Sauna use has been a tradition that is thought to go back as far as 7200BC which is astonishing to think of.1 Finnish people claimed the name “Sauna” which meant bath and is still used today around the world. Sauna use has shown to have numerous health benefits such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, improving brain function and memory and relieving pain. With so many different protocols to choose from lets discuss the best way to get healthy from your sauna use today.
What Are Traditional Saunas?
Traditional saunas are basically a small room that has been built for the purpose of sweating. The walls and ceiling are usually lined with some sort of wood like cedar which is a natural anti-bacterial. The floor is usually made of smooth stones that have been heated up by a stove that uses wood as it’s fuel or is an electrical heater. These traditional saunas use heat to produce sweat from your body.
Infrared Offers Different Benefits
Infrared saunas have become a lot more popular in recent years as they use a different heating method to traditional saunas. Infrared essentially uses light to heat your body as opposed to heating the air around you. This means that infrared saunas can get hotter, without feeling hotter and also penetrate your skin deeper. This has a whole host of different benefits that we will touch on later. Infrared studies have shown that cardiovascular improvement is noticed in basically all people who use this type of sauna.2
Human Growth Hormone Secretion
HGH is basically one of the most potent anti ageing hormones in the body and is produced by the pituitary gland. It’s responsible for cell regeneration, tissue repair, muscle growth and so much more. Studies on sauna use have found that HGH levels were on average an astonishing 140% higher immediately following a sauna session than they were before the session.3 You can increase the human growth hormone response even more by doing longer sessions of sauna with less frequency so just once per week.
What Are Heat Shock Proteins?
Heat shock proteins are a type of protein that is produced by the cells in your body when they are exposed to heat. These proteins have been shown to have a whole host of different benefits for your health including reducing inflammation, improving brain function and even helping to fight cancer. You can read more about the benefits of heat shock proteins on our friends blog post here.4
Keeping Up Your Hydration After The Sauna
An important aspect to using the sauna properly is making sure you recover after a long sweating session. Getting back in not just fluids but ample electrolytes is vital to restore your bodies energy transmitting nutrients. Electrolytes like calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium should be replenished as they’re lost in sweat. Drinking a mix of water and coconut water is a great way to rehydrate as it contains natural electrolytes. You can also make a home made solution with Celtic sea salt and baking soda which is a cheap alternative way to replenish lost minerals. Celtic sea salt is the health conscious preferred salt form which contains 84 vital minerals for the body.
Can Sauna Help Improve Exercise Duration?
With the increase of blood flow and heart rate sauna has been shown to help increase the duration of cardiovascular activities. People who use the sauna often feel the effects of their hard work when exercising in other activities as the stress of the sauna transfers to other exercising techniques. If you’re into cycling, running, rowing, climbing, walking or pilates using a sauna can help to increase your duration without fatiguing.
Is Basic Exercising In The Sauna Safe?
Sauna can help to increase blood flow and warm up muscles which offers a suitable time for stretching. The increased blood flow and temperature of the muscles can help reduce any risk of injury as the muscles are less likely to tear. Doing some basic yoga exercises or stretching in the sauna can help to extend your range of motion and improve flexibility.
Contrast Therapy For Increased Recovery
Popping into a hot sauna and completing 15 to 20 minutes before moving to a cold shower for 3 minutes can help to contract the capillaries and therefore blood flow. This method is often used as part of an athlete’s regime to help with recovery from training. It can also help to increase the production of heat shock proteins as the heat exposure is followed by a quick cooling. A popular protocol for UFC fighters is to do 20 minutes in sauna followed by 3 minutes in ice bath or cold shower and repeat this for 3 times.
Closing Thoughts On Sauna Protocols
Sauna is a great way to help improve your health and wellbeing but it’s important to make sure you do it properly. Stay hydrated, focus on your breathing and make sure you’re taking in enough electrolytes. If you want to increase the benefits of sauna use then try out some of the protocols above.
Reference:
