Hot Yoga and Menopause:
More and more women are practicing yoga and thriving intro their 50’s, 60, 70’s, 80’s, and beyond. Many women who have been experiencing menopausal symptoms such as dreaded hot flashes have discovered that sweating profusely in a heated yoga room may help alleviate or even eliminate hot flashes during the day and into the night.
How is this even possible?
During a Bikram Hot Yoga class, you are stretching, twisting, and compressing your internal organs. At the same time you calm the nervous system with normal, mindful breathing. The deep, calming breaths access your diaphragm; this means you are burning fat rather than glucose which also produces less cortisol. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone that acts like adrenaline. This can lead to havoc on the nervous system by interrupting sleep, causing anxiety, and also enabling the body to store fat around the middle. In fact, increased cortisol has been linked to hot flushes. Thus, it can be said that calm breathing may proactively reduce the production of cortisol.
In addition to hot flashes, many women experience a number of other unpleasant symptoms associated with menopause including weight gain, high blood pressure, sleep disruption, slowed metabolism, and mood changes. Through various scientific studies and via personal testimonials, it is widely known that Bikram Yoga may improve all of these undesirable symptoms. A regular practice will likely stabilize weight, reduce blood pressure, improve mood, aid in better sleep, and increase overall fitness.
A typical Bikram Yoga class will leave you feeling grounded with a deep sense of connection. You will breathe more calmly and efficiently, experience better moods, improve sleep, and find an overall sense of wellbeing. Hot flashes will become bearable and lessen in intensity. As a result of all of these added lifestyle and health benefits, women of menopausal age will not only survive through these later years, they will thrive in their regular yoga practice and ultimately feel amazing!