Hot Yoga: Benefits, Risks, and Considerations

Hot yoga, characterized by performing yoga postures in a heated and humid environment, has gained popularity as an intense and challenging workout. While proponents tout its numerous benefits, it's crucial to understand both the advantages and potential risks associated with this practice. This article delves into the specifics of hot yoga, exploring its various styles, purported benefits, safety considerations, and who should exercise caution.

What is Hot Yoga?

The name "hot yoga" is self-explanatory: it involves practicing yoga in very hot and humid conditions. While the term is often used interchangeably with "Bikram yoga," there are important distinctions to be made.

Bikram Yoga: The Original Hot Yoga

Bikram Choudhury developed the original form of hot yoga in the early 1970s and opened a studio in California. His “Bikram” yoga is hatha-style, which is supposed to balance the opposites in your life. During the session, flexing is followed by extension, an arched back follows a rounded back, and exercises are followed by meditations. Bikram yoga follows a rigid structure, consisting of a specific sequence of 26 standing and stretching postures and two breathing exercises performed over 90 minutes in a room heated to 105°F (40.5°C) with 40% humidity. Choudhury had massive success but an equally huge fall from grace. He faced several civil lawsuits from former yoga trainees and associates alleging sexual assaults, harassment, and other misdeeds. After one 2016 conviction, he was ordered to pay millions in damages. He fled the country without paying, and a warrant was put out for his arrest.

Hot Yoga: A Broader Category

Today, hot yoga encompasses a variety of styles that differ from the original Bikram method. In hot yoga, the instructor decides on what movements and postures are done on any given day and also decides on the heat level of the room. The temperature typically ranges from 90 to 105°F (32 to 40.5°C), but the specific poses and sequences can vary depending on the instructor's training and preferences. Some common styles of hot yoga include Vinyasa, Moksha, CorePower, Forrest, Hot Barre, Hot Yin, Hot Power, and Hot Fusion.

Purported Benefits of Hot Yoga

Proponents of hot yoga claim a wide range of physical and mental health benefits, some of which are supported by scientific research.

Increased Flexibility

Heat widens your blood vessels, which helps oxygen-rich blood flow to muscles more easily. The heat can help people experience a deeper stretch while performing yoga poses. The moist heat in hot yoga “warms up” and loosens the muscles, similar to how active warm-up and stretching work. A 2019 pilot study found that sauna yoga at 122°F (50°C) caused significant improvements in healthy older adults’ flexibility and mild improvements in strength and balance.

Improved Strength

Many yoga postures are to build strength. A person can hold the pose for at least 60 seconds to get into the strength of the muscle. Examples of yoga poses include High Plank, Dolphin, Chair, Boat, and Side Plank. Yoga uses a person’s body weight as a form of resistance as they hold poses. Depending on the pose, hot yoga can target both upper and lower body strength. Research from 2015 shows that Bikram yoga can improve lower body strength, lower and upper body range of motion, and balance in adults.

Enhanced Bone Strength

Supporting body weight while maintaining a pose can help improve bone mineral density. A 2014 study found that Bikram yoga may preserve and potentially increase bone mineral density in premenopausal women. This makes it an effective measure to prevent osteoporosis.

Increased Calorie Burn

The heat and the prolonged time a person holds challenging poses can help people burn more calories in hot yoga than in traditional yoga. A 2020 study comparing traditional yoga with hot yoga found that hot yoga improved fat metabolism. This research also suggested it can improve the range of motion across the four major joints: elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee. Colorado State University researchers looked at this question. They studied a small group of 18- to 40-year-old people during a 90-minute Bikram hot yoga session. On average, men burned 460 calories. Women burned about 330. That is about the same as walking briskly, 3.5 mph, for 90 minutes. Their average heart rate was 160 beats per minute with a core body temperature of just over 100 F. Previously, some people said they've burned 1,000 calories during a Bikram yoga session. But the Colorado researchers said those estimates were probably high and based on heart rate during hot yoga, not during exercise at regular room temperature. The heat of a hot yoga studio raises heart rate but doesn’t mean you're actually burning more calories, they said.

