“Help, I can’t breathe! Oh my god, it’s so hot in there. How will I ever survive? Is there enough oxygen?”
Ever feel as though you can’t breathe in the hot room? Has this ever happened to you? Have you said or maybe even heard a hot yoga student say: “I can’t breathe”, “there is not enough oxygen in there”.
I have heard it thousands of times. And with the exception of one time in my life in a Bikram Yoga studio with a capacity of 200 students where there were 300 of us piled high to the rafters puffing, panting and working oh so hard, I have NEVER been in a studio where people were really, truly and authentically short of air! That in itself is another story and really worth telling. I may just do that another day. 🙂
For the record, I know of certain teacher trainings where this scenario has replayed itself because the doors have been shut, trainees have been prevented from leaving. However, if you’re here at my website, you’ll know I do not stand for this kind of dangerous behavior. This blog post is not about oxygen deprivation. It’s really about the phenomenon of misinterpreting what’s actually happening in a well-heated (not overheated), well-ventilated studio… So please, read on!
Beware hot yoga skeptics
There is so much misinformation out there. And you know where that comes from? Usually from the folks who don’t know the first thing about the alchemy of hot yoga, the heated room and the amazing effects it has on mind, body and soul. Usually it boils down to ignorance and fear. There are some valid concerns about the temperature and moisture levels, and the amount of fresh air. I’ve heard it all and it usually centers around how bad it is to exercise in the heat.
If you go to https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/forum/viewforum/4/ there have been some great forum discussions about people who go to studios where the room has been, in my opinion, heated to dangerous levels. If you are reading this you are either new to hot yoga, a diehard hot yogi who loves the heat, or maybe you still haven’t taken the plunge.
Is it too hot? Is it safe? Why do I feel like I can’t breathe?
So what’s really going on here? The whole issue is very complex and can be misconstrued by our own perceptions and ignorance. Believe it or not you can have those feelings:
- Of being stifled
- Of not being able to get enough air
- Of not being able to breathe deeply
- As if you are gasping for breath
- Of being hot and flushed
- Of being dizzy
- Of being unable to find even enough energy to get through the class or even get up off the floor
… And they can all happen at many varied temperatures and not just in a heated room. But is there really not enough air in there? Could it be something else?
Taking a positive look at the problem
Hang on to your seat because there is actually a huge upside to those uncomfortable feelings and sensations in your body. Your lungs are your ticket to a fully enriching life experience. The way you:
- Hold your body
- Hold your posture
- Use your ability to open your chest
- Use your diaphragm and draw life-giving breath into your body;
… all changes with your mood and physiology.
But not everyone has the same capacity. The more anxious of us, or at least when we are in ‘fear, flight or fright’ mode, breathe very shallow into the top of the chest. We pant, often with mouth open and would be lucky to use more than 10% of our lung capacity. Just as anxiety can trigger you to breathe in a shallow way, the reverse is true too. That’s right, shallow breathing can trigger an anxious state. If you only have a tiny lung capacity, only sipping small volumes of air, you could be challenged with a smaller ability to cope with stress.
Yoga teaches you to be happy 😀
Breathing is key. Gosh that sounds so lame. But so true. When you learn how to breathe you open up the pathway to a journey of limitless possibilities. On a physiological level, your yoga teaches you the physiology of happiness:
- Standing tall
- Shoulders down and back, chest open and breathing deeply
- Your lungs are challenged to expand and when you can breathe more deeply and more fully, your body and life experience is more expansive.
It is as simple as that. The converse is true. If you have a small lung volume:
- Breathing deeply can be a really scary experience as you learn to progressively bypass the physical blocks to lung expansion
- Your lungs may literally be sacs of unused tissue taking up a large amount of space in your chest cavity, yet be largely unused.
- In effect you are feeding your lungs just to stop them from stagnating (to keep them alive).
- They are almost deadweight in your body not doing anything but taxing your system, using energy but not giving anything in return.
Here’s a great analogy that will tease your mind. Imagine a circus tent. It gets unpacked and is laid on its footprint soon to be erected. Without its center pole up, it lies on the ground like a sad sack of plastic (albeit large). At this point it is hard to imagine that it could possibly fit thousands of people inside it. But here’s the thing: erect the center pole, prop up the center and magically a huge volume is instantly created. The same thing happens with your lungs and diaphragm. If you have years of minimal lung use with only small volumes filling them then your ‘center pole’ is only very small and the air just cannot get to all the little nooks and crannies.
* Breathing is a SKILL that can be improved upon.
* The deeper the breath, the bigger the ‘pole’.
* The more you can open your lungs the more breath you can draw in.
Your diaphragm needs exercise too
- Your diaphragm is an extremely important muscle attached to the bottom ribs, and spans the space under the ribs.
- It moves downward on your inhales by contracting its fibers.
- It works as you inhale to increase the negative pressure in your lungs to help draw the air deep down to fill them.
- Your breath is as deep as the effectiveness of your diaphragm can work.
If you cannot even inflate your lungs past that anxiety-producing shallow breath, then guess what? Your diaphragm is getting very little exercise and maybe none. I know you are probably skeptical, right? Think about it.
