The immersive heat raises the heart rate, causing blood circulation to be boosted throughout the body. Researchers in Japan have further discovered that saunas may improve the health of cells within the heart arteries, specifically by boosting the strength of cells that form the artery lining.
Alongside the well-documented heart benefits provided by exercise, a sauna further enhances cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular exercise opens the lungs and can enhance lung volume due to the additional requirements for oxygen during physical exertion. The dry heat and vapors supplied by a sauna effectively help further open and cleanse the lungs, loosening mucus and toxins from the sinuses, throat, and lungs.
On a cellular level, enhancing the lungs function and capacity allows for greater breathing efficiency and thus heightened availability of oxygen. This is a vital component of exercise recovery. Just as sports and exercise promote mental as well as physical health and wellbeing, saunas similarly benefit the mind alongside the extensive physical benefits offered.
In one of their earliest forms, sweat lodges were traditionally used by Native Americans for meditation. Numerous clinical research studies conducted over the past decade noted a significant improvement in subjects mental state following sauna use — most an markedly improvement in positivity, mental clarity, and relaxation. As a strenuous workout or important competitive match can raise levels of the fight-or-flight hormone adrenaline and the stress hormone adrenaline, a sauna is a particularly beneficial method for athletes to decompress and relax.
Back pain results from a number of causes. Many are muscular or ligament injuries, but there are other specific injuries which can be diagnosed. A sprained finger occurs when the finger is bent in some way causing damage to the ligaments which connect bones together. It is a common…. Cold therapy or Cryotherapy is a popular treatment method for sports injuries. It is important first aid for acute sudden onset sports injuries as well…. Cauliflower ear is also known as hematoma auris.
It is a deformity of the outer ear caused by repetitive friction or impact. It is common…. Skip to content The remedial effects of saunas have made them a common feature in many gyms and sporting facilities. Taking a sauna helps your skin clean itself and remove dead skin cells.
On a related note, the heat of a sauna can trigger sebaceous glands, which are located on the scalp. The sebaceous glands release compounds that make hair appear shiny and healthy. A study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics examined the impact of traditional Finnish sauna bathing on the immune system. Research subjects included nine trained runners and nine non-athletes.
After just one minute session in the sauna, subjects showed increased levels of white blood cells. Interestingly, the athletes showed more improvement to their white blood cell count than the non-athletes did. Whether you have access to a traditional Finnish sauna or a modern infrared sauna, you can experience all these benefits and more by adding even a short session to your fitness regimen. There may also be social benefits to sauna bathing if you are spending that time with others.
If you have a history of health or heart troubles, check in with your doctor before prescribing yourself some time in the sauna. Our site uses cookies so that we can remember you and understand how you use our site.
If you do not agree with our use of cookies, please change the current settings in your privacy preferences. You can also read more about cookies and similar technologies here. The benefits of sauna bathing may be even better if you already exercise.
The researchers conclude that the combination of good fitness levels from regular aerobic exercise plus frequent sauna bathing provide extra cardiovascular protection. Along with the health benefits of sauna bathing, there are also some performance boosts to consider, too—even if you are already well-trained. In one study, when a small group of well-trained distance runners sat in a sauna for 30 minutes after training four times a week, they improved their performance in a run to exhaustion test by 32 percent and decreased their 5K time by nearly two percent after just three weeks.
You can reap the benefits of sauna bathing anytime. When you step into the sauna, your body responds to the hot environment by sending blood to your skin, so you can sweat and avoid overheating. Because you have a limited amount of blood to go around, you have decreased blood flow and oxygen to your organs, so your kidneys stimulate the production of EPO yes, the performance-enhancing stuff and plasma volume, which boosts your blood volume and subsequent performance. It resets your thermoregulation thresholds, so hot temperatures feel less severe, and helps improve performance at high-altitude events , where the mountain air is very dry and dehydrating.
Interested in giving it a shot? Aim to hit the sauna for seven days in a row for optimum results. The first day, you may only be able to tolerate five to 10 minutes, but by the seventh day, 25 to 30 minutes should be attainable, Sims says. So they may want to try to go into the sauna for five to 10 minutes; then exit for five minutes; then head back in for the rest of the session, up to that minute mark. Because your resting heart rate will be high during sauna time—about bpm—try to keep your workouts less intense that week.
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