SOME LIKE IT HOT
DON’T WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT SPA TRIP TO MAKE USE OF THE SAUNA — STEAM SESSIONS MAY HAVE SOME SURPRISING BENEFITS
Many of us like to use a sauna to sit back, relax and sweat out the toxins (the beers and naughty foods) consumed on the weekend, but there are many more benefits.
For those who have never used a sauna before, they are small dry-heat producing rooms designed to raise your core temperature. It’s what this does to our body that is surprising.
Exposure to heat in a sauna makes your heart rate increase. It also increases plasma and blood flow to the heart and activates heat shock proteins in the body, creating the ability to prevent a certain type of cell damage. This may prolong the symptoms of ageing and, in turn, increase our chance of longevity.
For all those long-distance endurance athletes out there, one of the benefits of using a sauna is that it can increase endurance and stamina.
During prolonged exercise, the core body temperature elevates. By putting our body in a high heat environment like a sauna, we cause adaptations such as improved cardiovascular and thermoregulatory mechanisms which can lead to improvements during exercise. And fear not bodybuilders and physique-driven readers, there are benefits of using a sauna for you too. It is not only weight training that leads to muscle growth. Recent studies have shown that heat acclimation in a sauna can also cause muscle growth by reducing the amount of protein degradation occurring during muscle use and disuse.
If you haven’t used a sauna before, my recommendation is that you try to get in two or three sessions a week for only 15 minutes maximum. Once you have adjusted and can sustain the conditions, you can increase the frequency, but it’s wise not to try to push the length of your sessions over 20 minutes each visit.
Here are some more steamy suggestions:
ADD FRAGRANCE
Aromatherapy oils including eucalyptus, pine, citrus, lavender and peppermint can enhance your experience. Eucalyptus is a favourite for its clearing aroma, while lavender is good for tension relief.
GO NATURAL
Use 100 per cent cotton towels. Going naked is always best, but if you’re in a public sauna, drape yourself in natural fibre that breathes.
DRINK WATER
Stay hydrated while you sweat it out. It’s advised not to drink alcohol in a sauna as its dehydrating effects will be amplified.
SAUNA ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
Heavy food and sauna bathing don’t mix. Generally, you’re less inclined to feel hungry after a sauna so drink water and eat lightly afterwards.
TAKE OFF YOUR JEWELLERY
Any metals will heat up and cause discomfort, even burns, to the skin.
FINISH WITH A COLD SHOWER
It’s standard practice for the Scandinavians to roll in the snow after their saunas. Here we’ll have to make do with an icy shower. It sounds like torture but it invigorates the skin, rinses off the sweated toxins and closes the pores.
CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR
There are some health conditions, such as heart problems, where heat is not advised.