Entrepreneur and author Sandeep Mall has sparked a widespread debate on civic sense in India after sharing his observations he regularly notices during school drop-offs with his granddaughter. His comments have reignited discussions around traffic discipline
In a dramatic legislative stalemate on Friday, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha after the government failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority. Despite a day of high-octane debate, the Bill—which sought to expand the House to 50 seats and implement a
Coventry City end 25-year wait: Return to Premier League under Frank LampardCoventry promoted to Premier League after 25-year absence. Updated on: Apr 18, 2026 9:17 AM IST ReutersEdited by Probuddha Bhattacharjee Share via Copy link Coventry City ended their 25-year absence from the Premier League
Doug Ford, the leader of the Canadian province of Ontario, has been criticised for his government's purchase of a pre-owned C$28.9m ($21m; £15.5m) private jet, with opposition leaders calling it a "gravy plane". News of the purchase was first reported by the Toronto Star newspaper on Friday and
There is a painting near the entrance of Staged Realities that stopped visitors cold on opening night. A man on a bicycle loaded with a miscellany of wares — a monkey, a lantern, a parrot, a bunch of bananas — looks out of the canvas with the frank
How to Make Panchamrit at Home for Akshay Tritiya Puja and Temple-Style PrasadPanchamrit is a sacred drink made with five ingredients: milk, curd, honey, sugar, and ghee. It is commonly prepared as prasad during Hindu rituals and poojas. Updated on: Apr 18
Ahmedabad, Apr 18 (PTI) Winless after six matches, time is running out for Kolkata Knight Riders playoff hopes but their embattled skipper Ajinkya Rahane has urged the side to “embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time".Ahmedabad
Kangana Ranaut opened up about her relationship rumours with Chirag Paswan. While Kangana is a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chirag is the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries since June 2024. Kangana Ranaut and Chirag Paswan’s relationship rumours spread like wildfire after
How Breathing Exercises Improve Happiness In Polluted Cities
How Breathing Exercises Improve Happiness In Polluted Cities
Visualise yourself walking through the bitter, noxious vapours of a Delhi winter morning, where the air quality index sits firmly in the “severe" range and every breath feels like a struggle. It is a familiar sight across many Indian cities, where fine particulate pollutants are pulled deep into the lungs and quietly stir up distress. Yet, within this bleak landscape, a quiet resistance is growing, a movement powered by something as simple as the act of breathing.
Regular breathing exercises are not just a yogic relic; they are a practical bridge from this smog-choked reality to a deeper, more resilient sense of happiness.
The Happiness Paradox We Live In
In a country where family feasts and festival lights help 88% of us describe ourselves as content, the highest rate in a 30-country Ipsos survey, why does that joy so often feel surface-level?
According to the 2025 Ipsos World Happiness Survey, India has improved its overall happiness score from 78% in 2017 to 90% after recovering from a low of 66%, largely due to strong family ties (from large Sunday meals in Mumbai to late-night celebrations at rural weddings in Rajasthan).
These are our emotional anchors. Yet they can also mask deep-rooted challenges: unspoken difficulties within relationships, lower levels of genuine intimacy, and spiritual practices that do not always translate into daily contentment. Adding to this is the chaos of social media and the uncertainty of the political climate, creating a steady background hum of stress.
The World Happiness Report 2025 ranks India 118th out of 147 nations (score: 4.389/10). We excel in generosity and social support, but environmental quality, perceived freedom and equity pull our overall happiness down.
How Pollution Steals More Than Just Clean Air
Air pollution is not only a lung problem. It is a happiness thief. Hazardous AQI levels are linked to respiratory issues, oxidative stress, anxiety and chronic fatigue. The WHO attributes around 4.2 million premature deaths each year to ambient air pollution, mostly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. In India's polluted cities, even routine activities can reduce lung function, reflected in lower FVC and FEV1 readings.
This daily environmental assault slowly erodes the energy we rely on for family joy, mental clarity and inner peace.
Breath as Both Shield and Healer
This is where science-backed breathing exercises become powerful. Gentle, controlled breathwork can strengthen airway defences, reduce inflammation and improve oxygen efficiency, even when external conditions are less than ideal.
Research shows that mindful, breath-focused exercise can improve peak expiratory flow (PEF) during periods of pollutant exposure. The European Lung Foundation notes that, for most people, the many benefits of breath-centred exercise far outweigh any potential drawbacks.
