The heat also:
• Helps us burn fat more effectively by boosting metabolism and melting away water weight in sweat
• Dilates our capillaries to boost the “oxygenation” of all our cells — tissues, muscles, organs, etc.
• Boosts circulation and gets the heart rate up, at times rendering yoga an aerobic activity
• Enhances our immune system by slightly elevating the temperature of the body, which increases T-cell functioning
• Elevates the functioning of the nervous system and decreases anxiety by relaxing the body
Another subtle effect of the heat that you don’t always hear about is that it actually helps us concentrate and stay in the moment. The intensity of practicing in a warm room is hard to ignore, and (at least in our experience) this helps our minds wander less. Since yoga is about staying present in the moment, the heat can function as our ally in this way.
I am significantly more productive when I fit BYH classes into my work week schedule. The “flow” state of mind that Jen’s teachers elicit in their classes fits in line with the rest of the productivity hacks I learned from Csikszentmihalyi’s book “Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience”. While that tome is a fairly dense read, the BYH classes are the opposite: easily approachable for beginners while remaining challenging for more advanced practitioners.
The vibe you sense at the BYH studio is a friendly invitation to drop in to a deeper, more expansive place inside ourselves, where we create connections with our more peaceful, easeful, and calm selves. I often find myself taking lessons learned at BYH off the yoga mat, into the rest of my life. For example, once when I find a sense of ease while maintaining a difficult yoga pose, I immediately see the ramifications of staying calm during a difficult situation in life, whether it is parenting, work, or relationships.
I enter Jen’s studio with the weight of the world on my shoulders, but leave with a smile on my face, a lightening bolt of energy through my core, and a laser-focus on bringing positive change to our world. Oh, and drenched in sweat (they’re not kidding about the “hot” part of hot yoga!).
Scott James
CEO, Blacklight Films
I practice yoga at Bainbridge Yoga House several times a week, and I’m able to get whatever I might need on a particular day —whether it be a challenge, a respite, inspiration, or just to connect with a community of supportive, compassionate people. Bainbridge Yoga House keeps me grounded and whole.
Nancy Plant