Turn up the heat!
Regular sauna use is beneficial for recovery, muscle hypertrophy and endurance.
Everything that I know about sauna use and the benefits have come from Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s website, her YouTube, and her multiple podcast interviews.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick has a Ph.D. in biomedical science, as well as her Bachelor’s in biochemistry/chemistry. She has done extensive research on aging, cancer and nutrition.
Spending time in the sauna will increase your body’s production of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 plays an important role in childhood as we grow, but it also continues to have anabolic effects as we move into adulthood. Both of these hormones promote muscle repair, which means you’ll recover faster. They are also anabolic, which means they assist your body with burning fat and building muscle tissue.
Sauna exposure can increase your endurance in a number of different ways. First, spending time in the sauna increases blood flow. Increased blood flow to the muscles and heart mean that you’re getting more oxygen to your muscles during endurance efforts. Also, more blood flow to the heart means a lower heart rate, which means you can run at a faster pace.
Finally, the sauna helps your body regulate body temperature more efficiently during exercise, which means you can go longer distances without overheating or expending as much energy.
Sauna time can also help you build muscle. As I previously mentioned the anabolic effects of growth hormone and IGF-1 will support your time training in the gym.
Exposing yourself to time in the sauna has additional health benefits beyond these performance benefits discussed above. Individuals who have regular sauna exposure live healthier lives. Sauna exposure helps improve brain function and focus. It also helps detox the body and improve the quality of your skin. The sauna is also a great place to relax and de-stress, which is great, because we all need to reduce stress-induced inflammation.
Photo Credit: @karens224How to use the Sauna
1. The sauna should be heated to a minimum of 140F or 60C.
2. Wear a bathing suit, or just wrap in a towel, or go full buck-naked. Whatever you are comfortable with and is also appropriate for the environment.
3. If you want to get the best performance training benefit from using the sauna it’s best to use it right after your workout. Otherwise, you can use it any time of day.
4. You can use the sauna daily or weekly. Start with 1-2x per week and see how you feel, then decide to increase or decrease the frequency of use.
5. Regular sauna sessions may last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes or more. If you are properly hydrated you can stay in the sauna much longer. Another technique is to take a break, get some water and cool off, and then go in for a second or third round.
Here is a direct link to Dr. Patrick’s paper on Sauna use on her website, FoundMyFitness.com. This paper is extensive and covers everything you would ever want to know about the benefits of sauna use.
Dr. Patrick also has several great videos related to sauna use:
Sauna Use May Boost Longevity
Sauna Use For Hyperthermic Conditioning for Muscle Hypertrophy, Endurance and Neurogenesis
Sauna use is generally considered safe for healthy adults and may be safe for special populations with appropriate medical supervision. If you have an acute illness, along with a fever, or an inflammatory skin condition, you should avoid the sauna. If you are taking any kind of medication, whether prescribed or OTC, you should consult your physician before sauna use. If you have a diagnosed cardiovascular condition you should consult your physician prior to sauna use. An adult should closely supervise healthy children over the age of 2 years old in the sauna.
I hope that you found this blog post helpful? If you enjoyed this topic and would like me to cover something you are interested in please send me a message.
Sources:
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/topics/sauna#related-episodes