More importantly, techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or cyclic sighing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormones and lifting mood, in some studies even faster than meditation alone (Cell Reports Medicine, 2023).
Four-week mindfulness breathing programmes have been shown to lower depression and anxiety while increasing overall well-being scores. Longer 14-week protocols can enhance subjective happiness, sleep quality and emotional balance, directly addressing India's “missing" deeper joy.
One Breath at a Time
From smog to serenity is not a distant fantasy. It begins with a simple daily pause: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale slowly for six.
The vision behind the initiative “India Breathe Again" by Akshar Yoga Kendraa, under the guidance of Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, is to turn this idea into a lived reality through collective practice. Akshar Yoga Kendraa launched a 7-Day National Conscious Breathing Challenge in November 2025, inviting students, professionals, families and creators to learn seven powerful breathwork techniques taught by Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar and to practise each technique for seven minutes a day, focusing on conscious breathing to support lung capacity and overall well-being.
Swipe Left For Next Video
“Through this initiative, we are merging the ancient yogic teachings of breath with the all-inclusive nature of today's society; thus, helping to transform one's inner tranquillity into a collective effort. In addition, we are demonstrating how even in a world filled with polluted air, everyone has access to use their breath as a healing tool," noted Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Yoga Master, Spiritual Guru, Author, Columnist, and Founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa.
When thousands quietly adopt short, intentional breath practices together, even virtually, personal calm becomes collective renewal. India already shines with 88% surface happiness. Imagine what happens when we turn that warmth inward, breath by conscious breath. The clearest air we will ever breathe is the one we create inside.
Source: News18
Related Posts: 2 Dead, Many Injured In Multi-Vehicle Collision Due To Dense Fog On Delhi-Mumbai Expressway Barca edge past Albacete into Copa del Rey semis Iran Skips FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw In Washington After USA Denies Delegation Visas Congress alleges BJP-AAP nexus in clean chit to Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi excise case Mamata Banerjee Urges Women To Use Kitchen Tools To Fight SIR Name Deletion Popular Canned food company Del Monte files for bankruptcy States that stabilised population will not lose Lok Sabha seats in delimitation Atletico Madrid survive Barcelona fightback to seal Copa del Rey final berth Why the Opposition has avoided cornering the Modi government after Delhi blast
If you’ve ever looked at house plans in India or spoken to a builder, you’ve probably heard this before — the kitchen should be in the south-east corner. It sounds oddly specific, but there’s a reason this idea is so common. A lot of it comes from Vastu Shastra
2 hours ago
Only commercial ships can cross Hormuz with 'fees of Iranian people', top Tehran official saysIran implied that it calls the shots on Hormuz operations and not the US. Updated on: Apr 18, 2026 11:02 AM IST Edited by Sana Fazili Share via Copy link As the Strait of Hormuz reopens after weeks of
2 hours ago
Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz have revealed a key vulnerability for President Trump. The conflict has led to rising energy costs and inflation, impacting American consumers. This economic pressure is forcing Trump to seek a diplomatic solution
2 hours ago
Hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open”, Indian ships stranded in the Persian Gulf started sailing out of the Strait. The Hindu has been tracking Indian-flagged vessels and ships bound for India in the Persian Gulf for the past
2 hours ago
, chief technology officer of business-to-business (B2B) applications at American AI company OpenAI, announced on Saturday that he will be leaving the company at the end of next week, marking the close of a three-year stint during a period of high-profile product launches
2 hours ago
With not one, but two ceasefires in place across the Middle East, is the scene now set for a pair of historic breakthroughs? The ceasefires - in Iran and Lebanon - are both described as "shaky" (ceasefires generally are), but as the din of war fades away once more
2 hours ago
In 2006, as the challenge to the criminalisation of homosexuality under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code returned to the Delhi High Court, a civil society coalition, Voices Against 377, was trying to gather testimonial affidavits from those directly affected by the law.In 2006
2 hours ago
Flight operations in Delhi face disruption as IndiGo issues a travel advisory amid bad weather, warning passengers of delays, diversions, and the need to check flight status before travel. India’s largest airline IndiGo has advised passengers travelling to and from Delhi amid inclement weather
2 hours ago
Sunrisers Hyderabad has signed South African pacer Gerald Coetzee for the rest of the IPL 2026 season. Coetzee replaces David Payne, who is out due to an ankle injury. Payne played two matches for SRH this season. Coetzee brings international and IPL experience to the SRH squad
