Can doing yoga or physical activity help you cope better in a heatwave?
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Londoners and those in other parts of the UK are in the midst of their third heatwave this Summer, which is unprecedented. Learning how to keep your home, workplace and pets cool is one thing; But do you know when and how to do yoga or other exercise safely in the extreme heat?
We can learn much from the Astanga Yoga masters of South India who knew how to cope with extreme heat, and in fact used yoga to become heat acclimatised to more effectively reduce the body’s core temperature.
Is it a good idea to do yoga in a heatwave?
Yes it is a good idea to do yoga or exercise in a heatwave, provided you are generally healthy and follow the principles of traditional yoga like Astanga Yoga which originated in South India - an area very close to the equator with consistent warmth and high humidity all year-round.
Practicing in a heatwave in mid-latitude countries like the UK actually mimics the traditional environment in which Astanga yogis practice in India!
However you should observe some caveats imposed by the Father of Astanga Yoga Guru Sri K. Patthabhi Jois, who took yoga to the West in the 1970s. These are based on traditional yogic practices passed down by his own teacher Guru Krishnamacharya, who is widely considered as the Father of Modern Yoga.
What time of the day is best to do yoga - especially in the Summer?
The time of day that’s best to do yoga in the Summer time – and all year round – is very early morning. This follows the tradition of India’s first yogis and their descendents Gurus Krishnmacharya and Sri. K Pattabhi Jois, who – because of the intense environmental heat in India – did their physical yoga practice before breakfast during the coolest part of the day.
Today, traditional Ashtanga shalas (yoga studios) still honour this historical adaptation by offering classes—often self-led "Mysore-style" practices—early in the morning. For example, our Shala Astanga Yoga Here in London teaches traditional Astanga Yoga with Mysore-style classes that run from 6:30am to 9am year-round.
So when should you do yoga in very hot weather?
You should always practice yoga in the cooler hours of the day - especially during a heatwave. This is traditionally very early morning, as observed by traditional yoga practices like Astanga Yoga.
Can doing yoga or physical activity in warm weather help you cope better with extreme heat?
Recent research shows that doing Astanga Yoga or other physical activity or training in warm temperatures can actually help you manage extreme heat better, as within a fairly short time (within 2 weeks of daily practice) it trains your body to acclimatise – or cool down – by sweating more efficiently.
How does Astanga Yoga help your body to cope with very hot temperatures?
Getting hot and sweaty with a regular Astanga Yoga practice – or any other physical activity performed in warm to hot temperatures – acclimatises your body to manage the physiological stress your body undergoes to manage heat.
What’s heat acclimatisation, how do you get it and how does it help you stay cool in heatwave?
Heat acclimatisation is when your body adapts to doing yoga – or other physical activities in warm or hot environments – by sweating more efficiently.
It can happen relatively fast if your yoga practice or physical training in a warm environment is regular.
Research shows that when your body acclimatises to the heat, it's sweating response changes to cool down your core temperature more easily and quickly by:
sweating sooner after you start
sweating up to 20% more
Using more of your body’s evaporative cooling surfaces ie: sweating more from your arms and legs
losing less salt through your sweat which conserves vital electrolytes.
As physical exertion generates so much internal heat, people who regularly do Astanga yoga are often considered to be partially heat acclimatised simply from the heat generated by their own workouts.
Why is it better to do Yoga and other physical activity in extreme heat before breakfast?
The old yoga masters knew what they were doing when they prescribed that your physical yoga practice should always be done in the early morning.
This scientifically makes sense too, as the human core body temperature naturally follows a circadian rhythm and is actually at its lowest in the early morning.
Starting yoga or a physical practice in warm temperatures with a naturally lower core temperature is highly advantageous, as it reduces initial thermal stress and has been shown to improve your capacity for your yoga practice or other exercise, and also greatly increases your stamina in hot environments.
Why does Astanga Yoga focus on generating internal heat when it’s already hot?
Historically Astanga Yoga and the yoga strains that derive from it including Vinyasa and Hatha, focuses on generating internal heat rather than relying on extreme external heat to heat up the body.
This heat is created by Astanga’s physical practice - by synchronising breathing (ujayi breath) with Astanga’s series of postures (asanas) and bandhas (body locks). Combining these elements produces an intense internal heat that can help purify muscles and organs, expel toxins, and generate internal energy.
Your Astanga Yoga practice is designed to build this internal heat naturally, and at a safe time of the day in the early morning when your core temperature is at its lowest. This is also why Astanga Yogis don’t drink water during their practice, as it effectively douses the heat and is like throwing water on a fire. Instead, Astangis hydrate before and after their practice (more info below).
By maintaining the historical tradition of practicing during the cooler hours of the day, Astanga Yoga practitioners can safely build this intended internal fire and reap the health benefits without being overwhelmed by the external climate or hot weather.
Tips for practicing yoga or doing any physical exercise in a
heatwave
Hydrate yourself well BEFORE and after your practice as your body can lose up to 4 litres of liquid per hour if you sweat heavily during heavy exercise in a warm environment. Astanga Yoga guidelines recommend finishing your drinking 30-60 mins BEFORE you start your yoga practice and wait 20-30 mins after yoga before drinking
Do your yoga practice before breakfast, before the extreme heat of the day starts. This is also when your core temperature is at its lowest.
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