The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › The Heat › how not to faint
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › The Heat › how not to faint
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Hi there,
I have been to six Bikram Yoga sessions and thought they were great and look forward to each one, but last night for the first time I was unable to complete the session.
After straightening up from a really early pose, (the side, front and back bending one) everything suddenly went bright white and my hearing was affected to the point that the teacher sounded like he was under water and my lips turned blue. It’s spooked me a little as I’ve never felt like that before. Is it normal to get like that and is there anything I can do to mimimise it? I’m going back there tonight to try and stick out the whole session but feel nervous as I’d hate to faint in front of all those people!
Hi Sarah
I have never had anyone have that specific problem. Every body is different. I can certainly understand why you feel concerned. And I am happy to hear that you are trying again and not letting your ‘interesting’ experience drive you away.
One thing you could do to minimize it is to try to ensure you are breathing in and out continually and not holding your breath. I know that sounds basic and almost ridiculous to suggest. But, many new students have their bandwidth caught up with trying to follow what is going on that the basic things can get lost – even remembering to breathe. You need oxygen :cheese:
Another thing is when you have gone a few times your mind can get a little overzealous believing it ‘knows’ everything about the poses and then the student tries too hard. So maybe start to listen more, and maybe observe more and understand it is not about the depth of the pose it is about alignment. Don’t push to your absolute limit – and risk damage – even if your teachers are trying to get you to do that. As a new student you may not know enough about the technique to get to the limits of the poses safely. You will read this and hear this everywhere: listen to your body’s voice or your body’s intelligence.
Finally, if you feel like fainting then just lie down. It won’t take long before your ego lets go and you cease to ‘worry’ about how you appear to the rest of your fellow students. You will smile one day at that comment. One day you will notice the same things going on for the other new students; you will simply observe with compassion (if you actually notice anything much outside of yourself anyway), without self-talk, without judgment, and then let it go!
Enjoy your practice.
I am really interested to hear about your next class experience if you are willing to share that with us.Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello – for what it’s worth, I just started the Bikram classes (and love them). I noticed after my 3rd week that when I do the sit-ups to get up from the dead pose that if I follow the directions, it actually makes me feel less light headed. I got pretty dizzy after doing certain poses and as I said, I just recently realized that the sit-ups actually minimize this. Not sure if this is the intent or not or maybe it’s just the way I respond to the sit-up, but I’m hoping there is something to this as I, too, did not enjoy that dizzy feeling.
Good luck with it all. I’m right there with you!
Hi MBF1
It seems to me as though your mindfulness in your sit-ups is physiologically and mentally keeping you safe and present. Great noticing…
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi,
Thanks so much for your advice. I went along last night and the teacher recognised me (different teacher but he had been taking part in the class the night before)and told me to take it slowly and not worry about it as it could just be low blood sugar or deyhdration (it’s 40 degrees outside here as well as inside!).
Anyway, I finished the class and it was probably the best one yet. It’s a small thing, but I got my head on my knee in the seated hamstring stretch pose and I haven’t been able to do that for about five years.
Beginners like me worry too much about what other people think, especially when there are some really bendy people in the class! Afterwards I felt better than ever and I’m learning not to expect each session to be the same or even to be as good from one session to another. Thanks again, and great website by the way. -
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