Recent research underscores the advantages of incorporating a sauna session after completing a workout.
In the realm of exercise recovery, numerous fitness enthusiasts and influencers propose a variety of methods, with varying degrees of effectiveness.
In 2022, a group of Finnish researchers published a paper exploring the potential benefits of regularly using a sauna after exercising.
The study, titled ‘Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial’, acknowledged the limited information available on the combination of exercise and sauna usage, while noting the well-documented benefits of each activity individually.
They emphasized the health benefits associated with both practices.
Setor Kunutsor, a cardiovascular epidemiologist at the University of Manitoba and one of the researchers involved in the study, shared insights with the BBC: “When you go to the sauna, the temperature inside the body goes up slowly from 37C (99F) to as high as 39C (102F).
“Blood vessels dilate, you start sweating and that reduces blood pressure.”
This effect is particularly advantageous after a workout, as outlined in the study.
The study elaborated: “When combined with exercise, sauna bathing demonstrated a substantially supplementary effect on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), systolic blood pressure (BP), and total cholesterol levels.
“Sauna bathing is a valuable lifestyle tool that complements exercise for improving CRF and decreasing systolic BP. Future research should focus on the duration and frequency of exposure to ascertain the dose-response relationship.”
In discussions with the BBC about the various experiments and studies conducted by his team, Kunutsor reiterated that combining exercise with sauna use may enhance cardiovascular benefits more effectively than exercise alone.
Kunutsor and his colleagues conducted a randomized controlled trial where one group of 47 participants combined sauna sessions with exercise three times a week over eight weeks, while another group focused solely on exercise.
He noted, “we found that sauna sessions combined with exercise produced a mean reduction of eight millimeters of mercury” in terms of blood pressure measurement.
He added: “This is a very substantial reduction.”
For those with access to a sauna at their local community center or gym, it may be worthwhile to consider using it after a rigorous workout session.