How a Sweaty Yoga Routine Can Spark Your Writing Creativity

by Shane O’Donoghue

It’s 5:00 a.m. when the upbeat percussion and trumpets in “Walking on Sunshine” blast from my alarm clock.

While those sounds are usually enough to lift anyone’s spirits, it’s not the case when the rays of light hinting at the promise of a new day haven’t even begun to emerge.

Add to this the fact that it’s February 12th. In Boston. Even without the sunlight, I have no trouble seeing my breath as I adjust to yet another frigid morning.

You Don’t Want to Be Late for This Yoga Class

My brain is always a second or two slower than the rest of my body when I wake up.

After countless data points from years of groggy mornings, I know that I have to spring up instantly before my subconscious mind rationalizes. Otherwise, if given the chance to provide unsolicited advice, it will practically shout at me to pull up the covers and GET BACK TO BED!

It’s too late, though. I’m up. What could possibly cause me to rise at this hour? Work doesn’t start until 9, I don’t have a golden retriever to walk, and there are certainly no little ones in my house who need a diaper change.

What then?

The reason I’m awake is a kind, spirited woman named Nikki. No, she’s not a lover but instead a yoga instructor. And trust me, you do not want to be late for her 5:30 am class.

How My Mom Got Me Into Yoga

I started practicing hot yoga on a whim when my Mom half-jokingly bought me a trial membership at the local studio for Christmas.

She was and still is a devoted follower of the movement. She had been trying to get me on board for months before the holidays, to no avail. This was her hail Mary attempt to convince me.

Like a Red Sox fan trying to sway a Yankees supporter to his team, I thought she had no chance. As I reminded her time and again, I’m about as flexible as a lead pipe and I prefer running football routes to stretching.

And yet here I was two months later, trudging in the snow to get to Nikki. Let me give you three reasons why.

Reason 1: The Only Present is…Presence

As a writer, I often struggle with decluttering my mind.

Getting into that coveted “flow state” where ideas and words come naturally has always been an uphill battle for me. When I wake up, I’m often flooded with anxious thoughts–lingering ruminations from the day before or even from my distant past.

At the risk of understating, it’s a frustrating and uncomfortable way to start the day.

The primary benefit of practicing yoga is that it teaches how to be present. The goal while we’re in the studio is to be fully….there.

Before I signed up for any classes, this concept of presence seemed cliché. I’d heard the Eleanor Roosevelt quote a thousand times, but it never resonated:

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, today is a gift, that’s why we call it the present.”

During the introductory class, my mind was racing faster than Christian Bale in Ford vs. Ferrari. My thought loops were all over the place, and I could feel myself beginning to panic. I knew I couldn’t leave the room, and we were only three minutes into a 60-minute class.

Nikki must have sensed my discomfort or she was used to it. It’s common for beginners and veterans alike to feel this way.

While we were grounded in our down dog position as beads of sweat pounded our mats, she said: “Yoga is a mind-body exercise, the two are inseparable. Give your mind something to focus on outside your thoughts. Hone in on the movements and really get into your body for the next hour.”

So I did.

Focusing on the Poses Allowed Me to Just Be

Focusing on the sensations in every part of my body as I flowed through the poses silenced the thoughts and allowed me to just be in the room.

I experienced a freedom unlike anything before in my usually futile attempts to combat relentless ruminating. I was, for a moment, a detached observer of the confusing maze that is the human mind.

I’ve taken this lesson from hot yoga with me to my life more generally. When useless thoughts crop up that have me spinning my mental wheels, I immediately dive into the body and truly feel the sensations within. I’ll notice the slight ache in my lower back or the loosening of my shoulder muscles as I reach to the sky.

The clarity and focus that result from this mindful practice, even for brief moments at a time, help reset my writing and my life.

Reason 2: It’s Getting Hot in Here

Okay, despite Nelly’s advice, maybe don’t take off all your clothes.

But that’s not the point.

While yoga on its own has countless physical and mental benefits, let’s not forget about the first word of that phrase: hot. With the triple-digit heat in the studio, it’s easy to forget about Boston and instead think you’re enduring a summer in Phoenix.

While the heat is uncomfortable at first, scientific research shows that sweating in a particularly warm environment is uniquely beneficial. It improves circulation, releases toxins, and brings oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to skin cells, thereby nourishing the skin.

Mentally, the exercise is correlated with reducing stress levels and easing symptoms of depression and anxiety—ancillary benefits of practicing presence. Such healthy actions set the tone for the rest of the day and compound over time.

A Tip for Those Starting Hot Yoga

If and when you begin your own hot yoga journey, here’s a pro tip: contrast the heat from the studio with the briskness outside or the cool waters in a shower.

This will supercharge the benefits mentioned previously.

Aptly called “contrast therapy”, exposing your body to both heat and cold causes muscles to pump similarly to how they do during aerobic activity.

The result? Increased energy levels, improved alertness, and elevated mood.

I’m not much of a morning person (Like John C. Reilley says in Stepbrothers: I am NO good before 11:00 a.m.) but I’ve finally found a routine that works. Hot yoga followed by a cool shower has me feeling fresh, focused, and energized to begin my writing and day.

Reason 3: A Great(ful) Morning

It is commonplace for a hot yoga instructor to end the practice with Shavasana, or (more morbidly) “Corpse Pose.” After a challenging hour of growth and exploration, sealing the practice in silent reflection allows you to smoothly transition into your day.

Often, the instructor will read a spiritual quote to spur inspiration. Nikki’s most recent musing came from Yogi Bhajan:

“The purpose of life is to be beautiful, to be bountiful, to be blissful, to be graceful and grateful. What a wonderful English word—grateful. If one is great and full, one is God. And whenever smallness faces you, you should be great. And full. Full of that greatness.”

What an encouraging idea that gratitude inspires both greatness and fullness. True to form, my heart is full and my mind at ease after a hot yoga class. When I return home, I write 10 things, people, and/or places for which I am truly grateful.

Orienting my day towards gratitude allows me to practice love, kindness, and generosity to myself and others. As an added benefit, my best writing usually comes from this place of deep gratitude and zest for life.

How Hot Yoga Helps Me Feel Like a Winner

Each morning, I follow the same routine. I jump out of bed before I can think about the absurdity of such an early wake-up and make the trek to the yoga studio. And each morning, I finish my practice feeling hopeful and excited for the day I’ve been gifted.

Over time, I’ve witnessed much self-growth as a direct result of hot yoga. While I remain relatively inflexible and still prefer football routes to stretching, hot yoga allows me to become more present in my life.

My practice ensures that I am better able to gently silence those unhelpful thoughts which prevent me from living my best life and writing my best content.

As Tim Ferriss says, “Win the morning, win the day.”

Well, It’s 6:30 am, and I already feel like a winner. I guess this is how Tom Brady feels all the time.

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_{Featured image by Yan Krukov from Pexels}

Shane O’Donoghue is a health copywriter & digital marketing specialist. He currently lives a stone’s throw away from Fenway Park despite being a Yankees fan (yikes).