Saunas are one of the well-known therapies that have been in existence for a long time across the globe. You can get the full benefits of sauna bathing anytime; the basic things you do in the sauna are sitting and letting your body sweat.
While some people love taking a sauna before a workout, others prefer to take it after a workout; for many people, the gym and the sauna usually go well.
Pros and Cons of Taking a Sauna Before a Workout
If you are lucky enough to visit a gym with a sauna, you’ll see people relaxing in it after their workout, and you may even decide to join yourself. The truth is that the heat won’t help prevent sore muscles or help you recover.
The best time to use the sauna is before your workout.
This is because when you complete an exercise, your heart rate is supposed to come down to normal.
But, sitting in a sauna for minutes will increase your heart rate because it is primarily a passive form of exercise and would delay your body from starting its recovery process.
It is advisable to spend some minutes in the sauna before your workout to help you feel warmed up and free you of some immediate muscle pain.
Warming up is also a part of the exercise; a sauna can help you start the warming up process. Meanwhile, it shouldn’t wholly replace your exercise-based warm-up!
It is usually argued that it’s best to use the sauna after a workout, as you may probably end up way too relaxed to do your exercise.
It can be harmful to visit the sauna before your training because the heat will relax and loosen your muscles, putting you at a greater risk of pulling or tearing while working out. You may become dehydrated and stand a greater chance of overheating too.
Pros and Cons of Taking Sauna after Workout
Research involving using a sauna usually focuses on using it after a workout, and excellent reasons support this.
Using a sauna after an exercise entails some benefits, such as an increase in loss of fat and muscle gain.
Analysis shows that a sauna after a workout increases blood volume and improves your performance in other activities if you can work out more and for more extended periods; this helps burn more calories and increase weight loss.
If you employ this practice, your heart will continue to beat faster and harder than mere exercising, and in a way, it is also an extension of your workout. All parts of the body use calories, including the heart.
When the heart continuously works, it increases fat and calorie burn rate. Some other practical benefit of a sauna after training is that some people may feel better if they remain as fresh as possible while working out.
This is specifically for people who sweat during exercise; starting warm after using a sauna will lead to a sweaty workout.
When you work out, your body burns up oxygen and produces lactic acid, including other metabolites as by-products.
They build up in the muscles, leading to stiffness and soreness. It’s easy to mitigate delayed onset muscle soreness when you expose yourself to heat after a workout, such as in the sauna.
How it works is that the heat aids the muscles to relax and your blood vessels to open up.
Nonetheless, based on a Harvard Health Watch, the average person will lose a pint of sweat during a short visit to a sauna and should endeavor to drink a lot of water when they are out to help replenish.
So if you are already dehydrated due to a workout, sweating out another pint is not the best idea.
Should You Do Sauna Before or After a Workout?
1. Yoga
Yoga is a room heated above average room temperature; the heat can be set to whatever the yoga instructor wants.
Yoga provides benefits such as improving flexibility, easing depression, reducing blood sugar levels, nourishing the skin, burning more calories, and building bone density.
Generally, it is best to use the sauna after your yoga session. It helps to reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery.
2. To Lose Weight
One of the obstacles to an effective workout is your breathing capacity. Time spent in the sauna can enhance your breathing capacity and lessen the effects of respiratory problems.
To get the best advantages of weight loss associated with a sauna, it is best to sauna before working out to eliminate toxins, sweat, recharge your batteries and increase weight loss.
3. For Muscle Recovery
Saunas increase the rate of circulation, which brings more oxygenated blood to your sore muscle and can help speed up your muscle recovery.
It is best to go to the sauna after your workout.
When a person works out actively, small tears can form in their muscles; when they heal, the muscles grow and become stronger.
Other health benefits of visiting the sauna before working out are: that they help lessen muscle tension and enhance cardiovascular health.
What Is the Best Time to Use Sauna?
Most times, the answer depends strictly on your preferences, either in the morning or during a fantastic evening. This might be based on your physical activities and resting habits.
Your brain and the natural body respond differently to different light and temperatures. Hence the time to make use of the sauna varies.
How Long Should You Wait to Sauna Before Workout?
It is essential to wait for at least 10 minutes after working out before using the sauna; any activity that causes your body to heat demands frequent breaks and rest periods. This will also give you time to shower and replenish the water in your body by drinking water.
A brief sauna session before a workout helps warm up the body and soften up the muscles, which is essential before starting a movement. If it is preferable for you to use the sauna before a workout, you should not spend more than 5 minutes there.
How Long Should You Stay in a Sauna After Workout?
It is not healthy to start a workout immediately after using the sauna. It would be better to give your body some time to cool down enough to avoid overheating during exercise.
Never stay in the sauna past your discomfort; you must pay attention to your body signals because overheating and dehydrating yourself is not beneficial for your health.
According to general guidelines for using the sauna, you should plan your time 15-20 minutes. Still, it may be shorter, especially if you just had a workout because your body temperature has already increased and you’ve been sweating.
How to Use a Sauna before a Workout?
1. Before entering the sauna, take in one or two glasses of water and take a bath in a shower.
2. Saunas are airtight; to retain the heat inside, enter and exit quickly. Opening the door displaces heat and should be done swiftly.
3. Take note of the apparel of the people inside. In some saunas, nudity is allowed. In some others, using a bathing robe or towel is preferred.
4. Whether you are nude or not, it is not right to sit directly on the bench; sure, you bring a towel you can use and endeavor to take it with you when leaving.
5. You can also use a traditional whisk made of tee twins to massage the skin slightly; using a conventional whisk helps lessen muscle pains and soften up the skin.
6. Exit and rinse your body thoroughly; cool down again with a glass of water.
7. Once your body feels cooled down, you can dress for your workout.
How to Use a Sauna after a Workout?
1. Relax for at least 10 minutes after the workout and let your body cool down.
2. Take your bath with a bathing soap, using cool water.
3. Bring two neat and dry towels into the sauna along with you. You can use one to sit on or wrap around yourself and the other one to dab sweat for better comfort.
4. Pay close attention to your body; if your heart is beginning to beat too fast or you feel uncomfortable, leave the sauna and take at least some minutes of break before returning.
5. Cool down in a cold outdoor pool or roll in the snow; better still, take a shower indoors.
6. Lie down for relaxation for as lengthy as you want to.
7. Drink at least a cup of water, accompanied by a small snack.
Conclusion
You can enjoy the advantages of visiting the sauna, but while some people love to start their workout by warming up, it shouldn’t replace your usual warm-up.
Saunas may be helpful in some conditions, such as depression, muscle tension, and cardiovascular disease.
However, saunas are not appropriate for everyone. Check with your health specialist before visiting a sauna, especially if you have an underlying health condition or are pregnant.
