Are you unsure what happens after a workout? Here’s what to do after hot yoga.
Just like regular yoga or any other workout, you need to know how to stay safe and injury-free after the hot yoga class ends. The best thing to do is to eat and shower. Stay hydrated with lukewarm water or fresh coconut water, stock up with energy nut bars, and gravitate towards a high-protein post-yoga meal.
Practicing hot yoga can be daunting, so here’s what you need to know.
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What Happens To Your Body After Hot Yoga?
After you step out of the hot yoga studio, you might feel relaxed – although pretty sweaty.
Your muscles stretch easier in a room of 105°F because the heat makes muscles more pliable, leaving you better flexibility to reach your range of motion and extend deeper within each pose.
A hot room gets your heart going and may help shed more calories and pounds thanks to increased heart rate. On the flip side, you’re also likely to risk heat exhaustion and also become dehydrated. Therefore, giving a heads-up about what to do after a hot yoga session is crucial to keep you motivated.
You might also be interested in our guide on how to warm up for yoga.
The Best Drinks To Stay Hydrated After Hot Yoga
Lukewarm Water
Chugg down a bottle of lukewarm water after your hot yoga class to compensate for the fluid imbalance. As the heat makes you sweat more, you lose a lot of fluid during hot yoga. Therefore, staying hydrated is one of the first things you should do after class.
Most of the time, lukewarm water is the best way to go as it cools you off immediately without provoking extra exhaustion and cramps. Other than that, your organs and muscles will be replenished faster as the body doesn’t have to utilize extra energy sources to heat lukewarm water for absorption.
You might find our explainer on why you get a headache after yoga useful.
Electrolytes-Added Drinks
Opt for electrolytes-added beverages to refill the electrolytes lost in your body. Coconut water also does the trick. Coffee, caffeinated beverages, and alcoholic drinks are a big no-no due to the diuretic effects.
The Best Food To Eat After Hot Yoga
Nutritious Nut Bars And Fruit
Eat foods that contain magnesium and calcium, as these are electrolytes. Stock up your bag with easy-to-pack energy nut bars so you can eat them right after saying goodbye to the teacher.
Alternatively, high-potassium fruits, including bananas, cantaloupe, grapefruits, and honeydew, are some of the best foods to support your healthy nerve and regulate fluid and blood levels when the hot yoga session comes to an end.
Enjoy A Nutritious Post-Yoga Meal
When you finally get home, a slightly heavier meal at the end of the day allows you to fully recharge after a hot yoga class, especially when you get really hungry.
Don’t overlook a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein for muscle recovery and satiety. For those who practice hot yoga in the morning, nothing says refreshing louder than a serving of overnight oats. Stick to a healthy version using organic ingredients.
Alternatively, enjoy some avocado toast. These options are not only nutritious but also hearty to kick off your day.
For the afternoon version, rice is my go-to meal. You can never go wrong with some cooked jasmine rice served with boiled sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, eggs, and some greens like kale or spinach.
How To Replenish After Hot Yoga
Shower
Walking out of a hot yoga class without a proper shower is bad for your skin and hair. Showering washes away all toxins that reside on your skin. These nasty substances are the main reason impurities enter your pores and cause breakouts.
Pack an extra bra and outfit to change into after showering because you don’t want to poke your head into that old sweaty two-piece outfit again.
Use A Natural Cleanser
A gentle cleanser comes to the rescue after you break a sweat as it helps neutralize and clean the skin. Stick to natural ingredients such as anti-bacterial cleanser containing tea tree oil, cooling gel-based facial wash, or milky alternatives instead of digging your nose into sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate-contained cleaners. These products eventually strip natural skin oil, causing irritation and dryness.
Moisturize Your Skin
Applying lotion right after the post-yoga shower will minimize the risk of inflamed acne.
Heat opens your pores. That means the chance of inflammation is higher, and the intense inflamed acne will go into overdrive.
The best time to apply lotion is within five minutes of your shower. This golden time allows all the benefits and nutrition from the cream to be soaked up into your body, leaving you a glow-up look.
Should You Sanitize Your Mat After Hot Yoga?
Treat your mat the same way as you do with your clothes. I know some people don’t even bother washing and drying their mats after each class, which is why bacteria grow.
The heated environment inside a hot yoga dome allows microscopic critters to reside and develop, both in your clothes and on your mat. Right after you get home, grab that bottle of chemical disinfectants and spray it all over your mat before drying it out in the sun.
