By Danielle Boyd
I know you’ve been hearing about it—hot yoga. It seems to be everywhere lately, on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, in your mom’s group—everyone’s talking about their hot yoga class, but what’s all the fuss about?
Hot yoga is a practice where instructors crank the heat up to about 90°F-105°F, so think of a typical Florida summer day. The heat is the key that makes it all worth it. During your hour-long session, the high temperatures help enhance the benefits of the yoga practice. For starters, you can get a deeper stretch when your muscles and joints are warmed, leading to an increase in flexibility. So, if you can’t touch your toes now, I promise you will be able to after a few sessions.
It’s also great for your heart. Our hearts are our core, the organ that’s constantly working to keep us alive every day, so we should do everything in our power to take care of it. The heat and constant movement of hot yoga allow your blood vessels to expand, improving circulation throughout your body, which in turn reduces strain, taking a bit of stress off the heart and helping it pump more efficiently.
One of the major reasons many people are flocking to hot yoga is to de-stress. In our fast-paced society, many of us deal with constant stress, rarely slowing down until it’s time for bed. Over time, chronic stress can have major effects on your health, possibly causing high blood pressure, stroke, a weakened immune system, digestive issues, anxiety, and depression. During your session, the instructor constantly reminds you to pay attention to your breathing in a practice called “mindful breathing.” Mindful breathing focuses on deep breathing and various forms of breathwork, like pranayama, specifically Ujjayi breathing. This technique helps you maintain focus, regulate energy levels, and reduce stress, even during the intensity of various poses. Once you leave the class, the serenity carries with you—well, of course, unless you run into a crazy person on the road and start a bout of road rage.
One of the best benefits of hot yoga is that it makes you hotter. During your class, you are going to sweat—don’t even try to fight it. Excessive sweating is great for you—it’s the body’s natural way of detoxification. All the gross toxins seep out of your pores, leaving you refreshed. This can lead to an improved look of your skin. You’re also working on sculpting your body, as you move through your poses, toning your muscles and giving you a leaner look. Not to mention the posture improvement you get from yoga: the constant reminder to sit upright, shoulders back and down, and also work from your core contributes to improving your posture. Looking in the mirror after a few classes, your confidence should definitely skyrocket.
The number one thing to remember is to drink lots of water before your session and sip throughout it. Becoming dehydrated is easy when working out in temperatures of that magnitude. Some people tend to feel dizzy and nauseous throughout the class if they don’t properly hydrate before. I know you’d hate to pass out in front of the hot girls.
If you think the hype of hot yoga is worth it, check out some classes at your local gyms or studios! You won’t regret it, and you’ll be an even hotter girl afterward!