I am ready to restart my heated yoga practice again. I am scared….

I used to do a heated practice 3 or 4 times a week. After a 2 month long vacation from yoga, I went to a class fully prepared to sweat and enjoy. I almost passed out and thought I would have to call 911. My body had become unconditioned to heated exercise. I have to start from scratch.

Things I forgot and now remember:
Your body wants to hold a nice balance between outside heat and external heat loss; known as thermoregulation. The air temp may not only be hotter than skin temp, but also the core temp of the exerciser; some room temps of yoga classes are 90-100 degrees. The body needs to release heat. If fans are not used in your studio, the body will only have the use of evaporation of sweat to cool itself. Really hard to do when the room is hotter than the core temp of the body!
The use of humidifiers combined with the other sweaty bodies will increase the humidity level. The body has a hard time cooling. The body sweats profusely so the yogi will use a towel to wipe off leading to a decrease in evaporation of sweat on the skin. Less cooling~more dehydration.
Drink before~ drink during ~ drink water after.
Hydration will be the key to keep you going during the class.

Cedric Bryant Chief Science officer of A.C.E recommends the following guidelines for hydration.
Consume fluids at regular intervals throughout the course of normal daily activities.
• Drink 17–20 ounces of water or a decaffeinated beverage at least two hours prior to the class.
• Drink frequently and early, before the onset of thirst during exercise. The underlying goal is to match one’s sweat loss with fluid replacement. This is especially important for middle-aged and older (>50) participants who, as a group, tend to have less-sensitive thirst mechanisms.
• Measure body weight prior to exercise, and evaluate any change in body weight after class. Consume fluids to return body weight to normal. Drink 16–24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.
• Make sure replacement fluids are cold and palatable.

Before attending class, look to gradually build your endurance to heat. The first workout should be only 10 to 15 minutes. The buildup to a class should be very slow. It will usually take about 2 weeks of effort to become acclimated. Oh don’t drink alcohol or smoke before class.
So maybe the best time to restart will be this summer….