How to Incorporate Saunas into Your Fitness Routine
Posted on 23 October 2024
Saunas are really a jack of all trades when it comes to promoting health. They are incredibly versatile and are excellent for treating a variety of physical and mental conditions. Although saunas do not cure health conditions, they can play a significant role in increasing comfort and reducing symptoms. Saunas have become extremely popular amongst athletes and those who use the gym frequently. This is because home saunas are excellent for post-workout recovery. Many coaches and trainers highly recommend incorporating saunas into your fitness routine. It can help improve muscle soreness, recovery, and heart health while reducing stress and pain. This makes investing in an indoor sauna quite worthwhile, especially if you are looking to enhance your fitness routine. SaunaFin offers customizable home sauna kits so you can design a sauna that suits your needs. Contact us today for a free quote!
How Homes Saunas Can Enhance Your Fitness Routine
Saunas are an excellent addition to any fitness routine as they can help improve both muscular and cardiovascular health.
- Muscle Recovery: Sauans are excellent for muscle recovery. When you step into a hot sauna, your blood vessels will begin to dilate. When this happens, your body is able to pump more blood throughout your body. This increases oxygen-rich blood flow to your muscles, allowing them to heal faster. This is especially useful for those who lift weight frequently.
- Heart Health: Saunas are most well-known for supporting and improving heart health. The high temperatures in saunas are known for boosting your heart rate. Your body responds to saunas similarly to cardiovascular exercise. Regular sauna use can increase cardiovascular function while reducing your risk of heart disease and/or heart attacks in the future.
- Pain Relief: Sauna use has also been associated with the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and various endorphins. Dopamine provides you with feelings of pleasure, and endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. Saunas also promote muscle relaxation, which can help alleviate pain in stiff muscles.
Incorporating Saunas into Your Fitness Routine
Strategy is required in order to reap the maximum benefits out of your sauna sessions. Optimizing your sauna timing, duration, frequency, etc, can help you do so.
Timing
You can use the sauna whenever you want; however, it is best to use it after a workout. It is after a workout that your muscles may be tired and/or fatigued. Using a sauna after you have lifted weights will help increase blood flow to the muscles, promoting less soreness and faster recovery. Saunas would not provide these benefits if you were to have a session prior to working out, as your muscles are not damaged or sore before a workout.
Hydration
If you are just starting out using a sauna, it is essential to stay hydrated. The high temperatures in saunas cause individuals to sweat rather profusely. This can cause you to become dehydrated rather quickly. It is always a good idea to keep a water bottle with you while you are in the sauna. This way, you can rehydrate while in the sauna. Sipping some cool water can also increase your comfort, allowing you to stay inside the sauna longer. Just remember not to chug extremely cold water or ice water.
Duration
There is definitely an ideal length for your sauna sessions. When you first start out using the sauna, you may struggle to stay in for a long time. Try to aim for five to ten minutes in your first few sessions. If you struggle with this, then just stay in as long as you can and slowly build your way up to 5 minutes. Once you’ve become more comfortable in the sauna, you should aim for 15-20 minute sessions. This amount of time will allow you to reap the most benefits, especially when done 3-7 times a week. However, once again, start with fewer weekly sessions if that is all you can handle and slowly build up your tolerance.
Incorporate a Home Sauna into Your Fitness Routine
Incorporating a home sauna into your fitness routine has a variety of benefits that can help support your physical and mental well-being. Sauna use can enhance muscle recovery, promote relaxation and reduce stress, making it great for post-workout recovery. Saunas can even improve your cardiovascular and heart health. Investing in a sauna not only supports your fitness goals but also creates a personal sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation. Explore customizable sauna kits at SaunaFin to find the perfect indoor sauna that fits your home. Contact us today for a free quote!