Class 12 Physical Education Chapter 3 Yoga and Lifestyle

Emerging new technologies such as dependence on the internet and virtual communication networks, have led to faulty eating habits and a wrong sleeping pattern that threatens the physical and mental health of individuals. Yoga is therapeutic in modern lifestyle disease like stress, diabetes, hypertension, backache etc. The power of yoga lies in its implicity, flexibility, and diversity.

According to Patanjali, asana means, Sthira sukham asanam, or, that position which is comfortable and steady. In Bhavanopanishad, “To sit in a comfortable position or posture for everlasting period is called Asana”. The modern world is facing a pandemic of lifestyle disorders that require changes to be made consciously by individuals themselves, and yogasanas can be preventive measures in fending off lifestyle diseases as they provide physiological advantages. This, added to the lifestyle related challenges has led to diseases such as hyperactivity, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Strengthening of Bones and Joints:
Yoga asanas are performed with postural stability and complete focus on the movement of joints and elasticity of muscles.
Improving Blood Circulation:
By performing Yoga regularly, cardiac muscle tissue begins working better, increasing cardiac output. Blood circulation improves and blood stress normalizes and stabilizes. Regulated breathing oxygenates the blood and assists fresh nutrients to reach all peripheral vessels and capillaries. Improved circulation means that the brain receives more oxygen, resulting in improved alertness, memory, and mood.

Bolstering Immunity:
Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and life stress all lead to a weakened immune system and vulnerability to disease. t yoga can be helpful in boosting the immune system and ecreasing inflammation in the body as it lowers stress hormones and strengthens the nervous system, while also stimulating the lymphatic system, which removes toxins from the body.
Improving efficiency of Respiratory Organs:
Respiration is a two-way process: supplying oxygen to every cell in the body and then transporting carbon dioxide, the waste product of respiration, out of the body. Lungs have the important function of drawing in the oxygen, moving it into the blood stream, extracting the carbon dioxide from the blood stream and removing it from the body. Most people are habitual shallow breathers and do not use lungs to their full potential. Bitilasana (Cow pose), Marjaryasana (cat pose), adangusthasana (Big toe pose) help improve the respiratory system. The size of lungs and chest is also enhanced. Yogic asanas and pranayama have been shown to lower the resting respiratory rate. Complete breathing gives us more energy.

Strengthening Muscular Tissues:
The Musculo-Skeletal system consists of bones, skeletal muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves and cartilage. It provides a frame to support the body and to enable it to move. Muscles, tendons and ligaments act on the bones to give the body its shape and posture. For example, an individual who spends long hours sitting or at a computer can develop shortness of the hip flexors and an imbalance of the hip musculature. Regular Yoga practice strengthens and increases muscle tissue. Fat does not accumulate in the body. Yoga asanas and pranayama can help by combating and helping to reverse this gradual decay of the body’s structure.

Obesity involves complex etiological links between the genetic, metabolic and neural frameworks on the one hand, and behaviour, food habits, physical activity and socio-cultural factors on the other. It is commonly defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30kg/m2 or higher. Obesity, in absolute terms, is an increase of body adipose tissue (fat tissue) mass.

Obesity, which was once viewed as the result of lack of will power, or a lifestyle “choice” – the choice to overeat and under exercise, is now being considered more appropriately by the modern world as a chronic disease, which requires effective strategies for its management.