Yoga In Digital Age: How Ancient Practices Can Help Manage Modern-Day Anxiety

We no longer need studies to tell us that we’re burned out. Most of us feel it. Especially Gen Z, those who’ve grown up with a screen in their hands, surrounded by constant updates, noise, and stimulation. I see it in my students all the time: fatigue that doesn’t go away with a nap, eyes that sting after too many hours on a laptop, nervous systems that are fried from jumping between tabs, thoughts, apps, and reels. What we’re dealing with isn’t just tiredness; it's digital burnout, and it’s real.

And honestly, I don’t think the answer is to quit technology or move to the mountains (even though I do live in one). I think it’s about balance. It’s about using the tools we already have, yoga, breathwork, and Ayurvedic practices and adapting them in a way that works for modern life.

Adopting Yoga can do wonders

Let’s get one thing straight: yoga doesn’t have to be a 90-minute intense flow. In fact, if you’re already burnt out, you need less intensity, not more. What you need is to come back into your body in a way that’s gentle and grounding. I always recommend starting with a few simple movements like Child’s Pose, Cat-Cow, or even just lying down with your legs up the wall. These aren’t “easy” asanas; they're nervous system nourishment. They help you pause, feel, and breathe again.

For those of you who are screen-heavy all day, there’s a practice called Trataka, a traditional candle gazing technique that not only strengthens the eye muscles but also improves focus and clears mental clutter. It’s ancient, but when done mindfully after a long day on the screen, it feels like a system reset.

Then there’s the breath. And I know that sounds like a cliché these days. But it’s the most powerful tool we have, and it costs nothing. When you start paying attention to your breath when you lengthen your exhalation, hum gently with Bhramari, or try simple 1:2 ratio breathing, you are literally signalling your body that it’s safe to relax. It’s like pressing the “reset” button on your inner operating system.

What Ayurveda teaches us is that burnout often reflects an aggravated Vata, too much movement, too much stimulation, dryness, and disconnection. So the solution isn’t an ice plunge (that’s one wellness trend I’m personally not falling for), it’s warmth. It’s a warm shower, a self-massage with oil, a home-cooked meal, and slowing down enough to feel the moment.

The beautiful thing is that Gen Z is open. You are curious, aware, and seeking something real in the middle of all the noise. The practices don’t need to be intense. You don’t need to chant for 45 minutes. Even 10 minutes of breathwork before bed, or gentle stretches after screen time, can change how you sleep, feel, and focus.

We don’t need to romanticise ancient wisdom, but we do need to reintroduce it into our everyday lives. These aren’t outdated traditions; they’re tools we’ve forgotten how to use. And the good news? You can start wherever you are, even right now, even in your bedroom after a long scroll.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s a regulation. It's presence. It’s coming home to your body, again and again.  Whether you’re in your 20s or 50s, you’ll find something in this system that meets you where you are.

Because healing isn’t about doing more. It’s about remembering what already works.

Authored by Mihir Jogh, yoga teacher and founder of Jogashala, an online wellness platform.