When the heat is blazing and even the thought of moving is just unappealing, the last thing you want to do is a workout that’s going to make you feel even hotter (not to mention sweatier.) But yoga may actually help cool you down and give you a great workout at the same time.
Yoga philosophy includes a practice called Ayurveda, a natural system of holistic medicine that developed in India more than 3,000 years ago. The word comes from Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (knowledge). It’s not just a belief system – it’s a scientific method that uses natural elements like foods or movement to improve your health holistically (looking at the body as a whole, not just as different points of symptoms). The idea is that every issue in your body, whether physical, mental or spiritual, can throw your entire body off balance.
So, they developed a system of yoga, diet, massage therapy, herbal remedies and meditation to keep the body in balance at all time. This means that when the body is too hot, there are ayurvedic ways to cool you back down.
Food
According to these ideals, what you put in your body is the starting block for everything else your body, mind and spirit experiences. When there’s too much heat around you, eating cooling foods can help balance your internal and external temperature as well as your mood. (Feeling hot-tempered? This can help that too.) Here are a few examples:
Coconut: In the summer, it’s more important than ever for your body to stay hydrated. The electrolytes and healthy fats in coconut water help ward off dehydration.
Cucumber: A common Sanskrit word for cucumber is actually “Susheetala,” meaning “naturally cool.” It’s good for managing your bladder as well as balancing toxins that make you excessively thirsty.
Lemons: The acid in lemons is diaphoretic, which means they help the body expel sweat and perspiration more efficiently by opening up your pores, which can keep you cool. Why do you think we love a tall glass of lemonade in the summer months?
Movement
When the weather is warm, you’ll do best to keep slow, fluid motions that blend one into the next – jerky and sudden movements are only going to add more internal heat. Between poses, focus on moving as if through water, moving your body in ways that keep your heart open as much as possible. You’re letting heat out, and your body position can play a major factor in that.
Here are a few poses that will help release tension in your body and cool you down:
Meditation
Sitting still sounds nice in the heat – especially when that’s sometimes all you think you can manage to do. Use it as an opportunity to practice mindfulness through meditation and breathwork.
Sitali, or “cooling,” breath can immediately help make your body feel cooler in the summer months by creating an inner breeze. Sit in a comfortable, upright position with your mouth slightly open. Roll your tongue into a tube shape, and take a slow, deep breath in through it. Breathe in for 3 long counts, hold for a moment, close your mouth and then slowly exhale through your nose.
Complete cooling breaths for a few rounds before falling into a calming meditation. When your mind is flaring up and your temper spikes, that warmth can have just as much of an effect on your body temperature as the weather. Sit in cool stillness as you let that heat go.
Just be careful – too much cooling isn’t good either. The idea is keeping your body in balance, so always stay in tune with how you’re feeling.