and grounding. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana): Encourages deep breathing and internal focus, which can help release tension and calm the mind. Encourages deep breathing and internal focus, which can help release tension and calm the mind. Corpse Pose (Savasana): Often used at the end of yoga practice, this pose facilitates deep relaxation and integrates the benefits of all previous poses.
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Yoga Day special: 10 powerful yoga poses and their incredible benefits for a healthier life
Yoga Day special: 10 powerful yoga poses and their incredible benefits for a healthier life 10 Photos . Updated: 20 Jun 2025, 11:06 AM IST Share Via International Yoga Day is observed worldwide every year on June 21. This year's theme is 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health.' In celebration, here are some yoga poses that promote a healthier and more balanced life. 1/10The Tree pose may appear simple, but it is not a resting posture. Proper alignment is key—your back should be elongated, hips level, and weight evenly distributed on the standing leg. This pose challenges and enhances your balance while building strength and focus. (Pixabay ) 2/10The Chair yoga pose helps tone the leg muscles and strengthen the hip flexors, ankles, calves, and back. It also stretches the chest and shoulders, alleviates symptoms of flat feet, and stimulates the heart, diaphragm, and abdominal organs for improved overall function. (Pinterest ) 3/10The Four-Limbed Staff pose helps build strength in the arms, wrists, and core. It's also an excellent foundational pose to prepare the body for more advanced arm-balancing postures. (Pexels ) 4/10The Triangle pose offers a wide range of benefits for the body. It enhances spinal flexibility, supports proper shoulder alignment, and helps relieve back pain and neck stiffness. (Pexels ) 5/10The Warrior II yoga pose strengthens the legs and arms, opens the chest and shoulders, and engages the abdominal muscles. Regulating your breath and focusing on the extension of your arms can help cultivate patience. Maintain an elevated posture—avoid collapsing into your hips and resist the pull of gravity. Stay grounded and strong. (Pexels ) 6/10Warrior I is an ideal pose for unwinding after a stressful day, helping to relax both the body and mind. Its benefits are far-reaching: it builds strength in the knees and feet, stretches the shoulders and spine, and enhances concentration and focus. (Pexels ) 7/10The Easy Pose might appear simple, but it offers numerous benefits for the body. It serves as a gentle hip opener, promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, and can help ease menstrual discomfort in women. When practising this pose, be sure to keep your spine straight for maximum effect. (Pexels ) 8/10Child's Pose is a gentle resting posture that helps relieve tension in the neck, back, and hips. While in this pose, focus on slow, steady breathing with arms extended, hips relaxed, and forehead resting on the mat. It's one of the most calming and restorative poses, making it a safe place to return to anytime during your practice. (Pexels ) 9/10The Downward Dog yoga pose helps lengthen and decompress the spine, stretches the hamstrings, strengthens the arms, boosts oxygen flow to the brain, and promotes a sense of mental calm. (Pexels)
