Renowned Yoga Trainer Sahithi Baddipadaga reveals that yoga is far more than physical exercise—it’s a comprehensive approach to living that addresses our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. From managing stress and improving sleep to addressing specific health concerns and cultivating self-awareness, yoga offers practical solutions backed by both ancient wisdom and modern science. According to her, the key is to start slowly, practice consistently, and allow the transformation to unfold naturally. As Ms. Sahithi emphasizes, yoga is India’s great gift to the world, and its benefits extend throughout our entire lifetime when practiced with dedication and understanding.
From understanding the fundamental principles to discovering practical applications in modern life, this exclusive conversation with Neo Science Hub reveals how yoga can transform not just our bodies, but our entire approach to living.
What is yoga, and where did it originate from?
Yoga itself is a spiritual practice. The word ‘yoga’ means union—it can be any union. When we say 1 plus 1 equals 2, that’s a union. It can be the union of mind, body, and soul. It can be an effort to become better. Everything we like to do with dedication is yoga. Many people think of yoga as just doing asanas, practicing stretches, or sitting and breathing. But yoga is actually a lifestyle. Yoga teaches us how to live—what to do at what time and how to do everything properly. Everything we practice on the mat should reflect in our life off the mat.
Can you explain the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga)?
Ashtanga means eight limbs: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. The last stage is Samadhi. Let me explain what Yama means—it’s about how we should live and be. Many people think Ahimsa (non-violence) is just about not causing physical harm, but it’s much more than that. If I hurt you with words, that’s Ahimsa. If I hurt my own body or trouble it with bad thoughts and habits, that’s also Ahimsa. We should avoid all of this. The principles include non-stealing, non-violence, and Brahmacharya (wise use of energy). Then comes Niyama—we have to be clean, our mind has to be clean, we have to be disciplined. Pranayama means proper breathwork. All these lead step by step to the final stage of Samadhi. This is Raja Yoga. Then there’s Hatha Yoga, which includes mudras, pranayama, bandhas, and many more practices.
What does scientific research say about yoga’s benefits?
Research has shown remarkable results. After just 6 weeks of practicing yoga for only 12 minutes daily, people experienced significant changes. They were able to feel happier, control their emotions better, and regulate their feelings more effectively. There was a 33% reduction in their stress and anxiety levels—just from 12 minutes of daily yoga practice! But honestly, yoga itself is a beautiful research. I have hundreds of students, and we have around 100,000 reports showing before and after transformations. India has given yoga as a great gift to the world, and it doesn’t really need external validation through research because the practice itself proves its worth.
How does yoga help reduce stress and anxiety?
Our breath is directly connected to our emotions. If I’m angry, my breath will be very fast and rapid. When we’re sad, we have deep, slow breaths. If we feel anxious or frustrated, the breath becomes erratic and irregular. So for every human emotion, our breath is different. When we’re calm and happy, there’s a smooth flow with no disturbance in the breath. Through yoga and breathing techniques, we can control our breath, and by controlling our breath, we can control everything in our life. The practice has a very positive effect on the nervous system—it reduces stress hormones and cortisol, and activates the vagus nerve, which has control over the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps calm the entire body.
How can beginners start practicing yoga safely?
Beginners should start slowly and happily—that’s the key. There’s a difference between pushing your limits and forcing yourself. Today, you might think ‘I want to do everything perfectly,’ but that’s not how it works. It’s like New Year’s resolutions—if you try to accomplish everything on the first day, it won’t be possible. You need to progress gradually. Beginners can try everything slowly without forcing themselves. If you have access to a yoga teacher, that’s even better, because they can assess your body type, your situation, and guide you appropriately. In classes, we start with pranayama, teach asanas gradually, and slowly progress from beginner to intermediate levels, adding flows as students advance.
Many people face sleep issues today. How can yoga help?
Sleep problems are widespread across all ages today. We have a natural circadian rhythm—in the evening, melatonin (the sleep hormone) starts releasing. However, when we see blue light from screens, our body gets confused about whether it’s day or night, disrupting this hormone release. That’s why we should dim lights at night and avoid screens before bed. Also, make sure you finish dinner before 8 PM and do a 15-minute walk or sit in Vajrasana for 2-5 minutes. There should be a minimum gap of 2 to 2.5 hours between dinner and sleep. For better sleep, try Bhramari pranayama (humming bee breath)—it releases 15 to 25 times more nitrous oxide and activates the vagus nerve, helping with digestion, mood, and emotional regulation. Just 5 rounds before sleeping, which takes only 2-3 minutes, can significantly improve sleep quality. You can also practice Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) and simple breathwork—5 seconds inhale, 2 seconds hold, or 5 seconds inhale and 6 seconds exhale, just for 5 rounds.
