Bikram Yoga Risks

Step into a Bikram yoga studio and the first thing you'll notice is the heat and humidity. Bikram yoga, sometimes called hot yoga, is practiced in 105-degree temperatures with at least 40 percent humidity. The heat is meant to help you achieve a deeper stretch with looser muscles, while allowing you to sweat freely. The tactics are hotly debated among yogis and health care professionals, so it's important you know the potential dangers before you try a class.

Dehydration

The heat and humidity of a Bikram yoga studio is much like a traditional sauna. The heat will make you sweat, especially when you're engaging in the physical strain of the 26 Bikram yoga poses. Since most Bikram yoga classes are 60 to 90 minutes in length, if you don't continually replenish the water lost through sweating, you put yourself at risk for dehydration. Some Bikram followers practice without water, but it's a dangerous habit. Keep a water bottle nearby and drink at least 4 oz. every 15 minutes to stay properly hydrated.

Cardiovascular Stress

Bikram yoga is generally discouraged for those who have cardiovascular issues, raised blood pressure or a high heart rate. Exercising in the heat puts added stress on the cardiovascular system, which can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dizziness, nausea and fainting. Young children and the elderly should not practice Bikram yoga, and pregnant women and those with cardiovascular disease should not participate either. If you're thinking about trying a class, talk to your doctor about your particular contraindications.

Pain

One of the purposes of practicing yoga in a hot, humid room is to loosen your muscles for better flexibility. While this theory has not been closely studied, it can be a risk when you push your body too hard. Consider an athlete who takes pain medications to perform better -- she no longer knows when her body tells her to slow down because the pain, her body's warning system, is no longer detectable. The same could be said for hot yoga. While you may get a better stretch, you may also overexert your body, which could result in pain and injury.

Staying Safe

If you want to test the waters of Bikram yoga, speak to a health care provider. If you receive an OK, look for an experienced instructor. Let the instructor know ahead of time that it's your first time practicing Bikram and ask for added help and instruction to ensure you're doing the poses correctly. Wear as little clothing as possible and keep water nearby at all times to stay hydrated. If at any time you feel dizzy, nauseous, suddenly fatigued, have cramps or sight weakness, stop immediately, find a cool place and apply cool rags to your skin.