Youth wellbeing: More than just a trendy hashtag

Physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing are inextricably linked. To empower our youth with the knowledge and skills needed to be healthy in mind, body and spirit, a systems approach must be adopted.

In Bangladesh, non-communicable diseases are leading factors of disease and death. These are a result of unhealthy behaviour patterns, such as poor food habits, lack of exercise, and unmitigated stress. Many people suffer from mental health challenges such as chemical imbalances, abuse, depression, anxiety, and addiction, but don't seek therapy because of the social stigma against asking for help. Our youth suffer the most. A study done in 2023 identified suicide as the leading cause of death among teenagers.

Addressing wellbeing effectively requires an integration of considerations across all sectors, including healthcare, education, and employment. It involves promoting environments that support wellbeing nationally (through appropriate policies e.g., Clean Air Act), community-wise (open spaces like parks and football fields, access to healthy food), within families (tools for relationship management, zero tolerance for domestic abuse) and in individuals (techniques for emotional regulation and access to support to deal with trauma). At schools and universities, it involves engaging students, as well as teachers and parents.

Healing requires a community. No one can achieve wellbeing in isolation. To support youths, we need to create an ecosystem that supports healthy lifestyles within communities by connecting wellness seekers to wellness promoters, helping us help one another.

Culturally, we need to promote preventative health care by integrating traditional practices — such as yoga, meditation, breathwork, and Ayurveda — and modern psychological insights such as talk therapy, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation — to help people maintain wellness. We need to embrace a holistic lifestyle approach to health that seeks to address the root causes of illness through therapy and alternative healing practices, rather than symptomatic, pharmaceutical treatment of disease.

Modern science is showing numerous benefits to breathwork, meditation and yoga, such as improved immunity, better mood and mental health, lower blood pressure, less risk of diabetes, heart conditions, injury, increased mobility and memory, and much more. These practices, which were once part of our cultural heritage, are now making a global comeback, and Bangladesh shouldn't be left behind.

Mindfulness practices and yoga have become a regular part of school curriculums and health care offerings in the West. Youths, empowered by knowledge, are in the best position to build up healthy habits and self-care practices to unleash their full potential. Everyone deserves access to this knowledge. SDG 3, good health and wellbeing, are a birth right for all. These practices, once you know them, are free of cost, and can reduce health care costs and improve quality of life drastically.

Healthier youths are happier, more productive, more peaceful, more helpful members of our community, and as such, it's time to equip our youths with this knowledge.