Yoga has been practised all around the world for thousands of years. Its regular practice rewards us with greater health and vitality and a perfect balance between mind, body and spirit. It brings true happiness, and makes you feel better from within. The breathing exercise and meditation helps you tune in, shape up and feel great all at the same time.

Yoga is a cure to many ailments but it needs to be performed with care to avoid injuring oneself. Many times accidents occur while doing yoga exercises. Yoga mats should be used to avoid such circumstances as they provide cushioning and traction. These days' markets are flooded with a variety of yoga mats. You find them in different colours, shapes and sizes. They are available in different materials also.

Some of the commonly available yoga mats are:

• Cotton yoga mats - these are mats made of cotton. They are thick, and soft and give excellent support to your body while doing yoga. They are completely natural and have beautiful colour and texture.

• Eco friendly mats - These eco friendly yoga mats are made of PER i.e. Polymer Environmental Raisin. They are non-toxic, latex free, ecological and healthy. They are available in a wide range of colours.

• Tapas mats -these are stable and provide a non-slip surface. They give insulation from the cool floors.

• Rubber mats - these mats are made of natural rubber and are thin and easily movable. They provide good cushioning and resilience.

• Jute mats - these are latex free mats made of jute. They are made by meshing jute fibre with PER plastic.

• PVC mats - as the name suggests they are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride. They have a non-slip surface and are easy to maintain.

• Woven fabric mat - these are mats made of woven fabric which is thickly textured.

• Yoga towel mats - they are made of soft towel material, are easily washable and soak your sweat when you are doing yoga exercises.

Among all the mats available in the market, cotton mats are the most popular ones. Before buying yoga mats we should keep few things in mind. Are the mats serving the purpose for which they are bought? Are they easy to maintain? What is the life span of these mats? etc. Cotton mats have many advantages over the others. They are extra soft and thick. They provide a perfect non-slip surface, which helps in doing yoga without the fear of getting hurt. These provide a nice padding around the knees and ankles for the yoga exercises. These are durable, portable, easy to maintain, washable and very light in weight. They can be folded or rolled and stored conveniently in any corner of your house. Beautiful mat bags are also available to carry them to where ever you go. They are comparatively inexpensive, so easy on your pocket. These are available in different shapes and sizes and in a wide range of bright colours and pastel shades. It soaks sweat so your grip remains same on the mat so it keeps you from slipping even when you perspire. They are non-toxic and eco friendly. What more you can even enjoy a nap on it!!

To practise yoga in a safe and convenient way one should think of all the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mats available and then buy what is most suitable. With the long list of advantages, the cotton mats definitely have an edge above the others.