2 hours ago
‘You won’t believe Bengaluru is getting so hot’: Woman shares viral video of crayons melting in the sunWhile sharing a video of the crayons, the Bengaluru content creator asked whether she should try frying an egg outside in the sun. Published on: Apr 18
2 hours ago
Pope Leo XIV on Friday (April 17, 2026) warned against the use of AI to fan "polarisation, conflict, fear and violence" and criticised the "environmental devastation" caused by the extraction of rare earths to fuel the digital boom. "The challenge posed by these systems is greater than it appears:
2 hours ago
United States President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday issued a waiver allowing countries, including India, to purchase sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products, that were loaded onto ships as of Friday. The US Treasury Department said that the waiver allows these purchases till May
2 hours ago
We’ve seen the hints, heard the whispers, and followed the breadcrumbs. But now, the uncertainty around LeBron James’ future has taken a dramatic turn. According to a report by The Athletic, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is seriously considering walking away from the game
2 hours ago
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s clash with Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday (April 18, 2026) is more than just another league fixture – it feels like a turning point waiting to unfold. Both teams are seeking to turn promise into something more permanent
2 hours ago
Akshay Kumar says son Aarav doesn’t want to join films: ‘Woh ₹4500 ki naukri kar raha hai’Akshay Kumar revealed that his son is quite similar to him but has no interest in joining films. He further shared Aarav is learning fashion. Apr 18, 2026
2 hours ago
Rising temperatures and electricity bills make air conditioners one of the biggest household expenses in Indian homes. While using ACs in the scorching summer heat is non-negotiable, you can save some of the electricity bill by choosing the right AC model. For instance
2 hours ago
In 1940s Calcutta (now Kolkata), as Japanese air raids rattled the city, a group of musicians travelled by horse carriage to a recording studio, dodging sirens. The building was exposed, its only defence hand-dug trenches. At each siren wail
2 hours ago
Heavy menstrual bleeding, now commonly referred to as menorrhagia, is a common symptom in the reproductive population. It interferes with daily activity, work life, and life in general. From a clinical point of view, menorrhagia is defined as heavy bleeding from the vagina which needs changing
2 hours ago
An Indian man living in Paris shared his experience of job hunting in Europe and how different it feels compared to India. He spoke about the challenges many students and professionals face when they move abroad for work. His video has sparked a broader conversation
2 hours ago
Aaditya Thackeray stated the women's quota bill, tied to delimitation, was a political move to weaken states and secure unfair wins. He claimed the bill, which sought to increase Lok Sabha seats and implement women's reservation, was rejected by opposition MPs
2 hours ago
Actress-producer Patralekhaa has hit back at body-shaming remarks made after her recent appearance at the screening of Rajkummar Rao starrer ‘Toaster’. The actress, who welcomed her first child with Rajkummar in November 2025, slammed the paparazzi pages making insensitive remarks surrounding
2 hours ago
Kerala Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday announced the SSLC or class 10 results are expected to be declared in the third week of May, while the second-year higher secondary or class 12 results are likely to be announced on May 25, he said. Students who appeared for the Kerala Class 10 and 12 board
2 hours ago
Recent developments, including significant voter list deletions and the BJP's UCC promise, have seemingly reversed a potential drift in the TMC's minority vote bank. Smaller Muslim outfits' ability to challenge the ruling party has diminished
2 hours ago
Gurugram neurologist warns work from home culture is more of a disadvantage than an advantage: ‘More migraine cases…’Work from home appears to be a lucrative option, but continuing it for an extended period often leads to health issues from deteriorating work-life balance. Updated on: Apr 18
2 hours ago
Zimbabwe's flag, banknotes and coat of arms all feature a stately looking eagle, sitting majestically on a plinth. Known as the Zimbabwe Bird, it has long been a symbol of national identity, but behind it lies a complex tale of displacement, colonial plunder and restitution.Zimbabwe's flag
2 hours ago
The Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at modifying the women’s reservation law and increasing Lok Sabha seats for the 2029 elections has been defeated in the Lower House. The Constitution Amendment Bill to tweak women reservation law and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha for 2029
2 hours ago
Ahead of the second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the hostilities, President Donald Trump has signalled strong expectations for a breakthrough in the peace talks, but his remarks also placed notable emphasis on restraining Israel’s military actions as part of a
2 hours ago
