Yoga has quietly moved from being a niche interest to something close to a national habit, especially among younger Indians. A recent wellness study by ICICI Lombard General Insurance, finds that nearly three out of four millennials now practice yoga regularly, pointing to a much broader shift in how wellness is being approached in the country.
The findings are part of a pan-India survey conducted earlier this year, which looked at how people across age groups are adapting their lifestyles to prioritise both physical and mental health. What stands out is how integrated yoga has become in that daily effort.
What does the study say?
According to the findings, 72 per cent of respondents say they practise yoga on a regular basis. Millennials were the most committed, with 74 per cent of them reporting consistent practice.
Even among Gen X, the uptake is strong, about 70 per cent. Very few people, just 3 per cent, said they had no interest in yoga at all.
Interestingly, this is not just about going to a yoga studio anymore. While 45 per cent still prefer in-person classes, online formats are catching up. About 28 per cent use livestream sessions and another 13 per cent follow along with pre-recorded videos or apps. The convenience seems to be helping people stick with it.
Integrated Into Daily Lives
What is also clear is that yoga is not happening in isolation. Most people pair it with other habits such as walking daily, eating better, and, increasingly, paying attention to things like sleep and stress. In fact, 67 per cent said yoga was among their top three daily wellness activities, right up there with walks (69 per cent) and balanced diets (68 per cent).
However, the study did reveal something a little more nuanced. While a large majority (66 per cent) believe yoga helps reduce stress and anxiety, only about half (52 per cent) said they have actually experienced that benefit. The same pattern appears with other expected outcomes like better sleep, improved flexibility or mood, suggesting that while the benefits are widely acknowledged, people’s lived experiences vary.
Workplace Wellness
Only 64 per cent of workplaces were found to offer yoga-related programs, and the numbers drop even more among Gen X professionals. That is concerning, considering how often burnout and stress come up in conversations about job satisfaction and productivity.
For many, yoga alone doesn’t feel like enough. Over a quarter of respondents said they prefer to combine it with mindfulness, regular medical check-ups, and better food habits. Some of these, of course, are easier to adopt when you have structured support, either from your workplace or your insurer.
Insurance and Wellness
That last part is where insurance quietly enters the picture. The study tries to map how people with health insurance were engaging with wellness more broadly. Among insured respondents, especially those with ICICI Lombard, awareness of wellness features like health check-ups, step tracking, and app-based assessments was fairly high. Many said they were familiar with earning wellness points and participating in monthly challenges.
The lines between insurance and wellness are increasingly overlapping. People are no longer only looking for protection when something goes wrong. They are also starting to expect support in staying well, day to day, not just in emergencies.