Stress Reduction

Yoga, in general, can help reduce stress levels. A small 2016 study found that Bikram yoga reduced anxiety, and the reduction is directly related to perceived stress. A 2018 study also found a 16-week Bikram yoga program for stressed individuals who live a sedentary lifestyle, improved their self-efficacy, perceived stress, and health-related quality of life.

Read also: Deep Dive: 300-Hour Yoga Training

Cardiovascular Benefits

The high temperature in hot yoga can make it more intense than a traditional yoga class. It makes the heart, muscles, and lungs work harder and boosts metabolism. According to a 2018 study, hot yoga can be an effective heat stress technique to improve plasma volume and cardiovascular performance in elite female field hockey players. This makes hot yoga a possible performance enhancer for athletes before entering competitions.

Improved Skin Quality

Sweating can improve blood flow which helps deliver nutrients to the skin cells. A 2021 Japanese study found that hot yoga activates sirtuin family genes by improving blood circulation, which can counteract signs of skin aging.

Mental Health Improvements

People consider yoga an effective way to relax and improve mental health. A 2020 review also found that yoga can be a good intervention to reduce depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. According to a 2019 study, Bikram yoga improved physical functioning, mental health, and heart rate variability in people with trauma from persistent pain.

Potential Risks of Hot Yoga

While hot yoga offers potential benefits, it's essential to be aware of the risks associated with practicing yoga in a heated environment.

Heat-Related Illnesses

Doing yoga in a hot, steamy room does pose some health risks. They can include:

Heat Cramps: Muscle cramps may be the first clue you may be overdoing it. Leave the class and get to a cool place, gently stretch the sore muscle, drink water or a sports drink, and don’t exercise for the rest of the day.
Heat Exhaustion: Sweat itself does not cool you down. It has to evaporate off your skin to do that job. But in a hot and humid room, sweat has a hard time doing this. Your core body temperature rises and you sweat more. This leads to dehydration and possible heat exhaustion or stroke. You may feel dizzy, like you might faint, vomit, feel very tired, be weak with a rapid pulse, feel goosebumps even though you’re hot, or have clammy and cold or hot, dry skin. Step out of the class and get to a cooler place right away. Drink some water or an electrolyte drink. Wet a towel with cold water to cool yourself down.
Heat Stroke: This is a medical emergency and happens when your core body temperature rises to above 103 F. Untreated heat stroke can cause brain damage or death. You may have some of the same symptoms as heat exhaustion, plus mental confusion or feeling disoriented, red, hot, dry skin, and fainting. Get to a cool place and ask someone to call 911.

Injury

There’s a danger of overstretching in the heat, which can lead to joint issues and inflammation that can lead to conditions like arthritis. You should feel tension but not pain. Hold the stretch but don’t bounce. That can cause small muscle tears. The muscles may loosen too much, which may cause overstretching and injury, especially in the tendons and ligaments.

Infection

Hot yoga studios are, by definition, hot and humid. So they can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, and other nasty things. Don’t share towels or mats with others, and cover cuts and scrapes with bandages. If the studio is dirty, smells very bad, or is wet with sweat, take a pass.

Dehydration

It can also cause profuse sweating, which can lead to dehydration.

Fainting

Some conditions may make a person prone to fainting in a hot room and should proceed with caution when trying out hot yoga: diabetes, arterial abnormalities, anorexia nervosa, history of fainting, low blood pressure, and low blood sugar.

Who Should Avoid Hot Yoga?

Ask your health care provider if hot yoga is a good choice. Some people should rule it out. It’s a good idea not to do it if you are:

Pregnant: Hot yoga can cause overheating, so pregnant people should steer clear. Unborn babies are at risk for birth defects when mothers are exposed to high temperatures. Pregnant people also are at risk of injury during hot yoga classes. Consider looking into a prenatal yoga class.
Have a heart condition: Ask the doctor if your condition or the medications you take could put you at risk.
Have asthma: Hot yoga could worsen this breathing condition.
Have a history of dehydration or heat stroke: you may want to avoid hot yoga.
People with neurologic conditions: Hot yoga in particular is inadvisable for many neurologic conditions, says Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, medical director for the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. The heated classes might not be safe for people who take medication that can impair their thermal regulation, for example. Since heat also can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Dr. Mehta says, people with that condition might want to avoid hot yoga. Those with autonomic dysfunction or myasthenia gravis may want to do the same.

