Hot Yoga: Finding Strength and Serenity in the Heat.

Image from Upsplash by Ginny Rose Stewart

From my very first hot yoga class, I was hooked. The dim lights, the heat encircling my body, encouraging it to push just a little further, the sweat glistening on every visible surface of me- it was a vibe.

In each hot yoga class, I experience a sense of release that I do not find in other forms of exercise. There’s something that allows me to reach deep down inside of myself and embrace the challenge. Whether it be a longer hold, or attempting a stronger posture, I flow with ease when the temperature is cranked up.

I’m not alone in this, about 36 million people in the US practice yoga, with more hot yoga studios gaining traction each year. With this rise in popularity, I wanted to dive in deeper to learn more about the origin, benefits, and risks of hot yoga.

What is Hot Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient practice originating from India meant to promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It focuses on creating union between movement and breath. Put simply, Hot Yoga is any yoga class practiced in a heated environment.

The Hot Yoga most people are familiar with today was born from Bikram yoga, created by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970’s. It consists of a fixed sequence of 26 postures, performed in a room heated to about 105°F (40°C) and with 40% humidity. After some not-so-great things came to light about Bikram’s founder (that I will not be delving into here), many practitioners broke away and developed their own take on this heated style, dropping Bikram’s name altogether.

This is how hot yoga evolved. Now, you can find many different sequences performed in a heated room, some including the same postures as Bikram, while others may be entirely different.

Typically you can expect the room to range from 90°-105°F with 40–60% humidity.

Why Turn up the Heat?

There are multiple reasons why many people are choosing Hot Yoga.

1. Increased Flexibility

The higher temperature warms up the muscles and joints, releasing tension from the body. This will improve flexibility and range of motion while you flow, potentially making postures and stretches more accessible.

2. Stress Reduction

While moving through the heat, you are more likely to focus on and deepen your breath. This stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system which is directly related to relaxation. The power of breath is real!

Additionally, physical exertion causes the body to secrete dopamine and serotonin, the happy hormones of the body that help level out your mood.

3. Higher Calorie Burn

As we just mentioned, there is physical exertion involved in Hot Yoga, especially if you’re doing a Power of Vinyasa Flow. Your body works harder in the heat, so more energy is used. On average 400–600 calories can be burned in a 60-minute hot yoga class.

Not to mention you’ll be toning your muscles, and improving your cardiovascular health!

4. Detoxifies the Body

It is believed that Hot Yoga also helps to detoxify the body through sweating.

Excessive sweating may carry harmful metals such as arsenic and lead out of the body. Although we don’t know this for certain, Some studies show it may expel a minor amount of toxins. Some is better than none right?

Safety Concerns

Now that I’ve told you all of the amazing things about hot yoga, let’s go over some things you may need to be aware of.

Populations that should avoid hot yoga.

If you have high blood pressure or any sort of cardiovascular issue. Hot Yoga can be quite intense. It can raise your heart rate significantly and the elevated temperatures make you feel like you’re struggling to catch your breath. It’s always best to use caution and consult with your doctor before attempting hot yoga.

If you are pregnant. While I’m a huge advocate for women exercising during their pregnancy, hot yoga may not be the best route, especially if you’re not already conditioned for it.

During pregnancy, the body releases a hormone called relaxin, which is meant to relax the ligaments in the pelvis in preparation for birth. This may lead to pregnant women feeling a bit more unstable than usual. Combined with the warming effects the heat has on the muscles, this runs a higher risk for injury.

Spending continuous time in a heated room also has the potential to lower blood pressure which may be harmful to a pregnant practitioner.

If you take certain medications. Medications that impact your heart rate may put you more at risk for overheating, fainting, or dehydration. As always, check with your medical care provider.

Other Risks.

It’s always so important to listen to your body when performing any kind of physical activity.

In hot yoga, to avoid dehydration, make sure you’re properly hydrated before class and continue to hydrate throughout. This will also lower your chances of overheating, which is caused when the body’s threshold for heat is exceeded.

Lastly, avoid overstretching. Yes, it is a thing. Although you may experience increased elasticity of the muscles due to the heat, know your body’s limits and don’t push past them.

If you feel lightheaded or nauseous at any point, sit down immediately, or take a recovery posture like child’s pose or savasana. You don’t want to over-exert yourself.

Wrapping it up

Hot yoga can be a fun way to flow. While you sweat it out, you’ll also be connecting with your breath, decreasing your stress levels, and burning additional calories. After, you’ll walk away with a gorgeous post-yoga glow, feeling accomplished and centered within yourself.

Many practitioners will love the challenge of this intense practice, and the opportunity to build physical and mental strength. Remember, always use precaution, especially if you are part of an at-risk population. Listen to your body and don’t push past your limits.