Hot yoga studios started popping up around town a few years back, and the trend is certainly not hype. We all know that getting our sweat on is a good thing, and yoga has countless benefits, so putting the two together naturally makes sense. For some, going into a 100-degree room with other yogis may sound intimidating, but we’re breaking down 5 reasons why you should get involved with practicing hot yoga.
1. It’s Detoxifying
The body rids itself of toxins- such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and other chemicals via sweat, so sweating more helps improve your elimination process through the skin and lightens our toxic load. The increase in sweat will also benefit your skin, and help detoxify pores.
2. It Increases Flexibility
Since heat increases your metabolic rate and pulse, it allows your blood vessels to stretch more. The high room temperature of hot yoga has similar benefits to sitting in a sauna, and allows your circulatory system to flow with greater ease by increasing blood flow to the limbs. A body that is warmed up can twist, bend, and stretch further than usual.
3. It’s Good For Your Heart
Research suggests that your heart rate is higher when practicing hot yoga, likely a result of both the heated room and yoga postures. Your elevated heart rate could lead to the cardiovascular benefits associated with aerobic exercise.
4. Relieves Stress In a Positive Way
Yoga is designed to eliminate stress and promote connection of the mind, body, and spirit. However, practicing hot yoga requires even more effort to push beyond your comfort zone. If you can stay calm and focused in hot yoga, you can stay calm and focused in any given situation.
5. Helps Heal Chronic Pain or Injuries
There are many restorative benefits from the practice of any style of yoga, but the heated environment of hot yoga helps your circulatory system flow easier and protects the muscles to allow for deeper stretching than you can normally achieve, helping to rehabilitate damaged muscle fibers.
