7 Reasons For The Heat In Bikram Yoga

Have you ever stopped to think about why on earth Bikram Yoga is so HOT?As in 105 degrees with 40% humidity hot.What is the reason for the heat in Bikram Yoga anyway?Well there's more than one reason, and "to be torturous" is not one of them, so don't scare ;)Struggling with the heat is super common; to be honest, getting used to the heat was my biggest challenge when I first started practicing.If you feel intimidated by doing yoga in such a hot room or if you're unsure whether you can do it at all, you're not alone! Seriously, being worried about the heat and confused about why it's necessary are some of the most common questions and concerns I hear from new yogis or people thinking about starting this practice.I've put together this list of 7 reasons for the heat in Bikram Yoga, although there are certainly more.Without further ado, here we have them! 

1. Safe StretchingImagine your muscles are like taffy. If you stretch a piece of cold taffy, it'll snap. But if you warm the taffy in your hands before stretching it, it will move easily and smoothly. Your muscles react to the temperature the same way. The heat allows your muscles to stretch and move safely.
2. Sweat, Detoxification, and Organ HealthYou will sweat a lot in a Bikram Yoga, which means that your skin is the organ doing the detoxifying during the time you're in class. When this happens, your internal organs that are typically used for detoxification, specifically the kidneys and liver, get a break for the 90 minute class. This helps them function more efficiently when you're out of class.
3. Improved CirculationIn the hot yoga room, your veins dilate in order for more, freshly-oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to flush through them. In Bikram Yoga, we do a lot of compression and then release postures. When that release happens, the blood flows easily to areas of your body where it otherwise may not flow so well (think knees, ankles, feet, and lower back).
4. ConcentrationThe heat is a challenge - yes - and working in the heat while learning how to pace yourself builds tremendous mental concentration. I used to be skeptical of mental benefits of yoga, I just couldn't quite wrap my mind around how yoga could improve the mind. But learning how to take care of yourself while at the same time challenge yourself does wonders for your mental concentration.
5. HydrationYou'll realize very quickly that the more water you drink outside of class, the better you'll feel inside of class. Staying well-hydrated creates optimal health whether you're practicing Bikram Yoga or not. When you know you'll be sweating later on because you'll be at yoga class, you end up gulping down more water simply out of habit.
6. Cardiovascular BenefitDid you know that yoga can be considered "cardio"? I never quite got that until I started practicing. The heat helps to make Bikram Yoga such an effective workout.  Your heart gets a workout at the same time your joints and ligaments receive therapeutic benefit. A big reason your heart rate goes up in class is because it's hot! TIP: To manage your heart rate, make sure you breathe normally, in and out of your nose even as your heart rate goes up.
7. Improved BreathingDry air can exacerbate asthma, so deep breathing in a humid room (which is the very first thing we do in every Bikram Yoga class) relieves asthmatic symptoms immediately. If you suffer from asthma, you only need to push yourself as much as you're comfortable with; in fact, you'll still get so much benefit simply from doing a little bit. I have a student right now who, at 43 years old, has been suffering from asthma for nine years. During this time his medication has increased but his symptoms have not decreased. Until (of course!) he started practicing Bikram Yoga.... less than two months ago! He says, "No amount of medicine has helped me to breathe as clearly as 90 minutes in the hot room."

The biggest thing to keep in mind with the heat in Bikram Yoga is that it's one of the most challenging things at the beginning, but it's also one of the first things you learn to manage.The heat is actually one of the main elements that makes Bikram Yoga so healing!So what do you think? Does this make the heat seem less scary?If you've been practicing for a while, what do you love about the heat?Check out more on Bikram Yoga here and here.