You’ve probably heard the benefits of including yoga in your exercise program, but have you considered hot yoga? This yoga style is more than a trend. Many people have found it brings them amazing results. Hot yoga usually involves flowing through poses in a room that is set to about 100 degrees. Bikram yoga is the most common hot yoga style, although there are others. Keep reading to learn 10 steamy reasons to try hot yoga.
1. Increased Energy
Participants often come out of a hot yoga session ready to take on life at full speed. Releasing that much sweat is invigorating to many people and brings out significant energy.
2. Weight Loss
While research has not indicated that hot yoga burns more calories than other types of yoga, many people claim to have lost large amounts of weight in the demanding setting. Hot yoga asks a lot of your body, so it makes sense that you would burn calories because of that effort. Anything that increases your metabolism will help you burn calories more efficiently. One study also showed that people who participate in hot yoga are less inclined to eat as a way of coping with stress. If you have had trouble losing weight through other forms of yoga, you might have some success if you turn up the heat.
3. Insulin Resistance
One area where research has been clear is in hot yoga’s ability to help control blood sugar. This is because heat has been identified as a route to helping the body use insulin more effectively. Many people with type 1 diabetes have tried hot yoga in an effort to stabilize blood sugar and have been successful. The practice may also help prevent type 2 diabetes because of its effect on the way insulin is used in the body. If you are diabetic, be sure to talk to your doctor about whether this option is right for you.
4. Stronger Heart
Many people believe that hot yoga can strengthen your heart because your heart rate is faster when you practice yoga in a hot setting. Bonus: hot yoga can also help prevent you from developing plaque in your arteries.
5. Range of Motion
Fitness enthusiasts know that warming up your muscles makes them ready for stretching and strengthening. This is the reason that hot yoga can help you develop a better range of motion. When you stretch your body in a hot room, your muscles become more pliant and your flexibility is increased.
6. Better Breathing
One aspect of yoga that is different from most other forms of exercise is a focus on breath and mindfully bringing oxygen into your body. It’s more difficult to breathe during a hot yoga session, which means your lungs have to work harder. This strengthens them and allows you to breath more efficiently over time.
7. Cleanses Toxins
One way the human body releases harmful toxins is through sweat, and sweat is one aspect that defines hot yoga. A hot yoga session will have you sweating a lot. And all of that sweat contains toxins your body wants to expel.
8. Fewer Injuries
Athletes often find that hot yoga is a helpful part of their overall fitness routines because it helps keep their bodies stretched and strong for other forms of exercise. This leads to fewer injuries when participating in other sports or physical activities.
9. Mental Health
Hot yoga is excellent for improving your mental health. It has been shown to help control stress and fight depression. People report feeling better and more in control of their emotions after taking a hot yoga class.
10. Opens Pores
All that sweating that comes from a hot yoga session is good for your skin. After you shower away all the toxins that have come seeping out of your body, your pores will be open and clear.
Keep in mind that hot yoga can be harder on your body than other types of yoga, and it’s not recommended for some people. Talk to your doctor before you start a program to see if makes sense for you. Will hot yoga work for you? There’s only one way to find out.
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