Anjana Sahney Thakker
Many people experience an increase in body temperature when meditating, and this is perfectly normal. Some people feel cold, while others feel hot, and some experience other sensations like tingling, vibrations, throbbing, feeling heavy, or like they're floating.
There are several reasons why your body temperature may rise during meditation. One reason could be that you are too tense or anxious, which can cause your core temperature to rise. Another factor could be your breathing; mindful breathing during meditation requires you to pay close attention to your first few breaths to lower your heart rate and relax your body. If you're new to meditation, you might find it challenging to allow your breathing to continue naturally while focusing on your meditation, and this could contribute to feeling hot.
Additionally, the concept of Qi or chi energy flowing through your body could be a factor. In ancient Chinese medicine, a good flow of chi is believed to promote good health, and meditation can help improve or stimulate this flow. As you reach a deeper state of awareness, you may simply become more aware of the chi flowing through your body, which can also cause your temperature to rise.
It's important to note that the increase in body temperature during meditation is typically not an indication of how effectively you're meditating. If you're feeling uncomfortable or distracted by the heat, there are some tips you can try to stay cool, such as working on your breathing technique and adjusting your position or the environment around you.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Body temperature increase | Rise in core body temperature |
| Rise in temperature of hands and feet | |
| Rise in temperature of the body from the base of the spine | |
| Rise in temperature of the head | |
| Sweating | |
| Cause of temperature increase | Release of energy |
| Movement | |
| Vascular dilation | |
| Poor breathing technique | |
| Poor meditation posture | |
| Emotional response | |
| Release of old stresses or traumas | |
| Flow of Qi energy | |
| Spiritual heat |
What You'll Learn
The release of energy
It's important to note that the release of energy during meditation can vary from person to person and may be influenced by individual factors such as karma, body nature, and constitution. While some people might experience warm spiritual heat, others might feel a cooling energy. It's also essential to be mindful of excessive heat generation during meditation, as it can lead to discomfort and skin irritation. Practicing breathing techniques, such as sheetali pranayama, and adjusting your physical position can help regulate temperature and manage the release of energy.
Meditation has the power to unearth and release old emotions, which can also contribute to the release of energy and temperature changes. As you delve deeper into meditation, you may become more aware of the flow of energy and the associated physical sensations. This release of energy is a positive sign and indicates that your meditation practice is having a profound effect on your body and mind.
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Vascular dilation
Vasodilation, also known as vasorelaxation, is the widening of blood vessels due to the relaxation of the blood vessel's muscular walls. It is a mechanism to enhance blood flow to areas of the body that lack oxygen or nutrients.
Vasodilation is the result of the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, particularly in large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. Blood vessel walls are composed of endothelial tissue and a basal membrane lining the lumen of the vessel, concentric smooth muscle layers on top of endothelial tissue, and an adventitia over the smooth muscle layers. The relaxation of the smooth muscle layer allows the blood vessel to dilate, as it is typically held in a semi-constricted state by sympathetic nervous system activity.
Vasodilation is the opposite of vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels. When blood vessels dilate, the flow of blood is increased due to a decrease in vascular resistance and an increase in cardiac output. Vasodilation acts to increase cardiac output by decreasing afterload, one of the four determinants of cardiac output.
Vasodilation is caused by the removal of a contractile stimulus or the inhibition of contractility in the smooth muscle cells. Numerous stimuli can activate eNOS and COX pathways, forming nitric oxide and prostacyclin, respectively. These secondary messengers produced in the smooth muscle cells have downstream effects of causing a decrease in intracellular Ca and an increase in myosin light chain (MLC) phosphatase activity. In smooth muscle cells, active MLC phosphatase dephosphorylates the contracted actin and MLC complex, causing MLC to relax.
Vasodilation plays a major role in immune system function. Wider blood vessels allow more blood containing immune cells and proteins to reach the infection site. Vasodilation occurs as part of the inflammatory process, which is caused by several factors, including the presence of a pathogen, injury to tissues or blood vessels, and immune complexes. In severe cases, inflammation can lead to sepsis or distributive shock.
