Feeling Intense Heat During Meditation? Here’s Why

If you’re feeling intense heat during meditation don’t worry, you’re not alone and it’s not that uncommon.

I myself have felt everything from gentle warmth to uncomfortably hot and sweaty while meditating.

I don’t get these extreme sensations anymore, however.

Meditation is a continual practice. A lifelong one at that. As you practice meditation you’ll become better at controlling the sensations you feel.

Here’s everything I’ve learned about feeling heat all over my body while meditating and what I did to stop it:

Why Do I Get Hot During Meditation?

First of all, you need to try and identify the reason why you’re getting so hot while meditating. Then you can do something about it, or at the very least stop questioning it.

Here are the main reasons that might be behind it:

You’re Tense or Not Breathing Correctly

The core principle of meditating is breathing correctly. If you are not breathing right, it might be causing your body to retain heat.

It could also be that you’re tense, which is often linked to not being able to focus on breathing in deep breaths, and letting out a long exhale.

Try getting back to the basics of relaxing and breathing. Practice while not in a meditative state throughout the day, the more you practice the more natural it’ll feel.

It’s a Reflection of Your Emotional State

Meditation often brings our emotions to the forefront. Some emotions like anger or shame cause us to feel hot under the collar, right?

If you’re currently dealing with these emotions or similar, or you have some buried deep inside it’s possible you’re bringing these to the surface through meditation.

This can be harnessed as a good thing. Experiencing these emotions is your chance to face up to them and let go. If this is the case, confront why you’re feeling this way and make peace with it.

It’s the Energy Rushing Through Your Body

When we meditate, especially though certain techniques energy moves upward through our bodies.

For some people, this causes their core temperature to rise. Everyone’s body reacts differently to meditation, there are a number of different sensations you may feel (as I’ll cover below).

If this is the reason for you, it should lessen over time with practice. For now, however, the best thing you can do is cool down the room or wear fewer layers, etc.

What Other Sensations Are Normal During Meditation?

As I mentioned above, meditation affects everyone differently, especially when you first start practicing.

The healing process in the body varies from person-to-person. Both in how much healing is needed, how the energy flows, and the techniques you’re using.

With that in mind, here are some of the most common feelings and sensations people experience while meditating:

Sleepy/Tiredness – There’s a fine line between reaching a deep state of relaxation and falling asleep. I wrote an article that might help – How can I tell if I’m meditating or sleeping?

Aches and pains – It can bring past trauma to the surface, or even help you identify health issues by relating pain to a specific chakra or area in your body.

Headaches/dizziness – Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or experiencing headaches during or after meditation is normal. We hold a lot of stress and tension in our heads, it’s a sign you’re relieving some of that tension.

Body temperature – It’s not just hot sensations you’ll feel, In fact, it’s more common to feel cold as your body reacts to the flow of energy I think.

Twitching – From a slight throbbing or twitching sensation to involuntary movements. It’s commonplace and a sign your body is releasing tension and traumas.

Swaying – I covered what the spiritual meaning behind swaying while meditating means in this post. For most people, it’s a sign that they’re awakening their kundalini energy force.

Floating – Having a floating feeling is also an interesting experience. I covered my experience with floating in this post.

In Summary

If you’re getting hot while meditating the important thing to try not to be distracted or focus on it.

Stay present in the moment and carry on with your practice. Try and explore why it’s happening afterward if it’s becoming uncomfortable or bothering you.

But know that it’s almost certainly a sign that you’re doing something right.

Resources

Image credits – Header image by JD Mason, in-body image by Jared Rice on Unsplash