International Yoga Day: Benefits of Yoga in treating respiratory, lung, mental complications caused due to COVID

New Delhi: Despite high-end developments and technological advances over the years, humanity today is grappling with a virus so small that it can`t even be seen with the naked eye.

In a hard way though but the coronavirus crisis has reintroduced humankind to the famous adage - health is wealth. The pandemic is delivering a very tough but persuasive lesson about staying mindful of health and hygienic practices to protect one from an unprecedented health crisis such as COVID-19 disease.

An age-old health and wellness care practice that comes straight from ancient India is that of Yoga and as the world proceeds towards the sixth International Yoga Day, ANI spoke to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yoga certification board of Indian government`s Ministry of AYUSH, Dr Ishwar V Basavaraddi on using yogic practices to deal with the health complications caused by COVID.

Sharing some yogic practices that help COVID patients in overcoming the health complications, Dr Ishwar V Basavaraddi said:" There are three types of COVID patients, the first one are the ones who are asymptomatic. For such patients, yogic hygienic practices like Neti (hatha yoga), Dhauti, Kapalbharti can be used."

"Some other practices like Hastrikaprnayam, Jayapranayam, some Bhramari Pranayam, and meditation help such asymptomatic patients to improve their breathing capacity," he added saying that all such practices must be performed under proper guidance. He then threw light on the very limited approaches that can be used for critical patients and said," for patients on ventilators, there are some selected practices of relaxation or Pranayam which should be taught but very carefully because it is difficult for such critical patients. So we usually don`t recommend anything more.

"The official with over 30 years of professional experience in Yoga therapy and research then outlined some very effective yoga asanas for the rehabilitation of patients who have recovered from Covid."

When Covid patients recover we have a package of some Asana, Pranayam, Yog Nidra, and relaxation for them and in Aayush guidelines we have given a package of 40 minutes of yogic asanas for such people," Basavaraddi said.

"Asanas are like Tadasana, Trikonasana, Bhushtasana, Shashakasana, Vakrasana, Bhujangasan, Shalpasana, Setuvandasana, help in improving lung capacity. These asanas coupled with some Kapalbharti Pranayam, Narshodan Pranayam, Brahmari Pranayam, and dhyana if done for 40 minutes in the morning will definitely increase chances of very fast rehabilitation," he added.

He then stressed on the fact that though no research has been conducted that shows that yoga is an effective way to treat COVID but it definitely targets the research disorders and on the basis of that the practices have been recommended by the Ministry of AYUSH.

Addressing the need to practice yoga by the first responders, Basavaraddi said, "most importantly the people who are in the first contact with COVID patients are also prone. If they also start practicing yoga, it will help them in increasing their cardiorespiratory efficiency, optimising their lung capacity will be optimum developing immunity."

While talking about COVID patients, Basavaraddi also addressed a section of the country that might not directly be affected by the virus but are being subjected to mental trauma due to the distress in the country.

"Many people are neither COVID patients and nor, first responders, and are at home. Some of them are in distress, many people have lost their jobs. Many things are happening these days. So in those circumstances, yoga plays an effective role in treating, anxiety, and depression," he said.

"In such pandemic circumstances, an ideal person should be alone but not lonely. People can overcome this loneliness by the practice of yoga as it teaches us to unite within and to fix our problems. It teaches us to overcome our problems and how to get rid of the problem by developing willpower," he added.

While the country is struggling to deal with the coronavirus crisis, yoga can be an effective way to treat the underlying health conditions and mental trauma. The first International Yoga Day was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015.

The idea of first International Yoga Day was proposed by Modi in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014.