Imagine you go to your first classes in a hot yoga studio.
- The moisture is about 60-70% (considered perfect for optimum lung function).
- Your body is primed able to breathe more easily. But your lungs are so out of practice of breathing. They start to open up a bit.
- The diaphragm is getting stimulated and starting to WORK. It starts to move downward into the abdominal space as it contracts.
- You can possibly feel the discomfort of this expansion. And on top of that, the lungs start to expand and inflate with some air.
- >> All of a sudden the body becomes awash with oxygen, prana, life force, chi, energy that it has been denied of for maybe the longest time.<<
Who knows why your resources have been so low? How did this happen to you in the first place? Did a lifetime of emotional and physical distress or experiences fashion your body into the way it is now? Perhaps yes! So here you are newly exposed to this crazy hot yoga, betting your bottom dollar that you can’t breathe, that you can’t get enough oxygen into your lungs, or even blaming the heat for your physical crisis.
When actually your body has been CRYING out for air, for oxygen and for the first time in the longest while you are ACTUALLY delivering the goods.
Physical discomfort or fear of change?
In part, it is your physical body not being used to taking in that much air that makes you pay attention to these odd sensations in your body. The other part is the sheer fear or discomfort of releasing your emotional demons (or whatever they are) through your breath and by the perhaps resistant physical expansion of your torso. You are finally using those tired disused muscles, and awakening millions of alveoli in your lungs, those wondrous little powerhouses that direct the good stuff into the blood and swap the waste products and impurities out back into the air that you breathe out.
Embrace the intensity
Once you realize this, you can embrace your practice and everything it reflects, with grace and open arms and with a receptive spirit. This is why this yoga is SO damn great. You tease, coax and seduce your lungs open to receive the bounty of the universe in the form of life-giving oxygen.
The combination of heat and moisture in the room enhances this ability exponentially so that doing yoga in the hot room makes your benefits happen fast. So fast sometimes the mind cannot *cope* with the newness, the opening and the potential for change. Either the mind gets in the way and creates difficulties by sabotaging your efforts to evolve AND/OR the body has been *shut down* for so long that it is challenged by the physical stimulus of creating space.
Confront yourself in the mirror
Hot yoga is an intense experience that encourages deep breathing and helps you grow your lung capacity. This intense work in the heat fosters a strong connection with yourself, looking at your reflection in the mirror. Looking in your own eyes can trigger many varied reactions which open you up to personal growth through self-confrontation. Who knows what that might mean?
One thing’s for sure, the inability to look at yourself in the mirror is often accompanied by difficulty in breathing. The heat seems to accelerate the process and to me that has only an upside: You have the power in your hands. You have the ability to choose to process your *stuff* in a much more timely manner: it is your MISSION, should you wish to accept it. 🙂 If you can’t stand what that does for you – how those intense emotions or feelings start to bubble up from deep within and surface through sensations in the body (including difficulties in breathing) – then you have choices to make at that moment in time.
- You can EITHER be: Fixated by the difficulties and *blame* it on the heat…
- OR, you can tackle it head on in your own time-frame by continuing to go to class; face yourself head-on and whatever your body and mind want to serve up to show you at that particular moment.
Once you know that you are actually feeding your body with more oxygen and enlivening your soul then you may just have the impetus to stand there and breathe through it, no matter how uncomfortable it is. In time you will do this while looking at your own eyes in the mirror, cementing a strong self-connection rather than doing what most of us do in the beginning … which is averting the eyes, looking elsewhere, bending over, identifying with the *pain* rather than working through it more effectively by simply and effectively observing it.
Be an inspiration to you and others
Not able to breathe? Hardly! You are breathing better than you may have done in years. Love that feeling. Let it be expressed. Learn to breathe again. Now you know you can’t blame it on the heat or the air you will know what to say to the next person who complains that they can’t breathe. In the meantime, please feel free to add your comments (use the link I’ll give you below) and share with all of us what you think is your greatest tip to deepening your practice, or something that you have heard. Remember it doesn’t have to be groundbreaking … just useful, practical and something you want to share! Tell us all what you think, believe or feel in the comments!
Feel free to download and share this report in printable format: How-Hot-Is-Hot-Yoga.pdf
(Right click the image above and select “Save As..”)
I actually want to ask a question at the end of my comment. I have been doing Bikram now for about 2.5 years. I started right after I gave up doing Sweat Lodges. I go two days a week, usually in the morning in Houston. It is much hotter on humid days but the studio claims that the classes are consistent. Recently my ability to tolerate the heat has diminished greatly, but it totally depends on the class. Half the time I do great but the other times less so. My last class was so bad I couldn’t get up during the last 3rd of the class. I need hard data to factor into my experience so I know what to do. I want to bring an air quality meter (measures temp. humidity and Co2) in with me next time. When I asked about doing it the instructor wasn’t sure but he thought it was against the rules despite it would be small and discreet. He said he would pretend not to notice, but…. There is no way it would detract from someone else’s experience. The data would be reviewed after the class (not during) and compare several classes to my perception of them over time. To not allow this implies they don’t want me to know the facts. I would like your opinion before I either do it secretly or press my case to the studio owner. In my opinion, the data should be automatically logged and available to any student who asks after the class. I hear many students claim “this class was too hot..”. This implies it was hotter than it is supposed to be and it is easy to prove that one way or another.