Safety Precautions for Hot Yoga

The sauna-like conditions during hot yoga means you should take precautions. Here’s what to do to stay safe:

Drink Up: Hot yoga will cause you to sweat and lose body fluid. So it’s important to keep up with your daily water requirements. That’s at least 64 ounces a day or eight glasses filled with 8 ounces. When you’re doing hot yoga, you need to add even more fluid: Two hours before your class, down 16 ounces of a beverage without caffeine or alcohol. During the class, drink before you feel thirsty. Your goal is to replace what you’re losing. Aim for at least 20 ounces an hour After hot yoga, hydrate some more, if you need to.
Get Used to the Heat: It’s probably not a good idea to jump into hot yoga if you’re not used to exercising in the heat. Here’s how to do it: Get your body used to heat over about a two-week period. Start by not exercising at all in the heat and gradually add 15-20 minutes of light exercise into your routine. Slowly, increase the time and intensity of your workout until the end of the two weeks.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel dizzy, ill, or if a posture or stretch hurts, stop. Don’t feel pressured to keep going.
Eat Lightly: You may feel more comfortable if you go to class on a near-empty or empty stomach. So avoid eating for about an hour beforehand.
Suitable clothing: Select lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics over clothing made of cotton. Cotton will absorb moisture, making clothes grow heavier and harder to move.
Other materials: Special gloves and socks can add grip while doing yoga as sweat makes things slippery. Placing a towel over a yoga mat can help absorb the excess sweat and may make the mat slippery.
Heating type: There are different methods to heat a studio. Most modern studios employ infrared heating, which heats up people and the environment instead of the air. Others use forced-air heating or baseboards to heat the air in the studio.
Type of class: Hot yoga classes vary in length, yoga style, and temperature with which they heat their classes. It is ideal for a beginner to try studios that offer classes at lower temperatures before trying more intensely heated types.

Hot Yoga vs. Regular Yoga

The only difference between regular and hot yoga in terms of conduct is the temperature. Traditional or regular yoga is practices at room temperature - 68-72°F (20-22.2°C) - while hot yoga is above normal room temperature. Hot yoga can be more intense in that it can make the body work harder and carries more risk than regular yoga for people with certain medical conditions. Heat can help people experience a deeper stretch while performing yoga poses, but there is a increased risk of injury.

Hot Yoga vs. Pilates

Hot yoga and Pilates are low-impact workouts that use body weight as resistance. Both focus on proper breathing and form and have the same goals in mind. However, yoga has deep spiritual roots, while Pilates is a mind-body exercise that focuses on core strength and flexibility. Moreover, pilates may use specialized equipment. Similar to traditional yoga, Pilates is usually performed at room temperature.

Is Hot Yoga Right for You?

The answer depends on what type of class you choose. Any kind of hot yoga can be very challenging and that’s part of the draw. But if you are new to yoga, you might want to try a traditional class in a normal room temperature. If you enjoy that, then look into “hot” classes if you're interested. The only difference between regular and hot yoga in terms of conduct is the temperature. Traditional or regular yoga is practices at room temperature - 68-72°F (20-22.2°C) - while hot yoga is above normal room temperature. Hot yoga can be more intense in that it can make the body work harder and carries more risk than regular yoga for people with certain medical conditions. Heat can help people experience a deeper stretch while performing yoga poses, but there is a increased risk of injury.

If you do decide to try hot yoga, it's smart to know exactly how the class works. So ask plenty of questions.

Gear Up for Hot Yoga

Whichever class you choose, you'll sweat. So you’ll want to get the right gear.

Best yoga mat for hot yoga: One with a sticky or textured surface (on both sides) will help you keep your footing. It will also help it stick to the floor so it doesn’t slip out from under you. Your mat likely will be covered in a pool of sweat by the end of class. Make sure it’s easy to clean and disinfect so it’s fresh for next time.
What to wear to hot yoga: You’ll want something comfortable and cool that allows you to get in and out of postures easily. Choose something that gives you ample coverage for when you move and bend.
What to bring to hot yoga: Don’t forget these essentials: A large filled water bottle, a towel to put on a mat - especially if you’re using a mat borrowed from the studio, a cloth to wipe sweat, and gloves and socks with grippy soles. These will help hold your pose - especially if your mat isn’t sticky.

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