There are many people who practice yoga, either to help with mindfulness, as an effective physical and stretching exercise or both.

However, there may be some who may have asked the question; “I have noticed a studio practising hot yoga near me, but is hot yoga right for me?”

Hot yoga is a system of yoga exercises performed in a very hot and humid room, which turns what is often a very meditative and focused set of stretches into a vigorous exercise designed to build up the heart rate and muscle groups alike.

The concept originated from a yoga guru attempting to replicate the humid climate of India, believing the heat helped prepare the body to move more.

Whether hot yoga is the right class for you depends on how much you can stand the heat. Initially practised at 40 degrees Celsius, hot yoga, as with any exercise undertaken with intense heat, is prone to causing dehydration and heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke.

For most people, so long as they keep hydrated and listen to their body if they feel sick, lightheaded or dizzy, hot yoga is intense, demanding, challenging but immensely rewarding, relying on long sustained contractions of major muscle groups throughout a fast-paced 90-minute session.

The heat helps improve flexibility, but because of that, it is important to be mindful that this can sometimes make it easier to overstretch.

As well as this, because hot yoga will intentionally lead to more sweating, make sure you wear moisture-wicking exercise gear that is as lightweight as possible, as this will avoid more overheating.

Naturally, make sure to drink a lot of water before, during and after the session, and bring some warm clothes for after the session, as the contrast between the hot yoga studio and the relative cold outside world can lead to rapid muscle contractions.