Bored with my current workout routine (walking everywhere, living on the fourth floor and occasionally chasing down a cab), I decided I needed to try something a little more exciting. So, obviously I opted for contorting my body into unnatural, twisted shapes for 90 minutes in a 100-degree room of hell.

After doing some research and reading this inspiring article, I signed up for a weeklong pass at a Bikram yoga studio in my neighborhood. While this type of yoga is for “all levels,” I wanted to try an intro class before throwing myself into a sea of well-trained, athletic, sweaty, superior yogis. This turned out to be a smart move because I was ultimately surrounded by other curious, inexperienced newbies whose body parts were also saying, “woah, woah, woah. WHAT are you doing to us?”

Despite the blasting heat and struggling with some of the more difficult poses, I was  mostly excited to have an hour and a half of relative peace — just to concentrate on my body and my mind and my…many years of terrible health decisions? I may have looked at the clock several times or wondered often if the instructor could see up my shorts or made way too many “you’re kidding, right?” faces, but when it was over, it was the best I felt in a loooong time.

When I got home from class last night, I MADE a healthy dinner, took a hot bath and went to bed before midnight (which NEVER happens). THEN — it gets better — I slept through the night, woke up on time AND felt pretty amazing throughout the day. I realize this was only one little class, but I’m already sitting a little straighter and thinking a little clearer, so I’m anxious to see how the next few classes go.

Maybe this is the start of something new. Or maybe my body is still in shock. Either way, I like it.