Say the facts prove that it does fluctuate significantly and my perception corresponds with that. Conclusion: I don’t feel nearly as bad because it isn’t all in my head. Chances are, the studios have the same challenge/problem. However if I want to give the others a try then I can take my meter with me. Or perhaps I start one at home or give up hot yoga for other forms.
Say the facts prove that there is no correlation; there are fluctuations but not large and they don’t align with my perception.
Conclusion: It is mostly in my head and or in my body. I will pay more attention to how prepared I am, how much rest did I have, hydration, nutrition and etc. I would also focus on my resolve and meditation. I might do this even if I know that some classes are in fact much hotter or humid. If Co2 levels are low then I am of a split mind, as you can imagine.
Hi M
Thanks for being patient. I am back and as promised here is my response to your very important and interesting post, observations, questions and dilemma.
There is a lot I can glean from your words. You have a situation that can be dealt with easily in some ways and others could present a challenge. So, in my response we’ll look at the theory and what the ‘conditions’ are.
Something urgent has just come up so I will stop now for the moment. However it’s not as cut and dry as just the temperature. You seem to understand it has to do with moisture as well. So M, while you wait for me to get back to this, please take a look on the forum. Search for “Heat Index” and start to understand that concept. It’s going to be so useful for you. I will break it down when I get back.
However, your problem is more pressing and important than just the heat. Curious as to what I will say? I hope so. Meet you back here soon
Warm wishes
Gabrielle 🙂
Problem solved on the phone. It boils down to this…
Understand the Heat Index and how you can get excellent conditions for sweating and challenge without creating PHYSIOLOGICAL DANGER for students. You can raise humidity levels and lower the heat to get the same effect. The body CANNOT cool itself down in conditions of high humidity AND high temperature. The perception of a room with high moisture along with heat of around body temperature (and lower) is identical to conditions of high temp and low moisture levels. BONUS: This is an excellent way to save money on heating bills. Studios have huge electricity bills and this is one way to significantly lower those bills. PLUS Teachers have a DUTY OF CARE to give SAFE conditions to everyone, not just those who are able to withstand the dangerous levels that only a select few can withstand. Look around you. If there are others who cannot make it through class, then the temperature is too high. Or more correctly, the Heat Index is too high.
The other thing that is essential to know is that as a student of a public studio, you are the customer. If you are not satisfied that the conditions are safe you have every right to test the conditions with a device. You should not be submitted to superior protestations of ‘trust us’ and ‘it’s heated to regulation temperature’, or similar without STRONG evidence (and remember if others are dropping like flies, that’s evidence that the heat conditions are dangerous). Studios often hide their temperature gauges.
These days devices for humidity and temperature are easy and inexpensive. Your studio should proudly exhibit the conditions somewhere accessible (not distracting!). If the temperature stays at a constant 105F and moisture is never adjusted then either educate them on the Heat Index and get some changes in there … or … vote with your feet and practise elsewhere.
hi
I do bikram about 4 times a week, on average, and I’ve been doing it more than 10 years, I’m a 48 yo male.
I’ve found for a very long time that I have a lot of trouble with getting out of breath, which seems to be because I’m very congested nasally. I find in poses where I”m bending down, I find it quite hard breathing through my nose, and I usually make a snorting noise when I breathe in these positions. I’m also a very loud/heavy snorer.
The fact that I get out of breath, and these days usually end up lying down for a lot of the class, i feel is really holding me back in developing my yoga. My ability to do the poses, and my flexibility are really pretty good. It’s just the breathing issue that holds me back, I feel.
I tried a nasal spray for a short time, just before Bikram classes, but it didn’t seem to make any difference. Most doctors I’ve spoken to don’t seem to have much idea.
Any advice appreciated – thank you.
Hi Rick
Sorry for the delay. I was away for a week. I have some questions for you. Would you like to go to the forum and post this whole query there? The first thing I want to ask is are you always breathing through your nose?
Next: Are you a mouth breather or a nose breather generally (when you’re not doing yoga)?
I have more questions but given the format of this part of my website I think it’s better at the forum! Waddyasay?
Thanks!
G 🙂
Thanks v much Gabrielle, I’ll repost in the forum, but yes, I always breath through my nose in hot yoga. Generally, I’m a nose breather when I’m not doing yoga. Although sometimes I’ll wake up in the morning so nasally congested that I have to breathe through my nose.
Thanks for doing the website I found it interesting. I have been doing Bikram almost on a daily basis for years but sometimes I do find that I truly need oxygen. People who are built like me, 185 pounds no body fat male physiologically require more oxygen and I have found from time to time when the room is full and the doors aren’t open that I am close to passing out. Some of these yoga instructors to weigh 110 pounds just don’t seem to get it. I’m also a physician. I think it’s very real that in some of the studios that have multiple classes per day that there truly is less oxygen available. I would love to see data which show the results of air-quality testing. I have hope I’m wrong so I can relax and stop panicking in these overly crowded classes