Hot Yoga: Risks and Benefits

“Hot yoga” is a term that can be used to describe just about any style of yoga practice performed in a warm or humid room. When a class is called “hot yoga” you could be holding poses for a minute or moving quickly from pose to pose, but two things are nearly always constant: heat and sweat.

“Hot yoga, in the simplest terms, is yoga performed in a heated room,” says Samantha Scupp, the founder and a teacher at Heatwise, a New York City hot yoga studio, who is certified by Yoga Alliance, the world’s largest nonprofit yoga association that certifies teachers and schools.

Hot yoga classes vary in length but typically last 60 to 120 minutes. Hot yoga classes often include postures and breathing techniques from other traditional yoga, but the practice of intentionally heating the room higher than normal just for yoga is a somewhat newer concept.

Bikram yoga, founded in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, is generally recognized as the first style of hot yoga. Bikram yoga classes include a sequence of 26 yoga poses and two breathing exercises performed in the same order within 90 minutes in a room heated to over 100 degrees F.

There can be a significant amount of variation in how hot the room is, says Scupp. Most studios used forced air heat, such as with a typical HVAC system. Some studios use a humidifier to make the room really humid. Other studios, including Heatwise, use infrared heat, which comes from electric heat panels that are placed on the ceiling or around the room.

Scupp says infrared heating can feel very different from rooms that are heated in the standard way. She describes it as feeling like you’re “standing under the sun.”

Some hot yoga studios may feel more like “warm” yoga, with temperatures hovering in the 80s, while Bikram classes are taught in studios heated to over 100 degrees F.

Scupp’s studio, Heatwise, keeps the temperature between 90 and 95 degrees. The humidity and the heat outside can also have an effect on how hot it gets in the room, says Scupp. “The heat can also vary depending on how full the class is; if you’re in a packed room, you’re feeling the heat a little bit from the other people around you. If you’re in a more spacious room, you might have a little bit more space to cool off,” she says.

Although there are certain health conditions that would make hot yoga risky for some people, it’s generally safe for someone in good health, says Edward Laskowski, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and the co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine center in Rochester, Minnesota. “If people have certain heart conditions, previous heat injury, heat intolerance or problems with dehydration, they should probably avoid hot yoga,” says Dr. Laskowski.

If you’re young, healthy, and fit without any current health problems, however, it’s probably not going to be a problem, Laskowski says.

But it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor before doing an activity that could stress your body like hot yoga, he says.

For people who like to sweat, hot yoga can help you achieve a feeling of calmness and relaxation without an intense workout, says Scupp. “You can get the same level of sweat as you would running 10 miles, but you don’t have to work as hard to get it,” she says.

Hot Yoga Can Be Great for Stress Relief (if You Like to Sweat)

Hot yoga, like other types of yoga, can be great for stress relief or stress management, says Scupp. “It’s a moving meditation.”

If you don’t love to sweat, you’re probably not missing out by choosing a regular-temperature yoga class over a hot one, Laskowski adds. Although some people love a good sweat, there’s no evidence that sweating itself provides health benefits, he explains. “Sweating is primarily a means of temperature control,” he says.

Hot Yoga Might Allow You to Stretch More Deeply

The hot room can help increase flexibility, says Scupp — which can feel great for people who do other types of intense workouts in which their muscles get really tight. “We get a lot of men in here who say, ‘I don’t do yoga, I’m not flexible.’ But then they go into the hot room and their muscles really loosen up. They’re able to achieve all kinds of stretches that they’ve never been able to do before,” she says.

But that extra flexibility means you need to be careful not to overstretch your muscles and injure yourself. It’s important to stay within your limits and pay attention to your body to avoid injury, says Laskowski.

“In a class environment it can be tempting to try to keep up with everyone around you,” he says. But that’s not necessarily a good thing in a heated yoga class where stretching too far can lead to muscle tearing and damage.

Hot Yoga Raises Heart Rate and Core Body Temperature

Compared with traditional yoga, hot yoga raises heart rate and core body temperature as the body works harder to cool itself in a hot, humid room. This added cardiovascular strain can mimic moderate aerobic exercise and may improve cardiovascular fitness and heat tolerance in healthy individuals.

