Hot yoga takes regular yoga to the next level with its one main requirement: exercising in a room with its temperature between 31 to 40 degrees Celsius. The temperature of a hot yoga studio is set high to perpetuate sweat, which is often the goal of many types of exercises. Not only is this steamy and sweaty exercise fun, but it has also shown to be beneficial for your health in more ways than one. Hot yoga has become so popular that people have come to actually enjoy sweating while simultaneously pushing their flexibility to the limits. Namaste? More like #Namaslay.
Here’s a list of hot yoga’s health benefits so you can understand what all these yogis are crazing about:
1. It Reduces Stress
The whole point of yoga is to relax your body with breathing and meditation exercises. By practising hot yoga, you can focus your mind on certain poses and forget about your stressors. Unwind and de-stress your body with this rejuvenating sauna-like alternative.
2. It Detoxifies Your Body
Working out in a heated room makes your body sweat, which is a good thing. When your body is sweating this means that all of your body’s toxins are being flushed out, and this is why many people feel refreshed and reenergized after a hot yoga workout. So try hot yoga for your body’s sake, it will thank you!
3. Can Aid Healthy Weight Loss
Sweating during a hot yoga session enables your body to burn calories. According to POPSUGAR, hot yoga — also referred to as Bikram yoga, can burn up to 477 calories per one hour yoga session. With a high caloric output, this type of yoga can actually aid healthy weight loss if supplemented with healthy eating! Adding hot yoga to your workout routine will make you feel fitter and more powerful than ever.
4. Increases Flexibility
Hot yoga isn’t a walk in the park. If you’ve ever tried any yoga poses then you know how difficult it really is if you’re not as flexible as an elastic band. Although adding heat to the mix won’t make it any easier, it will in fact help your body become more flexible overtime. Regular workouts always call for stretching at the end because your muscles are warm and your blood is increased in circulation, which prevents any muscle soreness and ultimately makes you more flexible. Don’t worry, by practising hot yoga you’ll be touching your toes in no time.
5. Strengthens Your Body
Hot yoga really pushes your body to the limits because it makes you try difficult poses that work various areas of your body like your abdominals and glutes. By adding humidity to the workout, naturally, you can assume that overtime your body will become stronger as your level of endurance will increase. You might not be a pro right away if you are a beginner, but overtime, your body will become a power house and difficult poses like the Sirsasana will be easier for you.
6. Increases Your Heart Rate
We’ve all walked uphill in the blazing heat during summertime and felt our hearts pumping hard at work. When you’re heart is pumping it brings extra food and oxygen to your muscles! The heat is one way to increase your heart rate. Although you won’t be walking uphill in the blazing heat anytime soon if you’re in the winter season like me, you can take on hot yoga all year round to get that heart pumpin’ right away.
7. It’s Good For Your Skin
The steaminess of a hot yoga studio is much like a hot sauna room at the spa. Steam is known to help open up your pores and cleanse your skin! Although you’ll be sweating during a hot yoga session, it’s actually good for your skin to be exposed to some steam (moderately of course). Don’t forget to clean your face with your favourite cleanser once you’re home to get rid of any excess buildup. And voila, your skin will be pore-free and glowing in no time.
8. Prevents Back Pain
Multiple yoga poses have shown to actually prevent and reduce back pain. The heat from a hot yoga session, in addition to various yoga poses, allow your muscles to relax and stretch so that not only can you treat pain and discomfort, but also prevent it. Yoga poses like the Sphinx and Thread the Needle are known for targeting the spine area in order to ease tension.
9. Tones and Defines Muscles
If you’re itching to tone and define your body then hot yoga can help you do just that. Various yoga poses work out your core muscles that are usually targeted for toning, like your obliques, and adding heat to the mix can help you sweat and target those muscles even more! Hot yoga = hot bod.
10. Helps You Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
The best thing about hot yoga is that it can lead to good overall health. Being able to exercise, meditate, and relax your body simultaneously can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Hot yoga can also help you stay active and physically and mentally healthy, which is the key to maintaining a balanced and wholesome life.
So next time you’re looking for a new exercise to try, give hot yoga a go! With all its health benefits you really have nothing to lose.
Namaste friends.