Ageing is inevitable, declining isn’t: Doctor shares 5 simple daily yoga habits that can help you stay strong, balanced and independent

Ageing is one of life’s few certainties. Yet the way people experience it can vary greatly. Some remain active, independent, and mentally sharp well into their later years, while others struggle with stiffness, fatigue, poor balance, and declining mobility much earlier.

The difference often lies in daily habits.

Modern science continues to highlight the importance of movement, stress management, quality sleep, and social wellbeing for healthy ageing. Interestingly, many of these principles have been part of yoga and Ayurveda for centuries. The idea is not to fight ageing, but to support the body so it can adapt gracefully to the changes that come with time.

A growing body of research supports yoga’s role in promoting healthy ageing. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a part of the US National Institutes of Health, notes that yoga may improve balance, flexibility, strength, stress levels, and overall quality of life.

Dr Mandeep Singh Basu, Director, Mirasa Ayurveda, believed that healthy ageing does not require complicated routines, “Ageing is inevitable. Suffering through it is not. We believe that when yoga and Ayurveda walk together, the body finds its natural rhythm at every stage of life — and that rhythm begins with consistency, not complexity.”

The good news is that even five to ten minutes a day can make a difference when practised regularly.