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About the Heat
The heat combined with the sequence of the postures is what makes Bikram Yoga so special. The room is heated intentionally to warm muscles, which allows you to work deeper in a shorter amount of time, seeing results faster.
Heat takes the trauma out of stretching, heals and helps prevent injuries. Also, your skin is the largest elimination organ in your body. Yoga is not just about working muscles. You are massaging deep tissues, glands, organs as well. As you work deep within your body, you may start to release "poisons" or "toxins" that have been stored there a long time. Sweating helps flush toxins from your body, giving you a wonderful glow from head to toe.
Muscles, fascia and connective tissue become more elastic allowing for greater flexibility with less chance of injury
Promotes sweating which assists the detoxification process using the body's largest organ, the skin
Blood becomes thinner which clears the circulatory system
When the body is between three and five degrees above normal temperature, T cell output from the thymus gland is multiplied 20 fold. T cells fight infection which in turn keeps the immune system functioning properly
Speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids
Heart rate becomes elevated which improves the cardiovascular system (heart and lungs)
Provides strengthening of willpower, self control and determination through the challenging environment
Warmer temperatures produce a fluid like stretch that allows for greater range of movement in joints, muscles, ligaments and other supporting structures of the body
Improves strength because proteins can be utilised more effectively
Warm muscles burn fat more effectively.
When we stretch, the fat has no room to sit and is redistributed to the blood stream which we then use as energy
Higher temperatures improve the function of the nervous system, meaning the messages are carried more rapidly to and from the brain or spinal cord (you think clearer)
Capillaries respond to heat by dilating. This allows more oxygen to muscles, tissues, glands and organs helping in the removal of waste products