Hot Yoga Heals From the Inside Out

6 science-backed benefits of hot yoga in the summer

While the idea of hot yoga on a hot summer day might not seem super appealing, it turns out that there are some pretty solid benefits to practicing hot yoga in the summer— benefits that aren’t as noticeable or accessible during the winter months.

6 Science-Backed Benefits of Hot Yoga in the Summer:

Enhanced Detoxification

The heat of summer naturally increases sweating, and when you combine that with the heated environment of a hot yoga studio, this effect is amplified. Sweating is one of the key ways our bodies expel toxins and eliminating these toxins from the body can aid in balancing hormones and regulating metabolism. While eliminating toxins from our body is always beneficial, it’s even more advantageous in the summer as environmental toxins tend to be more prevalent. 

Cardiovascular Health

Heat can increase your heart rate, which can potentially improve your cardiovascular health. In fact, one study found that just one session of hot yoga is enough to get your heart pumping at the same rate as a brisk walk (3.5 miles per hour). Studies have also found that hot yoga can lower your blood pressure more effectively than an unheated yoga flow, something that improves heart function and reduces cardiovascular risk.

Stress Relief + Mental Clarity

Hot yoga can also help decrease stress and improve mental health. While yoga at cooler temperatures can also be effective at stress relief, turning up the heat can give you an extra boost of relaxation. One study that followed stressed, physically inactive adults found that a 16-week program of hot yoga significantly reduced the participants’ cortisol levels. Researchers also found that hot yoga improved their health in key areas like quality of life, as well as mental reasoning, things like improved cognitive self regulation— the ability to control your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and impulses in order to achieve goals and adapt to different situations.

Hydration + Skin Health

The heat and sweating in hot yoga improve blood flow, bringing oxygen and nutrients to skin cells, which can promote healing and regeneration. This can lead to a fresher, more youthful appearance as skin circulation is improved, collagen production is increased and inflammation is reduced. Think of hot yoga as a mini free Botox for your face.

Adaptation to Heat

According to researchers at the National Institute of Health, regular practice of hot yoga, especially in a controlled environment with high temperatures and humidity, can lead to physiological changes that improve your body's ability to regulate its temperature and tolerate heat stress. Regular hot yoga allows for heat acclimatization where you train the body to tolerate a particular environment— and it helps train the mind in tolerating environments off the mat too!

Reduced Depression + Inflammation 

Research from Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital found that 44% of yoga participants went into remission from depression after practicing yoga weekly for just eight weeks. That number grew to 59% for those with a significant reduction in their symptoms of depression. While the study specifically focused on the impact of heated yoga on depression, the study also revealed that hot yoga can be a reset for more than just mood. High temperature exposure works to shut down the inflammation response, something that helped to reduce anxiety, as well as perceived stress, hopelessness, and rumination.

---

As the temperatures rise and daylight increases, practicing yoga is an incredible way to embrace the season as well as nurture our physical, mental and emotional well-being. 

Let this be your summer of yoga and watch your practice heal you from the inside out!

Join us for our Summer Workshop Series featuring guest instructors and expand your practice beyond the physical with Kundalini Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing, Reiki + Restorative Yoga, as well as themed Vinyasa classes featuring live acoustic music and an immersion into the book, "The Four Agreements".

Ready to transform from the inside out? Snag our Unlimited Summer Special, 20 Class Pack or Student + Teacher Unlimited Summer Special* before they're gone! (*see us in studio with a valid ID to purchase your Student + Teacher Summer Unlimited Membership).