Vasodilation is also a significant component of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction characterised by elevated vascular permeability, systemic vasodilation, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and respiratory dysfunction. Anaphylatoxins, specifically complement proteins C3a and C5a, bind to receptors on mast cells and basophils, causing degranulation and releasing compounds that lead to systemic vasodilation and dangerously low blood pressure.
Vasodilation can be intrinsic, due to local processes in the surrounding tissue, or extrinsic, caused by hormones or the nervous system. It can be localized to a specific organ, depending on the metabolic needs of a particular tissue, or it may be systemic, seen throughout the entire systemic circulation.
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The flow of Qi energy
Meditation can help improve or stimulate the flow of Qi throughout your body. As one reaches a deeper state of awareness, they may simply become more aware of Qi flowing through their body. This might manifest as a tingling sensation, tickling, vibrations, or heat—it feels different for different people. However, it is completely natural and can also cause one's temperature to rise.
Some people don't believe in Qi or chi energy, but for those who do, it is an important concept in understanding the mind-body connection and promoting holistic health.
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Emotional responses
The experience of feeling warm during meditation is quite common, and it is often linked to our emotions. When we feel intense emotions such as anger or upset, we may physically feel hot. Similarly, feelings of anxiety or fear can lead to feeling cold. Our emotions are integrally connected to the temperature sensations we experience.
During meditation, we may unearth old emotions that have not been fully processed and are stored in our bodies. As these emotions surface, we may experience them as physical sensations or changes in temperature. It is important to allow yourself to feel these sensations and let go of the emotions that are no longer serving you.
Additionally, feeling warm during meditation can be related to the release of stress. When we are mentally and emotionally stressed, our blood vessels constrict. However, during meditation, as we relax and our stress levels decrease, vascular dilation can occur, improving our circulation and leading to an increase in body temperature.
Furthermore, the concept of "Qi" or "chi" in ancient Chinese medicine is relevant here. "Qi" is the energy that flows through our bodies, and a good flow of "Qi" is believed to promote good health. Meditation can stimulate and improve the flow of "Qi", and as a result, some people may experience a rise in body temperature.
It is important to note that the increase in body temperature during meditation is a normal and positive sign of the body's response to the practice. With time and practice, you will be able to manage and balance the sensations you experience during meditation.
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Incorrect breathing
Breathing plays a key role in meditation. It also plays a key role in regulating our core temperature. Mindful breathing during meditation requires you to pay close attention to your first few breaths to lower your heart rate and relax your mind and body. Then you need to transition to natural breathing. This is where some people new to meditation find it difficult to allow their breathing to carry on naturally while they focus on their meditation. This will improve with practice.
Breathing in and out through the left nostril with the right nostril closed can help to generate a cooling current to balance the spiritual heat. This is known as Chandra nadis.
If you are feeling heaviness, rapid breathing through the nose with the mouth closed can be done to oxygenate the brain and remove the feeling of heaviness.
If you are feeling tense or anxious, this can cause a problem for your breathing and have a knock-on effect of causing your core temperature to rise.
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Frequently asked questions
It is perfectly normal to feel hot when meditating. Meditation can increase your body temperature, and some people are more affected by this than others.
There are several reasons why your body temperature may rise when you meditate. You may be too tense or anxious, which can cause your core temperature to rise. Alternatively, you may not be breathing correctly. Mindful breathing during meditation requires you to pay close attention to your first few breaths to lower your heart rate and relax your mind and body. Then you need to transition to natural breathing, which can be difficult for beginners.
In ancient Chinese medicine, "chi" is the energy that flows through our bodies, and a good flow of chi promotes good health. Meditation can help improve or stimulate the flow of chi throughout your body, which may lead to a rise in body temperature.
If you are getting too hot, try working on your breathing, as this is a common reason why new practitioners overheat. You could also try changing your position – if you currently lay down, try sitting, as having your body flat on a bed will retain more heat than sitting upright. Sit closer to an open window so you have a breeze coming in, or try meditating with a wet towel on your forehead.
