The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Extreme tiredness
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Hi all,
I have been doing bikram for 1 week now. I have done 5 classes in 7 days and what I wanted to ask about was the extreme tiredness i’m experiencing. I am so tired after a class and for the whole of that day I can barely keep my eyes open and am struggling to function in my normal daily life. If i do an evening class i come home and end up falling asleep within minutes. This morning i did a 6am class and I literally just had to go and lie down in the toilet at work and have a 5 minute catnap because i was sitting at my desk falling asleep sitting up! I am physically fit and in good cardiovascular and muscular shape as i do a lot of other exercise, though i have put my other activities on hold while i try bikram for 10 days. I am drinking water before and during the class and having 500ml of coconut water after the class as well as upping my intake of water throughout the rest of the day so i should be hydrating correctly.
Is this tiredness likely to go after a while and when will I start to feel the benefits of the practise? Right now I just have this incredible tiredness and a stiff neck and dont feel any benefits whatsoever.Thanks,
Jess x
Hello,
I have anemia, so my Iron levels can get pretty low especially if I am doing strenuous exercise (such as Bikram). One of the effects of having low Iron is extreme low energy and tiredness. I am not saying you have this but it might be an option to get a blood test checking your Iron levels. I found that once my Iron is at a normal level my evergy is great, I can practice bikram daily and I don’t feel the need to fall asleep at my desk! 😛
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Ny
5 classes in 7 days when you’re not used to it at all is a LOT. I don’t care how great of shape you are in – I’ve never experienced any other type of workout that is anything like Bikram yoga, and I’m pretty athletic.
So I guess that doesn’t sound too surprising to me, I guess. I was EXHAUSTED after my first couple classes and I didn’t go every day – I spaced classes at least a day or two apart to recover. It wasn’t until about my 3rd and 4th classes that I started feeling better, and then within a week or two I was increasing classes and seeing a lot of benefits. And have found that I feel very energized at work after a 6am class – much moreso than normal 6am gym workouts. But I don’t go back to class if I’m not feeling re-hydrated and recovered. It won’t take long at all before you can do that with daily classes, but I don’t think pushing through exhaustion is the way to get there.
I think part of it is getting the rehydration dialed, because obviously you are losing more than just water, and I know for me, it’s a lot more than I’ve ever sweat in other types of workouts. You need to figure out what to eat/drink to keep your electrolytes in balance. But in the meantime, I’d space out your classes a little more so you feel more fully recovered in between.
Hi Jess
It often happens that people get exhausted. Some people have the opposite issue: invigorated and energised.
An important question for you:
How do you feel the day following an evening class? Are you also wiped out then too? Because if you’re not, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t just go to night time classes until your system stabilises.
That sore neck is an issue that if you’re willing I think is worth some conversation about. Please tell me more…
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I am also experiencing extreme fatigue. I have been doing Bikram for 4-6 times a week for the past month. I usually do morning classes, 5:30am, 7:30 or 8:00am.
For the past week or so, a few hours after yoga I want to take a nap and don’t have any energy to do much. I drink water and even coconut water after class. I probably drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
I did feel a cold coming on two weeks ago, but still went to class religiously. Any ideas what is wrong with me. I am generally fit and within my weight range. I’ve exercised off and on throughout my life and have never experience this fatigue. I’ve done a marathon, other races, Bikram years ago before kids(3-4 times a week…).
I just wonder if doing it 6 times a week is the problem. I have never done that before, but am starting a 60 day challenge.
Hi Diane
You may need to: drink more water and or take more electrolytes, or do your classes at night or even try one day on and one day off for a week and see how that goes.
The 60 day challenge for you may not be appropriate while you are having your own challenges. Powering through no matter what is not really what yoga is about.
Work out what your body is telling you and then respond.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thank you for your reply. I am feeling better now and am making more of a conscious effort to drink more water. I think it was a combination of not enough water and perhaps not enough sleep on the 5:30am day classes.
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