Regular Hot Yoga Practice May Improve Strength, Balance, and Flexibility

When practiced consistently over weeks or months, hot yoga has been linked with improvements in functional fitness, including better balance, flexibility, and body composition. Participants in studies showed gains in flexibility and range of motion, likely because heat helps muscles warm up and stretch more easily.

Hot Yoga May Offer Some Cardiometabolic Benefits

Some research included in the review suggests that hot yoga may offer cardiometabolic benefits, meaning it could positively influence factors linked to heart and metabolic health. For example, small studies have found improvements in cholesterol levels, blood lipid profiles, and vascular function, which are markers associated with cardiovascular risk. The heat and sustained movement may help the body adapt in ways similar to moderate aerobic exercise, potentially supporting better blood flow and metabolic regulation over time.

Mental Health Benefits Are Possible but Not Yet Well Established

Early research suggests that hot yoga may offer mental health benefits in addition to its physical effects. Some studies have found that people practicing hot yoga report improvements in mood, overall sense of well-being, mindfulness, and positive emotional experiences, especially immediately after sessions. The combination of movement, heat, and focused breathing may help reduce tension and promote relaxation in the moment, which can contribute to a more positive outlook over time.

A six-week randomized controlled trial involving nearly 300 yoga beginners found that practicing hot yoga was associated with meaningful improvements in psychological well-being. Compared with a control group, participants who took hot yoga classes reported greater life satisfaction, mindfulness, peace of mind, and overall perceptions of health, along with more frequent positive emotions — especially after classes.

Is Hot Yoga More of a Workout Than Traditional Yoga?

“I would certainly consider hot yoga a form of exercise,” says Scupp.

As with any physical activity, the more you move in yoga, the more calories you burn. Although many people associate sweating with calorie burning and weight loss, that’s not the case.

In other words, just because you sweat more in a hot yoga class than in a normal-temperature yoga class, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re working harder or burning more calories.

Hot yoga is definitely a form of movement and exercise — and it can be very helpful for people trying to improve their fitness or lose weight, Scupp says. But she says it typically delivers more benefits in terms of relaxation, stress relief, and muscle recovery rather than calorie burning.

“It’s a great supplement to an existing exercise regimen,” she says. A lot of runners or people who do things like CrossFit or martial arts enjoy hot yoga, she says. “It can be a way to keep their muscles loose and flexible.”

In terms of trying it for the first time, Scupp recommends having some basic knowledge of yoga — even if it’s just watching YouTube videos or trying an unheated class — before you try hot yoga. “A lot of people coming into hot yoga are not doing yoga for the first time,” she says.

Many studios, including Heatwise, offer classes for beginners to help students get a handle on the basics before they dive into a full class. If you feel more comfortable learning in a one-on-one situation, ask about private instruction (which is usually an option at most studios), Scupp adds.

Here are a few more tips.

• What to Wear Clothes that are good for lots of sweat, such as moisture-wicking material or spandex, work well for hot yoga, says Scupp. “A lot of men go shirtless and a lot of women just wear sports bras and leggings or shorts,” she says.
• What to Eat and Drink Avoid eating a big meal in the few hours before class, and avoid snacking in the hour before class, Scupp suggests. Try to plan your eating and snacking so that you’ve fueled your body appropriately, so you don’t come in starving, or with a full stomach either, she says. “Drink plenty of fluids in the hours leading up to class, and make sure you bring a water bottle and drink during and after class as well,” says Scupp.
• What to Bring Call the studio ahead of time or check out their website to see what’s included with the class fee and what you need to bring, Scupp suggests. “Many studios provide mats, but because of the amount of sweating, some people prefer to bring their own,” says Scupp. It’s a good idea to bring a towel and a water bottle, she says.

Having a good hot yoga experience often depends a lot on your attitude, Scupp says. Come in with an open mind and communicate with your instructor, she suggests. “It doesn’t have to be perfect or competitive; try to do what feels good. Ideally, hot yoga should benefit your body and mind.”

• Hot yoga may improve flexibility, balance, and functional fitness when practiced regularly.
• Heat increases heart rate and body temperature, which can offer fitness benefits but also raises safety risks.
• Some research suggests that hot yoga may have mood and cardiometabolic benefits, though evidence is limited.
• Proper hydration, pacing, and medical guidance are important, especially for beginners and people with health conditions.