The date June 21 was announced as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations, on December 11, 2014 through Resolution 69/131, recognizing its universal values.

Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word "Yoga" is derived from an ancient language such as Sanskrit, and its meaning is to connect/join, symbolizing the union of body and mind.

Today we have various forms of Yoga practice all over the world, and the popularity of this practice is increasing.

The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness among the population of the globe about the benefits of practicing Yoga.

The purpose of Yoga is to create strength, awareness and harmony, both in mind and body. While there are more than 100 different types or "schools" of Yoga, most typical sessions include breathing exercises, meditation, certain physical exercises (body positions otherwise called asanas, in Sanskrit) that draw and contract certain muscle groups of the body.

Physical benefits

Relaxation techniques, which are part of practicing Yoga, can relieve chronic pain, such as back pain, arthritis, headaches, and "Carpal Tunnel" syndrome. Also, Yoga can lower high blood pressure and improve sleep problems.

Other physical benefits include:

Better elasticity

Muscle toning and increase in muscle mass

Improvement of breathing, energies and vitality

Maintenance of metabolic balance

Weight loss

Improved blood circulation and cardiovascular health

Enhancement of physical/athletic performance

Protection from physical damage

Mental benefits

Apart from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of Yoga is that it helps a person to manage stress, which has harmful effects on the body and mind. Stress can manifest itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleep problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate. Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and achieving a more positive outlook on life.

Incorporating meditation and breathing exercises into Yoga can help improve an individual's mental well-being. Regular practice of Yoga creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic pain; calms the mind; increases concentration; helps in the early identification of physical problems and enables prevention through preventive actions.

8 reasons why you should practice Yoga:

Reduces stress and improves mood

Some methods of Yoga use specific meditation techniques, which focus the mind on your breathing to quiet the "mind chatter" that is constant, relieve stress and relax you. Practicing these breathing techniques in prolonged sessions can increase the level of oxygen in the brain, giving you the feeling of being happy and more satisfied with your life.

Improves self-confidence

In addition to increasing and consolidating spiritual values, meditation improves self-confidence. This process calms your mind giving you more confidence in your body. In the absence of anxiety, you can establish an inner relationship with yourself. This is then reflected in your perception of others, and improves your relationships with them by increasing compassion and awareness.

Minimizes the chances of injury

Exercises such as running are a series of intense and fast movements, which means that the body is strained to the maximum, and there is a high risk of injury and high muscle tension. Often, strenuous activities lead to imbalances of opposing muscle groups, while Yoga focuses on balancing them.

Helps weight loss

Being overweight is a sign that there is a lack of balance in your everyday life, and one of the main contributors to this is excessive stress. Practicing Yoga enables you to gain a deeper sensitivity, relax your body and mind, help relieve stress and enable weight loss naturally.

Increases elasticity

Often people say they are not flexible enough to do Yoga. In fact, it is not important how toned your muscles are, as performing Yoga poses (asanas) allows you to safely engage the muscles and helps to practice them continuously. Also, Yoga makes it possible to tighten the fine muscles of the body, such as ligaments, increasing the wide range of motion of the ligaments and freer movement of the muscles of the body.

Improves muscle toning and strengthening

A good part of Yoga asana poses, such as the "Downward dog" and "upperward dog" positions, have the effect of strengthening the upper part of the body, while the "plank" position concentrates the main muscles of the body. Standing poses strengthen the upper leg and lower back muscles. In general, each pose strengthens an area of ​​the body if practiced properly without straining specific muscle groups.

Improves breathing and blood pressure

If you practice Yoga consistently, your lung capacity will increase as a result of the deep breathing process. This will have a positive effect on practicing other sports, increasing your body's stamina and resistance. Also, meditating and practicing a more peaceful form of Yoga slows the heart rate, which lowers blood pressure while improving the immune system and lowering blood cholesterol.

Improves body posture

By practicing Yoga, you maintain an optimal body weight, become more flexible and improve muscles by toning and strengthening them. Over time, you will notice that your upright body position will improve. Abdominal and back muscles can fully support your body weight, and you will be able to stand straight, sitting or standing, preventing slouching, pain in the back or other parts of the body.