What Happens When I Do Breathing Exercises in Sauna?

If your ‘me-time’ could do with an upgrade, combining time in the sauna with breathing exercises plops the cherry on top of an already soothing experience. Clearly, stress is taking its toll on people, with 34% of adults saying that worry overwhelms them most days. Stress can negatively impact your health and well-being even if you don't realize it. Fortunately, adding breathing exercises to your home sauna experience can turn that ordinary session into a calming therapy session. Doing breathing exercises in the sauna isn’t just about taking deep breaths in a hot room. Instead, you’ll sync your body and mind to the heat, promoting relaxation, detoxification, and focus. Here’s why SaunaFin’s luxury saunas provide the ideal setting to bring your breathing routine to life—and the benefits your body receives when you do.

How Sauna Heat Enhances Breathing Exercises

Breathing in your sauna's warm air forces your entire body to relax by naturally opening up all your blood vessels and increasing circulation. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a yoga guru to tap into these benefits. Doing breathing exercises is a powerful way to de-stress, and it doesn’t matter how long your exhale and inhale patterns are for this to be effective, according to research in Complementary Therapies in Medicine. It works better in the sauna because the sauna is a natural source of relaxation, which makes it easier to slow down your breathing. When you’re chilled out, you’re more likely to take full, deep breaths that engage your diaphragm and expand your lung capacity. Doing these breathing exercises while you sweat it out may even help improve oxygen flow and reduce muscle tension, so you’re left with a mindful experience that’s both calming and energizing.

Increased Lung Capacity and Oxygen Intake

As you slow your breathing and make it more deliberate, you create an environment where more oxygen can circulate and unlock many benefits, like improved thinking prowess and enhanced cardiovascular health. If you suffer from breathing issues such as asthma, this can be a potent tool. According to a study published by Research Australia, asthmatics who did regular breathing exercises reduced their preventer medication levels by up to half and reliever use by up to 86%. Everyone’s body will react differently to inhaling heated air, but good evidence suggests this can be an excellent treatment. Research in the European Journal of Epidemiology found regular sauna use can lower the number of respiratory conditions people suffer. Each person will react differently, but it’s worth trying in small doses to see its impact on your breathing.  

Breathing Away High Blood Pressure

Your lungs and heart are a team, so breathing in deeply can help you double-dip the benefits for both these organs. When you bank breaths of slow, controlled breaths in a warm sauna, all your blood vessels dilate, which improves blood flow and naturally reduces your blood pressure. According to a meta-analysis, doing breathing exercises alone can lower your systolic and diastolic blood pressure and decrease heart rate, all of which are essential for heart health. The sauna amplifies these effects by raising your body temperature, which triggers relaxation responses that reduce cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. By calming your nervous system down, deep breathing in the sauna makes it easier for your heart to pump blood efficiently, supporting your cardiovascular health. This natural synergy between the heat and your breathwork is a practical approach to keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range that nurtures your overall heart wellness.

5 Ways to Use Breathing Exercises in the Sauna to Maximize Benefits

Want to get the most out of your breathing exercises in the sauna? Try these five techniques tailored for optimal relaxation and health benefits. 

1. Try 4-4-4-4 Box Breathing: This famous breathing technique sees you inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Repeat for 2 minutes, then work up to 10 minutes to boost mental clarity and relaxation.
2. Use Diaphragmatic Breathing for Deeper Relaxation: Focus on breathing from your diaphragm rather than your chest. To do this, gently rest your hand on your belly and try to move it with each inhale and exhale. 
3. Alternate Nostril Breathing for Balance: Close one nostril and inhale deeply through the other, then switch sides. This ancient breathing technique can help balance your energy and promote calm, and it is ideal for winding down in the sauna.
4. Try 4-7-8 Breathing for Instant Calm: Inhale quietly through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven counts, and exhale completely for eight counts. This popular technique can reduce anxiety and calm your mind. 

Use Guided Breathing for Focus

Several meditation or breathing apps can guide you, or you can visit YouTube to find your favorite track to lead your breathing exercises. These can help keep you on track and provide structured breathing sessions that align with your sauna experience. 

Sauna as a Wellness Routine with Long-Term Benefits

Breathing exercises in the sauna aren’t just about the relaxation you’ll gain in the now. Instead, they form a powerful part of your overall wellness practices that can help you mentally and physically long term. They may help you create a stronger respiratory tract so you can breathe easier while allowing you to relax even more than if you did your sauna and breathing exercises separately. By adding a SaunaFin sauna to your wellness space, you can create a dedicated sanctuary where you can unwind, recharge, and lock in the incredible benefits of breathing exercises in a heat-enhanced environment. So, next time you step into the sauna, remember that a few deep breaths can turn a good session into a great one.