Yoga is a great way to revitalize the mind and the body—and now, you can take things to the next level. How? By heating things up with hot yoga, of course! More people than ever before are trying hot yoga at home and discovering the numerous physiological and mental benefits that hot yoga can bring. If you want to try hot yoga yourself, the best way to do so is in an infrared sauna.
Clearlight® Infrared Saunas are the best infrared saunas on the market today. Explore the many fantastic models available for sale here at The Sauna Life, and contact us today to request a quote.
Hot Yoga Explained
Hot yoga is exactly what it sounds like: a yoga workout or meditative experience in a hot environment like a sauna. Many people specifically practice Bikram yoga, which is a variety of hot yoga that takes place in rooms heated to 105°F and with 40% humidity. Bikram yoga specifically demands that practitioners move through 26 specialized poses designed to boost blood circulation and activate different muscle groups.
But you can also practice hot yoga in whatever way you please. Hot yoga other than Bikram can include dozens of different poses, and the temperature can rise to 100°F if the practitioner is looking for an especially intense workout!
Regardless, most people enjoy hot yoga to enhance the physical and mental effects of regular yoga workouts. By warming the body, hot yoga can induce additional physiological benefits or cause a more intense experience compared to regular yoga.
Benefits of Hot Yoga
No matter where it is practiced, yoga is a great exercise to activate the muscles, stretch out the limbs, improve breathing and blood circulation, and settle the mind. Hot yoga can do all this and more, inducing additional benefits such as:
- Better blood circulation. As the body’s temperature warms, blood vessels dilate and blood is allowed to flow more freely throughout the body. Tissues in the extremities or on the surface of the body can therefore receive nutrient-rich blood more regularly
- Improved lung capacity, as many hot yoga techniques emphasize deep breathing practices. Additionally, many practitioners breathe more frequently when experiencing hot yoga, which may oxygenate the blood more compared to regular yoga sessions
- Detoxification. As the body warms, it sweats. Combined with the physical strain caused by yoga poses, your body will detoxify itself more intensely than normal as it goes through a hot yoga session
- Potential assistance for weight loss. In the same way that a regular infrared sauna session can assist with weight loss, hot yoga can also improve weight loss by accelerating the heart rate and improving the body’s metabolism. In simpler terms, more calories are burned with hot yoga than with regular yoga
- Less chance of injury. During a hot yoga session, muscles and joints loosen up, minimizing the likelihood of an injury. Even if you pull a muscle a little too far, the boosted blood flow mentioned above could help your injuries heal a little more quickly
- Improved flexibility. Since the heat warms up your muscles and joints, you may find yourself to be more mobile and flexible during a hot yoga session compared to normal
Benefits of Using an Infrared Sauna for Hot Yoga
There are tons of benefits included with hot yoga, and this unique exercise is best enjoyed in an infrared sauna instead of a traditional sauna environment. Why? Here are several great reasons:
Safer Floors
Infrared saunas don’t use water or steam to warm the body. As a result, the floor of an infrared sauna isn’t as slippery or hazardous as the floor of a regular sauna. You can do your yoga poses without worrying about accidentally slipping!
Faster Body Heating
Additionally, infrared radiation can warm your body much more quickly than the steam from a regular sauna. Infrared light penetrates the skin and warms deeper body tissues in just a few minutes. This works perfectly if you have already warmed up for your yoga session and are ready to start your poses as soon as you step into your sauna.
Deeper Tissue Penetration
Lastly, infrared light penetrates the body more deeply than the heat from steam. Your muscles will, therefore, be warmed up more effectively and intensely with an infrared sauna than with a regular sauna. This deep tissue penetration will maximize the benefits of hot yoga mentioned above.
All in all, infrared saunas are the best way to enjoy hot yoga techniques, whether you prefer to follow the Bikram poses or your own personalized routine.
Get Your Infrared Sauna Today
Given all the benefits it can provide, there’s no reason not to try out hot yoga if you’re already a yoga enthusiast. Fortunately, we offer several infrared saunas that are perfect for basic hot yoga poses, featuring plenty of room for you to stretch out and get your yoga on. Check out our infrared sauna options now!