How does yoga help with controlling food cravings and stress eating?
Half of our overeating problems stem from stress eating. When we’re stressed, many people eat a lot—we seek comfort in food. Along with stress eating, we don’t have control over our bodies. Many people eat not because their stomach is full, but because their mouth wants something. Through yoga practice—whether pranayama, asanas, or mindful movements—you develop awareness of your body. You understand how much to eat, how much is enough for your body. If you eat too much, you’ll notice the discomfort. You’ll understand what your body needs and what it doesn’t. Before everything else, we gain control over our body and mind. Once we have that control, our brain doesn’t control us—we control our brain.
People are addicted to mobile phones. Can yoga help overcome this?
First, we have to genuinely want to change. If we decide we need to change, only then will change happen—not automatically through yoga alone. Everything is in our control. We decide how much to eat, how long to look at our phones. To understand your mind better, try sitting for just 5 minutes without thinking—not positive or negative thoughts, just try to sit without any thoughts. Then you’ll understand how your mind really works. Try sitting for 30-45 minutes without doing anything—no phone, no TV, no eating, nothing. Just sit with your thoughts, good or bad. If you feel the urge to grab your phone, watch TV, or do something, you’ll recognize the addiction. Through yoga practices like mindful movements, pranayama, meditation, and Yoga Nidra techniques, we can develop the control needed to overcome these addictions. Yoga helps you develop the mental strength and awareness to make better choices.
Many people have desk jobs with neck and back pain. What can they do?
Each person experiences pain due to different mistakes in their posture and habits. First, observe where the mistake is coming from. In yoga science, we give extreme importance to the spine because it’s the root of everything—the spine is directly connected to your brain. Bad posture is the answer for most problems. We have many yoga poses that help: cat and cow pose, Marjariasana, Bitilasana, Bhujangasana, Gomukhasana, along with rotations and stretches. First, learn to sit comfortably and set proper posture. Then strengthen the muscles around the problem area. For back pain, strengthen the surrounding muscles. For knee pain, strengthen those muscles. You need to strengthen muscles and lubricate joints. If you’re sitting for long periods, do small stretches every hour and walk for 5 minutes. If you’re standing for hours, sit for short breaks. If your screen is at eye level and you have proper desk setup with foot support, it helps tremendously. It’s about making small adjustments throughout the day.
How does air pollution affect our health, and can yoga help?
Even though the air has become polluted, we humans typically use only 60-70% of our lung capacity maximum, even in good conditions. Along with pollution, this creates additional problems. Through breathing techniques in yoga—which we incorporate in asana practice as well—we can significantly improve our lung capacity. Every effort we make to focus on breathing helps tremendously. If you practice breathing exercises for just 10-15 minutes daily, your lung capacity will increase. This is very useful not just for our lungs, but also for weight loss and overall health.
Women face various health issues like PCOD, pregnancy-related problems, and menstruation issues. How can yoga help?
It’s important to note that both men and women face health problems, but women do face specific challenges. Let me give you an example—our ancestors used to do Chakki Chalanasana (grinding mill pose) and Malasana naturally in their daily activities. In the morning, they would brush their teeth calmly and mindfully, walk smoothly, and use Indian toilets which put them in Malasana position. This provided excellent blood flow to abdominal and pelvic organs, helped with joint flexibility in hips and feet, and made elimination very soft with fewer UTI chances. It also strengthened the spine naturally. But we’ve moved away from these natural movements. In my practice, I teach lifestyle changes first—how to start the day, what to do at what time, even how to brush teeth properly. Then comes yoga practice. For reproductive organs, yoga provides extraordinary blood flow to every organ. It strengthens tissues, muscles, and joints, and helps strengthen the core. This is beneficial during all stages—from youth through first menstruation, addressing issues like PCOD and PCOS, through pregnancy and delivery, and during pre-menopause and menopause. Yoga helps not just once, but lifelong.
What about postpartum recovery and post-delivery yoga?
