You can reap the benefits of sauna bathing anytime. But while some people like to pregame their workout by warming up their muscles in a sauna—which helps you loosen up, but shouldn't replace your regular warmup—using the sauna after you exercise, when you're still a little dehydrated, may be even better.
“Using a sauna before your workout can help initiate the warmup process by increasing blood flow and core body temperature,” says Hamlin. However, he points out it's no match for a regular pre-workout warmup. It's important to activate your muscles through a full range of motion before exercise.
A sauna before a workout could warm up your muscles, improve blood flow, and get your heart rate ready for exercise alongside an exercise-based warm-up. Limit your exposure to 5 to 20 minutes to maximize the benefits and limit risks. Wait 10 minutes after exercise to use the sauna.
The main function of heat shock proteins is to aid the body in healing. One specific aspect of this healing is muscle repair. Studies have shown that sauna use can increase muscle regrowth by 30%. This goes a long way in both hypertrophy, recovery, and in fighting age related atrophy.
Using a sauna after a workout naturally increases blood flow by elevating the heart rate, helping to flush lactic acid from the system, and reduce muscle inflammation. This increased blood flow can reduce muscle aches and pains and help alleviate the symptoms associated with arthritis, back pain, and other ailments.
The recommended length of time to spend in a sauna is 15-20 minutes. First-timers should start with 5-10 minutes. People with certain health conditions should not use a sauna. If you're not sure if that's you after reading this article, consult with a healthcare provider.
On average, you should spend around 15–20 minutes in the sauna after a workout. This is important since it allows your body to cool down and recover. Post-workout sauna sessions also have many benefits that help alleviate muscle soreness and improve overall health. Let's take a closer look at some of these benefits.
Most electronics do not do well in high heat for long periods of time. Yes, you can get away with bringing your phone into your sauna for a few minutes before getting a notification on your phone that it is 'overheating'. At that time you will want to place your phone outside the sauna and remove it from the high heat.
3 Drawbacks of Using a Sauna After Exercise
You could get dizzy, pass out or get severe muscle cramps. Worst case scenario, you could develop heatstroke, a life-threatening condition caused by your body overheating.
Yes, research has shown that saunas help the body burn calories. Not only does sweating burn calories, but saunas increase the heart rate by as much as 30 percent which contributes, too. The number of calories burned in the sauna will depend on an individual's unique body and how much energy they use while sweating.
It is believed that sitting in a sauna can help you reduce excess fat. If you also believe in this, then you are absolutely incorrect. A sauna does not help you to lose weight; it temporarily removes easily replaceable water from the body. Excessive heat makes your body sweat and sweating can make you lose fluid.
Benefits of Drinking Water During a Sauna
Drinking water during a sauna can help to replenish the fluids lost through sweating. This can help to prevent dehydration and the symptoms that come with it. In addition, staying hydrated can help to regulate body temperature, making the sauna experience more comfortable.
Avoid rich foods and beverages.
The last thing you want is for your sauna session to make your body feel worse than it did before. Therefore, it's best to avoid eating anything too heavy or spicy as this can make you feel ill during the sauna session. Similarly, you should avoid eating anything that is high in fat.
Spending 15-30 minutes in a sauna will allow you to burn 1.5 – 2 times the calories you would sitting anywhere else. So, the average 150lb woman would lose around 68 calories every 30 minutes in a sauna. Sauna bathing can definitely change the way you live. They promote mental and physical well-being.
People use their saunas for many different reasons. If you want to increase perspiration to encourage weight loss and removal of toxins you should shower before an infrared sauna (a hot shower) as this can help to up your perspiration levels. However, we do recommend that you should shower after an infrared sauna too.
Collagen — the protein in our skin responsible for elasticity — gets a healthy kick when you spend time in a sauna. The hot air combined with moisture enhances collagen production to help rejuvenate your complexion. The heat increase also allows your skin to shed dead skin cells and make way for new, healthier ones.
Wearing something comfortable made of cotton is the best thing you can wear in a sauna. A classic oversized t-shirt, a loose-fitting cotton towel, and shorts are always good for the sauna. They allow your skin to breathe freely; this helps you enjoy a sauna session to its full potential.
Studies show it is perfectly safe to use saunas every day, just being mindful to stay hydrated during your sessions. Though daily sauna use is not harmful, prolonged single sauna sessions can increase the risk of dehydration.
Don't wear AirPods in a sauna or steam room. Don't expose AirPods to high-velocity water, such as while water skiing. Avoid dropping AirPods or subjecting them to other impacts.
Rinsing off before using your sauna is imperative, regardless if you are in public or at home. Without tracking in dirt, your sauna will thank you for keeping it clean and pristine. Clean up after yourself. Just like showering before your home sauna session, cleaning up after yourself is a key piece of sauna etiquette.
Taking 15–20 minutes in a hot sauna can help relax your mind and body, melting your stress away. CON: Overheating. The extreme heat inside a sauna can raise body temperatures to unhealthy levels. Doctors caution to never exceed 30 minutes in a sauna, with most recommending 15–20 minutes max.
Those who want to know “10 minutes in the sauna burns how many calories?” or “how many calories do I burn in sauna after just 10 minutes?” will also be pleased to learn that they can burn 66 to 198 calories in such a short period.