For hundreds of years, people have enjoyed the physical and mental benefits of saunas. It has become especially popular in the fitness world due to its recognized benefits in promoting heart and muscle health.
If you want to make a sauna part of your fitness routine, you might be wondering whether it’s better to use it before or after a workout.
In this guide, we’ll explain how sauna use can benefit your overall health and help you decide whether to take a sauna bath before or after a workout.
What is a sauna?
There are several different types, but a traditional sauna is usually a wood-covered room heated to 150-195 degrees Fahrenheit (65-90 degrees Celsius). Some saunas incorporate steam, but most use dry heat. Why?
Spending time in high temperatures increases your heart rate and makes you sweat (more on these benefits later), so in fact, it can feel like you’re exercising even when you’re just sitting still. Saunas are safe for most people to use and in some countries, such as Finland, they serve as major social hubs. However, if you have certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, you should avoid saunas. If in doubt, consult your doctor first.
What can you achieve by spending 10 minutes in a sauna?
A sauna session gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat, but what are the benefits? Interestingly, research suggests that even a short sauna session can have some major health benefits, including:
- Relaxation – Sitting in a sauna can help soothe your stressed out body. Studies have shown that saunas are effective in reducing elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).
- Muscle recovery – Heat increases blood flow, helping to heal sore muscles and speeding up recovery.
- circulation – Many studies have shown that regular exposure to heat can improve cardiovascular health.
- Detoxification – Saunas help eliminate harmful substances such as heavy metals from the body through sweat.
- Skin Health – Sweat traps and removes bacteria and dead skin cells, which leaves your skin looking younger and brighter.
Frequent users often also experience improved quality sleep, and some report getting fewer colds and the flu.
Plus, all these combined benefits can also boost your overall mood, making it easier to stay motivated to hit the gym.
High Profile Users
Many top athletes turn to saunas when they need help recovering and conditioning. In fact, saunas are a popular recovery method for competitive weightlifters and can be found in most NFL and MLB clubhouses.
Gwen Jorgensen, the 2014 and 2015 triathlon world champion and 2016 triathlon gold medalist, incorporates regular sauna use into her training regimen.
She believes that heat exposure leads to:
- Increased red blood cell count
- Improves sleep quality
- Relax your muscles after a tough workout
She also says that time in the sauna helps her maintain a calm mind amid a busy schedule of training and family life.
Another example is fitness guru Wim Hof, who is best known for his work with cold exposure, but who also recommends saunas as a great way to boost the brain’s thermoregulatory functions and promote social connections.
Hof once said:If you gather 100 people together, they are all strangers, but in the sauna, the body opens up, so you open up, and your mind follows suit.”
When is the best time to go to the sauna?
I was thinking about trying the sauna, but I was wondering if it would be more effective to use it before or after a workout?
in the end, There is no one-size-fits-all approachYou can experience the benefits of a sauna at And then Gym session.
Pre-workout sauna
While it’s more common for people to use the sauna after exercise, there are solid reasons to consider warming up before weight training.
A pre-workout sauna has some amazing benefits:
- warm up – Heat loosens muscles, increases blood flow, and raises core temperature, so hitting the sauna before a workout is a great way to ease into the warm-up process (though it shouldn’t replace exercise entirely).
- concentration – It can be hard to get into the right mental state for training, especially after a busy day at school or the office. A pre-workout sauna can help clear your mind and get you ready to focus on your training.
- Improve your cardiovascular fitness – Saunas strengthen your cardiovascular system, so taking a sauna bath before a hard workout will improve both your endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
But there are some drawbacks to consider.
- dehydration – Saunas make you sweat, which can lead to dehydration. To prevent this, be sure to drink plenty of water before and during your sauna session.
- Electrolyte imbalance – Heavy sweating also depletes important electrolytes needed for exercise, so be sure to replenish your electrolytes before entering the sauna.
Fatigue – It may be relaxing, but high temperatures can be quite hard on your body. If you overdo it in the sauna, you may find it hard to get through your workout afterwards.If you’re adding a sauna to your fitness program, it’s best to start with short increments at first, with studies recommending 5- to 10-minute intervals. Until you get used to the effect. Observe how you feel after exercising and adjust your time accordingly.
Post-workout sauna
After pushing yourself it’s time for some post-training relaxation, and spending some time in the sauna is the perfect way to end your training session.
