By – Dr. Narmada Hidangmayum
The 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2026 is being celebrated across the globe with the inspiring theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.” The theme reflects the growing need to promote physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being among older adults as populations continue to age worldwide. It highlights yoga as a simple, affordable, and scientifically proven practice that enables people to remain healthy, independent, and productive throughout their later years. The 2026 theme aligns closely with the WHO Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), which emphasizes improving the lives of older persons through healthy lifestyles and supportive communities.
Yoga, an ancient Indian tradition dating back over 5,000 years, is much more than a form of physical exercise. Derived from the Sanskrit word Yuj, meaning “to unite,” yoga symbolizes harmony between the body, mind, and spirit. Recognizing its universal significance, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 following India’s proposal, which received the support of 175 member states. Since then, millions of people worldwide have embraced yoga as a holistic approach to health and well-being.
Ageing: A Global Reality
The world is experiencing an unprecedented demographic transition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO):
- By 2030, one in every six people globally will be aged 60 years or above.
- The global population of older adults will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion by 2030.
- By 2050, the number of people aged 60 years and above is expected to reach 2.1 billion.
- Nearly 80% of older adults will live in low- and middle-income countries, including India.
As life expectancy increases, societies face the challenge of ensuring that these additional years are lived in good health rather than with disability or chronic illness. Healthy ageing is therefore not merely about living longer but about maintaining physical capacity, mental resilience, social engagement, and independence.
India’s Growing Elderly Population
India is also witnessing rapid population ageing. According to the Census 2011, approximately 104 million Indians were aged 60 years and above, constituting 8.6% of the total population. Recent estimates from the Government of India indicate that the elderly population has already crossed 150 million, and projections suggest that nearly 20% of India’s population will be aged 60 years or above by 2050. The increasing burden of hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, and dementia makes healthy ageing an urgent public health priority.
According to official statistics from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) via the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the elderly population (aged 60 and above) in Manipur stands at exactly 187,694 citizens based on the final Census of India 2011 enumeration. Demographically, this group comprises 92,159 males and 95,535 females, revealing a significantly skewed elderly sex ratio that favors older women in the state.
While the general population is heavily clustered in rural regions, health data from the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) highlights a severe financial disparity between urban and rural aging cohorts. Specifically, 48% of elderly females and 14% of elderly males in urban areas are fully dependent on others economically, whereas in rural spaces, the dependency rates sit tightly at 26% for females and 24% for males. This economic gap profoundly affects health aging, as elderly women in urban environments face heightened financial dependency hurdles alongside localized morbidity challenges like hypertension and visual impairmentsWith declining fertility rates and increasing longevity, this proportion is expected to increase substantially over the coming decades. Rural elderly in Manipur often face multiple challenges including chronic diseases, limited access to geriatric healthcare, financial insecurity, loneliness due to migration of younger family members, and psychosocial stress.
Why Yoga Matters for Healthy Ageing
Scientific evidence increasingly supports yoga as one of the safest and most effective lifestyle interventions for older adults. Regular yoga practice offers numerous benefits:
Physical Health
- Improves flexibility and joint mobility
- Enhances muscle strength and balance
- Reduces risk of falls and fractures
- Controls blood pressure and blood sugar
- Improves cardiovascular and respiratory function
- Helps manage arthritis and chronic pain
Mental and Emotional Well-being
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Improves sleep quality
- Enhances memory and concentration
- Reduces symptoms of depression
- Promotes emotional stability and self-confidence
Social Well-being
- Encourages community participation
- Reduces loneliness and social isolation
- Builds self-esteem and positive ageing
These benefits directly support the goals of the WHO Decade of Healthy Ageing by promoting independence, reducing disability, and improving quality of life among older adults.
Yoga Practices Suitable for Older Adults
The guidelines and specific routines outlined in your text are derived from the official Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) issued by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. This standardized, research-backed module was curated by leading yoga experts and medical professionals to provide safe, low-impact physical and mental exercises specifically optimized for senior citizens and beginners.
The anatomical and therapeutic benefits for each recommended posture correlate with established clinical and physical therapy guidelines:
Postural & Balance Management
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose) & Vrikshasana (Tree Pose): Clinically recommended to combat age-related balance degradation. These standing poses stimulate proprioception and strengthen the stabilizer muscles surrounding the ankles and knees.
Mobility & Digestive Comfort
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): Frequently referenced in spinal health studies to gently extend the lumbar spine, combat age-induced kyphosis (forward hunching), and preserve vertebral flexibility.
- Pawanmuktasana &Vajrasana: Traditional poses utilized to facilitate joint mobility and alleviate chronic digestive discomfort, such as bloating or gas, by physically altering intra-abdominal pressure.
Respiratory & Neurological Health
- Pranayama (Anulom-Vilom & Bhramari): Regulated breathing techniques verified by clinical respiratory modules to increase vital lung capacity and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, drastically lowering resting cortisol and stress markers.
- Meditation, Mindfulness, & Shavasana: Neurological relaxation tools aimed at managing emotional well-being, mitigating age-related insomnia, and combatting social isolation stress.
Routine Reference
Public health directives from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush confirm that a daily routine of 20–30 minutes of low-impact stretching or structured yoga satisfies the recommended weekly physical activity thresholds needed to sustain cardiovascular and muscular health into older adulthood.
Relevance for Manipur
Manipur possesses a rich cultural tradition that values harmony with nature, physical discipline, and community living. Integrating yoga into senior citizen clubs, village health programmes, community centres, old-age homes, and wellness initiatives can contribute significantly to active ageing. Institutions, healthcare professionals, universities, and local communities can collaborate to organize regular yoga camps, awareness programmes, and health screenings for older adults.
The Government’s Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, AYUSH wellness centres, and National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) can further strengthen community-based yoga promotion among senior citizens.
Conclusion
The theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing” reminds us that growing older need not mean declining health or dependence. Yoga empowers individuals to age with dignity, vitality, and inner peace. As India and the North Eastern states like Manipur witness a growing elderly population, adopting yoga as a daily lifestyle practice can significantly reduce disease burden, improve quality of life, and promote healthy communities.
On this International Day of Yoga, let us encourage every family to make yoga a part of daily life—not only for fitness but as a lifelong companion for healthy, active, and graceful ageing.
“Yoga is not about adding years to life alone—it is about adding life to years.”
(The author is 0Assistant Professor, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Email id: [email protected])
