Psychological health benefits of yoga rooms at Indian airports

In April, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had come up with a significant initiative organized “Yog Prabha,” a mega Yoga event at Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi where over 900 Indian aviation bureaucrats participated in the group Yoga including Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The aim was to promote a national tradition of meditation and stretching to promote physical and mental health.

 

 

On the other hand, a series of statues, all situated on a rising spiral, depict the 12 asanas (or, positions) of the ever-popular Sun Salutation in Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

 

Author Savitha Rao has been writing to the government since 2017 pitching for Yoga rooms at Indian airports.

Notably, health experts say that delayed flights and long layovers can lead to frustration/irritation over wasted hours sitting and waiting. It is not only about long flights but also connecting flights. If one has a stopover and there are still 3-4 hours for the next flight even if the distance is short, it can lead to frustration.

 

And later, flying can also pose a health challenge. Now, here comes the practice of Yoga helping to relieve mental and physical stress.

 

If one gets to know there is a designated place to stretch, move, meditate or be silent, it can help passengers be more comfortable and help them feel better while waiting for a flight. They can proactively make their airport experience better by mitigating these accumulated stressors.

 

According to Padma Shri awardee Dr. B. N. Gangadhar, "Travel is stress. However much the journey is made comfortable by the operators of airlines or trains, the process of having to travel a long distance to the place where we have to board and the waiting time at different points including security contribute to stress."

 

It is pertinent to mention that he has completed his MBBS and MD in Psychiatry from Bangalore University, Bangalore. He was the Director, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru.

 

He explains, "Yoga has a proven benefit in reducing stress. Research has established this fact. Yes, positive biological changes have been demonstrated following short practices of yoga from reputed research centres both in India and elsewhere."

 

"Yoga can be practiced without much equipment. All one needs is a place where one can practice quietly and at best a good and clean yoga mat. The availability of an instructor is even better. In this context places like airports where the waiting period is very long, a quiet place can be created for doing yoga. Just as much as a prayer hall is set up, a yoga hall is necessary," he adds.

 

Besides, there are yoga rooms in overseas countries for e.g in US, UK and etc. It was reported that a temporary yoga room at Heathrow in London proved so popular last year that it was made permanent, and its operator is looking to open one in Hong Kong. So, Yoga which has origins in India can establish Yoga rooms at Indian airports. As our earlier article said that the Yoga rooms at Indian airports will have the ability to positively impact 10 crore+ travelers every year in India.