6 Surprising Benefits of Hot Yoga That’ll Convince You to Sweat It Out

For decades, celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, and George Clooney have credited hot yoga for staying in shape and feeling their best. "The detox that comes with sweat from hot yoga is unmatched," says Tara Bresnick, E-RYT 500, yoga teacher and founder of virtual meditation and yoga studio Pause. Practice. Peace. "It's a natural way of releasing toxins and allows us to feel refreshed and lighter afterward."

What is hot yoga?

Yoga is one of the world's oldest mind-body practices, originating in India over 5 millenniums ago. Though it wasn't supplemented by infrared heating systems, it was indeed heated—naturally. India's tropical and subtropical climates see temperatures routinely exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, meaning the original yogis were also getting the benefits of hot yoga.

Today, hot yoga is an umbrella term covering any yoga sequence done in a heated room. A hot yoga class could mean moving through a set sequence of postures like Bikram yoga or Baptiste yoga, or it could be a creative vinyasa flow. Some hot yoga classes even incorporate strength training and cardio elements, like yoga sculpt popularized by CorePower Yoga.

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How hot is hot?

In a Bikram class, asanas are performed in an intense 105-degree room with 40 percent humidity. For classes like hot power, hot vinyasa, or hot flow, the temperature depends on the teacher or studio preference. As a yoga teacher myself, 90 degrees is my sweet spot. Any higher, and my practice becomes more messy than mindful.

Teachers often take considerations depending on the heat level. "For my hotter, more power style classes [90 degrees or more], I'm mindful to keep a strong balance between the different muscle groups and remind my students the importance of water in order to provide my students a challenging, yet safe class," says Bresnick. "In the warmer classes [80 to 90 degrees], I aim to slow things down and allow the warmth of the room to open up the body piece by piece."

The benefits of hot yoga

The benefits of hot yoga reach beyond the physical. Though research is nascent, studies are starting to corroborate many of the undersung psychological benefits of the practice. If you can handle the heat, hot yoga may enhance your overall well-being¹ as you reap these benefits.

1. You'll feel more flexible 

Higher temperatures make your muscles and joints more limber. "Hot yoga warms your muscles so you can move through your flow easier," says Jessie Gulliver, a Baptiste and hot vinyasa teacher. If you feel rigid in a room-temperature yoga class, trying hot yoga may help you move deeper into certain poses and improve your active and passive flexibility over time.

2. You'll release feel-good hormones 

A 2023 study² in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that a hot yoga practice may ease symptoms of depression. This exercise-endorphin connection only gets stronger in a music driven group workout like a hot flow or yoga sculpt class.

"Music combined with a heated class can create a powerful community experience to move and connect in," says Allison Falkenberry, owner of Otium Studios. "You're working with healthy infrared heat that's pushing serotonin, dopamine, and other feel-good hormones, while you connect with others who love movement. It's not unlike a really transformative concert or music festival experience where you're also notably moved on the inside."

"If you have a desire to connect deeper to yourself, give your body the love it needs and requires to feel good, and be a part of a wonderful supportive community, yoga—heated or unheated—is for you." —Tara Bresnick, E-RYT 500

3. You'll sweat out stress

Yoga is chiefly intended to help us turn inward and build mental resilience. When you practice regularly, you'll learn to breathe through discomfort and quiet your mind. Adding heat augments those stress-relieving benefits. A 2017 study³ in the Journal of Mental Health found that just a single 90-minute hot yoga session improved mood and decreased stress levels in sedentary adults.

After sweating your way through class, those moments of stillness in savasana with sweat beading on your forward and your heart rate slowing down is nothing short of bliss. "A lot of people say our hot yoga classes make them feel renewed and ready for anything," Falkenberry says. "It's also a great equalizer—you sweat out challenges from the day to find joy, peace, and connection."

4. Your heart health will improve 

Anyone who has hopped on the hot yoga bandwagon can attest that working out in 90+ degrees is a commendable physical challenge. In the infrared, your heart, lungs, and muscles have to work harder, which can improve your respiration, heart rate, and metabolism.

Though it's not quite akin to sprinting or HIIT, a 2019 study⁴ in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that one session of hot yoga gets your heart working at a similar rate as a fast walk (3.5 miles per hour).

5. You'll hold onto bone mass as you age 

As we age, our bone density starts to decrease. People who go through menopause lose up to 50 percent⁵ of their bone mass in the process. A 2014 study⁶ conducted over a five-year period found premenopausal people who practiced Bikram hot yoga held onto more bone density in their hips, lower back, and neck. The study credited the heated environment for reducing the effects of osteoporosis by augmenting circulation, respiration, and perspiration.

6. You'll leave class with that post-hot yoga glow 

Sweat, and a lot of it, underpins the entire hot yoga experience. When you meet your friends for happy hour after hot yoga, it shows on your face. The rosy cheeks and faint glimmer are lovingly referred to as the yoga glow—and it may last far beyond class. "Hot yoga does wonders for circulation by improving blood flow to the skin with much-needed oxygen and nutrients that can even stimulate collagen," says Falkenberry. "It's a great detoxifier and illuminator for the whole body, not just the face."

The drawbacks of hot yoga

For healthy adults, there are few drawbacks to incorporating hot yoga in your fitness routine. "Aside from [pregnant people] who should only do what is recommended during their pregnancy, I believe hot yoga—and all yoga—is accessible for all," says Bresnick.

How to stay safe as you sweat 

Austin Martinez, MS, CSCS, ATC, vice president of training and experience at StretchLab, previously told Well+Good that some telltale signs you might be pushing too deep in a movement class include squirming, sharp pains in the muscle, or holding your breath.

Bresnick's best advice: "Remember that this is your time on the mat. It can look however it needs to for you. Take breaks and listen to your body. Your practice will change as you keep coming back; the hardest part is just showing up." To stay safe, consider these tips:

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drinking water or a low-sugar sports drink before, during, and after a hot yoga class is essential.
• High cortisol and other preexisting conditions may make you more prone to passing out during a hot yoga class. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting a routine if you have heart disease, diabetes, arterial abnormalities, anorexia nervosa, or hyperthyroidism.
• If you've experienced heat intolerance problems in the past, sticking with unheated yoga may be a safer bet.
• If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous, leave the heated yoga room and get into a cooler environment.

Is hot yoga right for you?

There's many different types and temperatures of hot yoga. If the first class you attend isn't your thing, keep an open mind and try some others. Some yogis love Baptiste; others prefer a slow hot flow by candlelight. "If you have a desire to connect deeper to yourself, give your body the love it needs and requires to feel good, and be a part of a wonderful supportive community, yoga—heated or unheated—is for you," Bresnick says.