Is it better for my heart to do 15 minutes of HIIT before my yoga flow, or does the intense cardio ruin the parasympathetic benefits of the yoga??
Doing 15 minutes of HIIT before yoga won’t “ruin” the parasympathetic benefits, but it does change the physiological effect of the session.
HIIT strongly activates your sympathetic nervous system (adrenaline, elevated heart rate, cortisol). A yoga flow—especially slower, breath-focused styles—shifts you toward parasympathetic dominance (vagal tone, heart rate variability, recovery state).
If you do HIIT first:
- You’ll enter yoga in a heightened sympathetic state.
- It may take longer for your nervous system to downshift.
- Slow breathing and longer holds will be needed to fully recover.
From a heart health perspective:
- HIIT improves VO₂ max and cardiovascular conditioning.
- Yoga improves autonomic balance, HRV, and recovery.
If your goal is cardio fitness, HIIT first is fine.
If your goal is nervous system reset, stress reduction, or better sleep, do yoga alone or place it before HIIT (or on separate sessions).
Best balance:
HIIT → 5–10 minutes slow nasal breathing → yoga cool-down.
That way you get performance and parasympathetic benefits.