Sauna baths can be an effective way to relax your muscles after a strenuous workout. The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation notes that a sauna bath can even be beneficial for patients with chronic heart failure. But to get the most out of your sauna bath experience, it’s important to follow certain rules and tips. Not only will they help you glean the most benefits, but they will also keep you safe to ensure that your trip to the sauna bath is a healthy one.
Shower First
Before you get into the sauna, have a quick shower. If you are using a community sauna bath at the gym or recreation center, it’s hygienic to wash before you enter in with other patrons. Sauna-Talk.com notes that having a shower isn’t just for hygienic purposes, though. Having a shower preps your skin and body for the heat of the sauna bath and can actually make your experience more effective in allowing you to sweat more for the most benefit.
Avoid Food and Alcohol
The extreme heat of the sauna bath can make you feel nauseous if you eat a heavy meal directly before going inside. Instead, choose a light meal such as a protein shake or a small salad. It is recommended that you avoid alcohol completely when using a sauna. It could cause you to fall asleep and stay in the sauna bath for much too long as well as depress your blood flow and nerve endings, negating the rejuvenating benefits of the sauna bath, notes the skin care site Care Fair.com.
Limit Your Time
The most popular sauna baths, Finnish saunas, are anywhere from 140F to 212F inside. Too long of an exposure to such a high temperature can leave you feeling nauseous, tired and dizzy. It’s important that you limit your time in the sauna bath to no longer than 20 minutes. If you feel the air getting too dry, pour a cup of water over the hot rocks to circulate moisture in the air. Cankar.org recommends taking frequent breaks and listening to your body; if the sauna bath is making you feel sick or dizzy, get out.
Drink Water
Your sweating in the sauna bath can leave you susceptible to dehydration, so it’s important to drink a full glass of water immediately following your sauna bath to help hydrate and replenish the water you’ve lost through sweating. It’s also a good idea to take another cool shower to wash any sweat residue from your body and close your pores.
