From handling competition to managing anxiety, know how yoga can help teenagers in improving their mental well-being

By Dr. Sumalatha K B, Consultant - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore
 

From parental expectations to academic performance to peer pressure and social media influence, teenagers today face a lot of complex problems that often impact their mental and physical well-being. While most teenagers learn to adapt to these issues, however, constant exposure to such stress triggers can negatively tinker with their impressionable minds. If you have a teenager at home who is getting affected by such issues, then you must try teaching them yoga to help him/her effectively navigate through their development years.
 

According to several studies, yoga is a great way to teach teenagers a much-needed coping mechanism. It not only helps in your child's physical development but also plays a critical role in improving their mental well-being. When teenagers are encouraged to practice yoga, they become more self-aware, relax better, engage in a non-competitive form of sports, gain confidence, and much more.
 

There are several important lessons that teenagers can learn through yoga which can help them in taking care of their mental and physical well-being. These include -
 
1.    Acknowledge personal growth and development
 
In a world where everyone is obsessed with being the ‘best,’ yoga is one practice that does not discriminate. Yoga does not teach competition and instead celebrates the potential of different bodies as it understands that everyone cannot be great at everything. While doing yoga asana, no one can be great or worse as it is just a process of exploring one’s body and acknowledging their growth and development every single day.
 
2.    Embrace yourself
 
Apart from being non-competitive, yoga also teaches your child to accept themselves and celebrate their individuality. This is an extremely vital lesson for teenagers as it can help them fight the feelings of self-doubt.
 
3.    Self-discipline for a healthy lifestyle
 
By meditating regularly, teenagers can achieve self-discipline. With self-discipline, teenagers will be able to prioritize their tasks and can manage their time effectively. This can help them in building a strong work ethic and maintain a positive attitude towards challenges. Additionally, there are several breathing techniques and the asanas in yoga that help in improving the physical health which also indirectly improves mental well being.
 
 
4.    Avoid distractions and staying calm and focused
 
 
In today’s tech savvy world, children as well as adults are bombarded with distractions from all corners.  Amid such a scenario, it is extremely important to stay calm and remain focused to efficiently create a work-life balance. Yoga is the only practice through which your child can learn the essence of being calm and focused as it teaches them to align their bodies and be aware of their movement while concentrating on their breathing.  This is an extremely important skill, as it can help your child in staying calm while managing any stressful situation.
 

By following these valuable lessons, your teenagers can live healthy, happy and productive life and will be able to effectively overcome any mental-health issues.