The benefits of using a sauna after exercise include:
- Muscle recovery – Increased body temperature causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow to muscles. This additional stimulation provides oxygen and nutrients, helping to rebuild muscle tissue.
- Reduces inflammation – If you’re feeling stiff or sore, spending 10 minutes in a sauna can help reduce inflammation (and pain) in your muscles and joints, which can increase your flexibility and help prevent injury.
- Mental peace – Intense exercise can be mentally taxing. A sauna is the perfect space to relax and calm the mind. Deep relaxation like a sauna releases endorphins that lift your mood.
To get the most out of these benefits (and avoid side effects), you should take the following steps after coming out of the sauna:
- Hydration – The biggest risk in a sauna is dehydration, so drink plenty of water or sports drinks after using the sauna to replenish the fluids lost through sweat.
- cool down – Wait at least 10 minutes for the body temperature to cool down. Sit or lie down at room temperature or take a cool shower.
- Replenish electrolytes – Electrolyte levels can be low after exercise or a sauna. Coconut water and protein-rich foods like chicken can help replenish electrolytes.
You should also wait 10 minutes after your workout before entering the sauna, as this will allow your body to rehydrate and recover better after exercise.
Is it better to use the sauna on a rest day?
It’s important to take rest days every now and then to allow your muscles to recover, and a sauna is a great way to relieve muscle soreness and promote healing. It’s also a great way to get into the habit of going to the gym regularly, even if you’re not doing it for exercise.
All the benefits of using a sauna after exercise apply here, as do the same precautions such as staying hydrated.
Your well-rested days should also include low-impact activities such as:
- Walking
- stretch
- swimming
- Yoga
- cycling
Try different combinations to find what works best for you.
Let your goals guide you
Again, when it comes to the question of whether you should sauna before or after the gym, there is no right answer.
When making decisions, it helps to have a clear goal in mind. Think about where you are and how it compares to where you want to be. Think about where you would benefit most from things like muscle relaxation.
Ask yourself questions like:
- Is it hard to warm up?
- Do morning pains often put you off exercising?
- Do you always feel distracted and nervous when you arrive at the gym?
- Do you need to relax after your workout before returning to your daily routine?
Answering these questions will give you a clearer picture of where a sauna would best suit your goals.
Listen to your body
How to find what’s right for you Listen to your bodyTry using a sauna before your workout to see how it feels. If it helps, keep doing it. If it tires you out or disrupts your flow, try it after your workout.
Remember, there are some days when a pre-workout is best and other days when it’s best to wait.
Ultimately, your body will tell you the right choice.
Chuze Fitness: Amenities everyone should enjoy
in Chuze FitnessWe believe everyone has the right to reach their health and fitness goals, but optimal fitness involves more than lifting weights and running on a treadmill — healing and recovery are key. Equally importantAnd they shouldn’t be out of reach for anyone.
That’s why Chuze Fitness gyms are equipped with world-class Amenities Saunas (infrared and traditional), steam rooms, cryo-chairs, gym with hydromassage, etc.
Become a memberdiscover the gym you’ve been waiting for today.
source:
Healthline. How and why to use a sauna. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-use-a-sauna
Healthline. Are saunas good for your health? Understand the benefits and risks. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/are-saunas-good-for-you#When-to-avoid
Good RX. 11 benefits of saunas that will make you want to feel the heat. https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/alternative-treatments/sauna-benefits
Sage Journal. Endocrine effects of repeated heat stress and cold water immersion in young adult men.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15579883211008339
FinLeo. Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen uses saunas for health, recovery after training, and time with her family.
https://www.finnleo.com/finnleo-blog/gwen-jorgensen
Sauna Times. Wim Hof talks about enjoying sauna therapy as part of his cold bath therapy.
https://www.saunatimes.com/featured-posts/wim-hof-talks-enjoying-sauna-part-cold-plunge-therapy/
Improve your health. Which is more effective: a sauna before or after exercise? https://honehealth.com/edge/fitness/best-benefits-sauna-before-or-after-workout/
National Library of Medicine. Effects of regular sauna bathing combined with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm randomized controlled trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9394774/
Human Kinetics. Maintains operational standards for saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools in health/fitness facilities.
Reviewer:
Ani is the VP of Fitness at Chuze Fitness where she oversees the Group Fitness and Team Training division. She has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives in San Diego, California with her husband and son and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
