Hot yoga has been getting a lot of hype over the past year. Like most fitness trends, I don’t see this one lasting too much longer. Not because it isn’t an intense workout, but because of one major reason. It can be extremely dangerous!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with hot yoga, it’s basically yoga in a heated room. The temperature is usually raised to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The concept beyond hot yoga has to do with the muscle’s ability to stretch more because of the increase in temperature. A warm muscle tends to have more elasticity. The concept sounds innocent enough, but our body isn’t designed to be able to handle these high temperatures or intense stretches for such an extended period of time. When someone has a fever, the body naturally increases its temperature in order to fight off the infection. This is a normal reaction, but it also has side effects. These side effects include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. If this lasts for an extended period of time, it can do major damage to your heart. Working out in an overly heated environment practically mimics working out when you are sick with a fever, including the negative side effects of an increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Not only do you increase your heart rate and blood pressure during hot yoga, but you also lose an excessive amount of water. For most people, they would assume that they are burning away body fat, but fat loss and water loss isn’t nearly the same. A certain percentage of water is necessary in the body for proper function, and a large loss of water can cause dehydration. During the dehydration phase, you can suffer from heat exhaustion and in extreme cases, a heat stroke or heart attack.
If you still insist on trying hot yoga, just take proper precautions. Make sure you are well hydrated throughout the workout. If you have any signs of dizziness, nausea, or difficulty breathing, stop working out immediately. These are warning signs from your body and should not be ignored. The problem with fitness trends is their inability to be safely tested for a long period of time. Hopefully it doesn’t take a heart attack or death before they realize that hot yoga may not be such a hot idea.
-Tom