Use the Sauna Before, Not After Your Workout
If you are one of the lucky ones to go to a gym with sauna, you will probably see people relax in it after a workout and even get involved themselves. Maybe you will use it as a reward for a workout well done. But honestly, heat won’t help prevent muscle soreness or help you recover. In fact, the best time to go to the sauna is before exercising.
Physiotherapist Patrick Walsh tells Outside Online :
“When you recover from exercise, your heart rate should return to normal,” he says. “Sitting in the sauna for more than five minutes will keep your heart rate up – essentially a form of passive exercise – so it really will delay your body from starting the recovery process.”
It’s best to spend a few minutes in the sauna before exercising, he says, and it can really help you feel warm and relieve some muscle soreness right away.
A warm-up is kind of literally warming up your body, so a sauna can help kick-start this process (although it doesn’t completely replace an exercise-based warm-up).
According to Harvard Health Watch , the average person loses half a liter of sweat during a short sauna visit, and should drink plenty of water when they go out to recharge. So if you’re already dehydrated from your workout, drinking another pint isn’t a good idea.
The bottom line is that saunas do have health benefits – you just need to use them wisely. Experts interviewing Outside also highlighted that saunas can be a great way to relax, and even if not helpful, they probably won’t do any real harm even after exercise. (Exception: If you are pregnant or have heart disease , talk to your doctor; they may recommend avoiding long sauna sessions.)
This story was originally published on 4/10/15 and was updated on 8/29/19 to provide more complete and up-to-date information.