For years, my parents have been trying to convince me to learn and practice yoga but similar to most of the advice they give me, I decided to ignore it. While they thought yoga could cure any mental and physical ailment, I viewed it to be a complete waste of time.

The poses that I saw them do seemed to lack purpose and frankly, looked a little ridiculous. It wasn't until I joined a yoga class at college that I realized the amazing benefits of practicing yoga and incorporating it into my lifestyle.

1. It is an instant stress reliever

This is possibly the most significant reason why I enjoy doing yoga. The combination of stretching and meditation releases any built up tension and stress in my body, leaving me in a state of complete peace (which is honestly extremely rare as a college student).

2. Yoga makes you more flexible

All the stretching loosens and opens up your joints, allowing you to become more flexible.

3. Because you are more flexible, you can do things you never thought you would be able to do

I can do this now!

4. It builds muscle and is a great workout

Although many yoga poses appear to be simple, they actually take a lot of upper-body and core strength. Go to any yoga class and I guarantee you will be sweating fifteen minutes into it.

5. You get an excuse to wear comfortable clothing

Yoga leggings are the best and they come in more patterns and designs that you could possibly dream of.

6. It improves bone health

According to an unpublished study conducted at California State University, "yoga practice increased bone density in the vertebrae" and has the ability to reduce the amount of cortisol in the bloodstream, which can help keep calcium in bones.

7. Yoga makes you happier

This goes hand in hand with yoga's amazing ability to reduce stress. Consistent yoga practice has been shown to help combat depression as well as stimulate brain activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which correlates to greater levels of happiness, as discovered by Richard Davidson, Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin.

Grab a yoga mat and see for yourself all the wonderful things yoga can do for your life!