After delivery, everyone experiences postpartum changes in the first three months, known as the Sutika or postnatal period, which our elders recognized as very important. We see significant changes in both mental and physical states, along with sudden transformations and immediate pain. For the first one to one-and-a-half months, complete rest is essential—do nothing except very gentle Pranayama, specifically Anulom Vilom Pranayama, which is the safest. It’s pleasant, will calm you down, and help you gain some control over your emotions. After two months, you can slowly do gentle practices like Balasana and Ananda Balasana. Once you complete 3 months, take permission from your doctor and then you can start other practices. We have so many asanas that can help you settle down and get back to normal. Through proper practice, you can return to how you were before. Don’t lose confidence—just follow the proper timeline and progression.
How has our lifestyle changed from the past, and what can we learn?
There has been tremendous change in lifestyle between the past and present. Technology has increased and we’ve adopted many Western conveniences. Not everything we’ve adopted is bad—many adaptations are good. But we need to be aware of what affects us negatively. Our ancestors incorporated yoga naturally into daily life. For instance, they would sit and grind (Chakki Chalanasana), squat naturally (Malasana), and even brushing teeth was done mindfully. Now we brush our teeth in 2 minutes without any concentration, constantly thinking about other things. We need to recognize these differences and consciously bring back beneficial practices. Thousands of years ago, our Gurus observed everything in nature—where our breath works, where our body works, what movements benefit us—and developed these practices accordingly.
People often compare themselves to others on social media and lose self-confidence. How does yoga help with this?
Yoga is always a path to understand ourselves. Everyone has fundamental questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? The answer to these questions is found through yoga. Yoga is the path of knowing your true self—it’s always an inward journey. Making unnecessary comparisons is like demanding rain from a well—it’s an impossible, unnecessary demand. Social media comparisons are the same. When we practice yoga and discover what we like, we naturally gain confidence, and our tendency to compare reduces. This comes from within through practice. You learn who you are, what you like, what you don’t like, and how to get better. If you’re better today than yesterday, that’s what matters—it has nothing to do with anyone else. When you notice improvements in your thoughts, your practice, and your qualities, that itself is the biggest boost. You learn this by going to the mat and practicing regularly.
Does face yoga really work, and what are its benefits?
Many people are skeptical about face yoga, but face exercises provide real benefits. Simple practices like tapping help circulation in facial muscles, even the minor ones, which creates a natural glow. Proper massaging techniques—not just any random massage, but correct ones—along with breathing patterns like Kapalabhati Kriya and other techniques can boost collagen, relieve stress, reduce headaches, and improve lymphatic drainage. I’ve never worn makeup because if you take care of your skin properly through these practices, there’s no need for it. Face yoga includes specific exercises and techniques that genuinely work.
Should we teach yoga to children? What are the benefits?
There’s so much hatred, anger, irritation, and frustration in this world today, and it’s increasing in the next generation too. I strongly feel that if everyone practiced yoga, these problems would reduce significantly. There wouldn’t be so much anger—people could live with love and be in happy, peaceful situations. Children can learn this naturally. I have students whose parents bring them to class every day. I’ve seen children as young as 2-3 years old who practiced regularly and are now 5 years old, doing remarkably well. We need to teach them slowly and listen to their young minds. If we train them properly, they won’t have health problems—neither mental nor physical. Their heart health, lung health, reproductive organ health—everything will be fine, whether they’re boys or girls. We can address mental issues, behavioral changes, and physical changes very well. Kids are naturally very flexible—they can sit on the floor and move easily in ways we adults can’t. They have flexibility, mobility, and the enthusiasm to learn. We just need to teach them in their own way, and they’ll adapt slowly. Teaching yoga to children is giving them the biggest gift and can truly change their future.
How does yoga compare with high-intensity workouts and strength training?
First, let’s put aside comparisons. Yoga provides excellent organ health, blood circulation, posture improvement, and keeps joints lubricated and healthy. Whatever workout or strength training you prefer, take it—but if you add Pranayama and Asana practice, it will help tremendously with recovery. Flexibility improves, muscle stiffness reduces, and recovery becomes much better. Because of Pranayama, your heart health and lung health will be excellent. At the end of the day, don’t focus on which is better or worse—instead, add yoga to whatever practice you’re already doing. You’ll get more benefits from the integration than from choosing one over the other.
