Yoga has been incredibly popular in the Western wellness space for decades. Originally developed in India over 5,000 to 10,000 years ago (depending on who you ask), yoga has taken many different forms and has evolved, been modified, and expanded over its long history. From practicing asanas in a vinyasa flow class, to the cult-like following of Bikram yoga, to now the popularity of Westernized forms like yoga pulse or weighted yoga, there are almost endless ways to engage in the popular practice.
One form of yoga that continues to be popular is hot yoga. This sees practitioners move through their flow during class in a heated room, promoting more flexibility in the muscles, allowing for a deeper range of motion, and increasing the difficulty of the class. But is hot yoga the key to flexibility, health, and longevity, or is it an unnecessary health risk being promoted by wellness gurus and influencers?
How does Hot Yoga Work?
Different studios will run classes in their own unique way, but at its core, hot yoga follows one key principle. When you take a hot yoga class, you can expect to move through your asanas (yoga positions or poses) in a room that is heated to anywhere from 80-100°F (27-38°C).
This creates a sauna-like space, which, due to the heat of the room, is said to warm your muscles faster, allowing for a deeper range of movement, increased bone density, and flexibility, and promotes heart health through cardiovascular exertion. The heat of the room, coupled with the controlled breathing and meditative environment, is also said to help relieve stress and anxiety, on top of the many benefits that any yogic practice purports to have.
Hot Yoga vs Bikram Yoga
Many people who have heard of hot yoga will also be familiar with Bikram yoga. While yes, a Bikram yoga class is a hot yoga class, not all hot yoga is Bikram.
Bikram yoga rocketed to popularity around the world in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The practice sees people move through a defined series of 26 specific asanas and two breathing exercises over the course of 90 minutes, in a room that is heated to precisely 104°F (40°C) with 40% humidity.
So while hot yoga and Bikram both have high heat in common, a hot yoga class can be different each time, and is often more suitable for beginners, with teachers able to offer alternatives and allowing students to move at their own comfort level. The temperature is also often lower, and the overall experience is far less strict. Those who keep closely to the teachings of Bikram yoga will stick to the original form, and may even go so far as to refuse water for the first 30 – 40 minutes of class.
Benefits vs Health Risks
The health benefits of yoga are numerous. Physically, those who practice regularly can expect improved flexibility and mobility, increased strength, improved cardiovascular health, better posture and balance, a reduction in body aches and pains, better digestion, and improved respiration through the strengthening of lungs and the diaphragm.
Mental health benefits include reduced stress and anxiety, increased sense of calmness, better sleep health, reduced feelings of fatigue, and many report a better sense of self and self-esteem.
Add the increased heat of hot yoga, and you can expect increased calorie burning, musculoskeletal improvements through increased range of motion, and further cardiovascular benefits due to the higher effort required in the high temperatures. But hot yoga may not be for everyone, and some medical professionals may even explicitly dissuade certain people from booking a class.
In general, the types of people who should avoid doing hot yoga include, but are not limited to, pregnant people, people living with diabetes, people with heart disease, high blood pressure, or arterial abnormalities, people with a history of heat intolerance or fainting, and people with some neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.
While hot yoga can improve flexibility, cardiovascular health, and stress relief, it may also pose risks like dehydration and heat exhaustion. Many health professionals are hesitant to recommend hot yoga to everyone due to the inherent risks of the practice. Talk to your doctor before signing up for your first class if you think you may be at risk. Understanding both the therapeutic benefits and potential dangers of hot yoga is crucial, especially for healthcare professionals and students enrolled in online nurse practitioner programs aiming to provide holistic patient care.
How to Safely Engage with Hot Yoga
There are some steps people can take so they reduce their risk of injury when they step into the super-heated studio.
Hydration, hydration, hydration
Making sure you’ve drunk plenty of water before class and are well hydrated is an essential step. Water takes about 30 minutes to register as hydration in the body, so in the 1-2 hours leading up to class, make sure you’re well hydrated. During class, taking small sips is much better than large gulps, as the sudden introduction of large amounts of water into your stomach can cause nausea, particularly during more advanced asanas.
Have a Light Snack
Make sure you’ve eaten before class. 1-2 hours before your studio time, having a small, easily digestible snack can give you essential energy to make it through class, and help prevent dizziness, nausea, and weakness, all symptoms that can hit someone in the high heat. Don’t overdo it, though. Yoga on a full stomach is almost as unpleasant as an empty one. Fruit like a banana or some berries, nuts, or even a smoothie or a slice of wholegrain toast with some avocado are all good options.
Listen to Your Body
Most importantly, pay attention to what your body is telling you during class. If you start to feel dizzy or woozy, or you just need to take a break, gently step out of the current pose and take a breath, or rock back into child’s pose until you feel better. No class is worth overexerting yourself to the point of injury. Take breaks as and whenever you need them, give yourself some small sips of water, and make sure you feel better before continuing class.
