I was really into hot yoga at first. The heat felt incredible, like my body was finally melting after years of holding tension.
My muscles would loosen in a way they rarely do, and when I stepped out of the studio and the fresh air hit my face, the contrast made me feel even more relaxed, calm, and almost euphoric.
It felt so healing so I kept going. Every Saturday for a year.
But over time my body started telling a different story. The relaxation didn’t last.
I started leaving class tired in a way that didn’t feel good, like my energy had been drained instead of replenished. I also wasn’t a big water drinker at the time, which probably made things worse, especially since hot yoga is so intense and challenging.
I kept telling myself this was part of the process. If it’s hard, it must be working. If everyone else looks fine, maybe I just need to adapt.
Except my sleep got lighter. My appetite felt off. My body tightened back up within hours, sometimes even more than before. The heat gave me temporary relief, but it was asking a lot from my system.
I didn’t realize how much it was costing me until I started listening to my body more closely.
I started going less and decided to try a different type of yoga, aerial yoga. At first, the hammocks were intimidating, I was so nervous I was going to fall on my bum or head, but the instructor walked us through it all, and once I got settled, it quickly became comfortable and surprisingly easy to maneuver.
It feels playful and supportive rather than demanding and exhausting.
That’s why I walk out feeling lighter and steadier, and the next day my body still feels okay instead of tight all over again.
Instead of forcing heat and pushing through tension like hot yoga, it releases my body gently.
My spine decompresses, my shoulders soften, and I’m still getting stronger, just without feeling worn out afterward.
For a body like mine that tends to hold a lot of tension, runs thin, gets cold easily, and struggles with dryness and low energy, this kind of movement feels like actual healing.
I’ve also started noticing a pattern with the types of yoga that support me most. Aerial yoga has become my favorite by far, but restorative classes, gentle yin, and slower grounded flows all leave me feeling balanced instead of burned out.
The heat of hot yoga made me feel good temporarily, but slowly I realized it was costing my body more than it was helping.
Not because hot yoga is bad, it’s just not what MY BODY needs right now.
If you’ve been pushing yourself in workouts that leave you needing to recover from your recovery, it might be worth asking whether your body is craving support instead of strain.
Honestly, Vanessa 