Hot yoga is a relatively intense exercise regime favored by millions, including celebrities and athletes who have helped it garner a level of popularity. It usually involves a series of yoga poses conducted in temperatures of up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) and humidity of around 40 percent, intended to recreate the tropical clime of Kolkata, India. Previously known as Bikram yoga, it is now referred to as hot yoga due to a series of serious allegations against its founder.
Despite this, its popularity continues and working out in the heat is said to be beneficial for both physical and mental health. While science is still catching up to some of the health claims made by hot yoga proponents, researchers have undertaken numerous studies investigating the health benefits of hot yoga.
Improving Physical Health
Hot yoga is known to improve flexibility in areas such as the lower back and shoulders. It can also help burn calories at a rate of around 460 calories for men and 330 for women, according to one study.
Other research, however, suggests that calorie burn is the same as practicing yoga at room temperature. Similar to regular yoga, it can build bone density and may help improve sleep. There are also suggestions that it could help improve overall heart health and reduce risk of illnesses such as diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels.
Read More: Practicing Yoga Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Mental Health Benefits
Researchers have found that the practice may also help improve mental health by reducing stress levels and possibly help tackle depression.
An 8-week long study found that a little over one hot yoga class per week is associated with “significantly greater reduction in depression symptoms” amongst participants, for example. Maren Nyer, a clinical psychologist and director of yoga studies at Massachusetts General Hospital, led that particular study.
Compared to non-heated yoga, the research is lagging quite far behind, she says, with only one other randomized control trial investigating the impact on depression.
In Nyer’s view, hot yoga could be used as an add-on to traditional treatments, as a standalone treatment for more mild-to-moderate forms of depression, or for those waiting for mental health treatment. However, for more severe depression, she says that first line, evidence-based treatments should be utilized. Other research suggests that hot yoga can also positively influence stress, overall well-being and possibly anxiety, though this is also based on a limited number of studies.
Read More: Does Yoga Really Detoxify the Body?
The Importance of Heat
Many of the mental health benefits may be tied to heat, much like visiting a sauna, she says. A previous study on whole body heating showed it can be an effective route to tackle depression.
“I think hot yoga is an interesting intervention, because it packs a powerful punch,” Nyer says. “You're combining the benefits of yoga, the heat, and mindfulness. Then you're combining the synergistic effect of moving and doing these postures while your body's hot.”
There are many potential benefits from hot yoga though some of these may be the same as regular yoga at room temperature. Further research is required, according to some, to delve deeper into the benefits and limitations.
Some say that hot yoga could prompt the body to sweat out toxins. It’s true that it can lead to the loss of as much as 1.5 to 2 liters of water due to sweat in a standard 90-minute session, but this sweat doesn’t include toxins lurking in the body.
This amount of water loss does, however, mean that staying hydrated before, during, and after any session is highly advised. Likewise, the suggestion that exercising in hot temperatures reduces the risk of injury is considered false and may, in some cases, make this more likely.
Hot yoga also comes with a health warning as it may not be suitable for everyone. People with heart conditions, low blood pressure, or low blood sugar, and pregnant women are commonly advised to seek advice prior to starting hot yoga.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Article Sources:
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
National Library of Medicine. Bikram yoga training and physical fitness in healthy young adults
Colorado State University. Researcher: ‘Hot’ yoga yields fitness benefits
National Library of Medicine. Acute Physiologic Effects of Performing Yoga in The Heat on Energy Expenditure, Range of Motion, and Inflammatory Biomarkers
Semantic Scholar. Optimization of Physical Activity as a Countermeasure of Bone Loss: A 5-Year Study of Bikram Yoga Practice in Females
National Library of Medicine. Improvements in glucose tolerance with Bikram Yoga in older obese adults: a pilot study
National Library of Medicine. Effect of a 16-week Bikram yoga program on perceived stress, self-efficacy and health-related quality of life in stressed and sedentary adults: A randomised controlled trial
National Library of Medicine. The Efficacy of Yoga as a Form of Treatment for Depression
National Library of Medicine. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Community-Delivered Heated Hatha Yoga for Moderate-to-Severe Depression
National Library of Medicine. Hot Yoga Leads to Greater Well-being: A Six-week Experience-sampling RCT in Healthy Adults
National Library of Medicine. Heated hatha yoga to target cortisol reactivity to stress and affective eating in women at risk for obesity-related illnesses: A randomized controlled trial
National Library of Medicine. Whole-Body Hyperthermia for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Sean Mowbray is a freelance writer based in Scotland. He covers the environment, archaeology, and general science topics. His work has also appeared in outlets such as Mongabay, New Scientist, Hakai Magazine, Ancient History Magazine, and others.
