Do you like going to a sauna but you don't really know what impact this practice has on your body? And yes, 15 minutes in the sauna is much more beneficial than you think! We explain everything you need to know about the sauna: its origin, what it is, its benefits, how a session takes place, what the contraindications are, etc.
The benefits of the sauna: the basics to know
The benefits of the sauna were discovered more than 2000 years ago by the Nordic countries. Aiming to release toxins from the body through perspiration, the sauna has numerous benefits for the muscles, blood circulation, skin, immune defenses, respiratory tract, etc. We will explain everything to you !
Definition
THE sauna is a cabin, mostly in drink, emitting dry heat going of 70°C to over 100°C. The aim of this practice is to clear toxins from the body through perspiration.
The heat source is achieved through stones arranged on a wood or electric stove. When the stones have taken the heat well, a water ladle must be poured over these to release heat throughout the cabin.
Origin
The sauna finds its roots in Nordic countries, in which the climate is cold. So, to combat often negative temperatures, people have thought about a solution.
It is therefore in Finland that the sauna was born more than 2000 years ago. The first cabins were made from wood, which is why they look that way today.
The sauna has thus become an institution in Scandinavian countries and is a moment of sharing and conviviality between friends and family. For the record, there are more than 3 million saunas for around 5 million Finns.
Its benefits have allowed the sauna to take more and more extensive and the practice thus developed first in other Scandinavian countries and subsequently in all countries of the world.
Traditional sauna VS infrared sauna
THE infrared sauna aims to reproduce the effects of the sun on your body when you expose yourself. You benefit from the benefits of the sun without ultraviolet ray emissions, dangerous for the skin and the body.
Unlike the traditional sauna, the infrared sauna allows you to deeply penetrate radiation. The ambient temperature of the infrared sauna is around 40°C. However, your body temperature rises much more and you sweat 3 to 6 times more than in a traditional sauna.
During and after a session in an infrared sauna, you feel totally relaxed because your muscles free themselves of toxins.
What are the benefits of sauna?
The sauna has many benefits for the skin and the body in its entirety. A sauna session promotes your well-being through the muscles, blood circulation, skin, respiratory tract, etc. Let’s discover together the different benefits of the sauna!
For the muscles
The heat allows your muscles to relax and unwind more easily. It is a good practice for relieve your aches and the muscle aches.
For blood circulation
Alternating between hot and cold helps stimulate blood circulation. This is why it is advisable to take a cold shower just after the session and repeat the same pattern 2-3 times.
For the skin
Sweating allows you to release toxins, ofopen pores of your skin and so to clean the skin deep down.
A cold shower after the session is essential for close the pores once they have released all the toxins.
Sauna is known to improve skin problems such as psoriasis And eczema. These are very dry skin types that tend to have difficulty sweating. The sauna therefore allows them to eliminate the toxins that these skins usually have difficulty rejecting.
For immune defenses
The increase in body temperature allows stimulation of the immune system.
So, the fact that your body temperature increases makes your body believe it has a fever and increase white blood cell production. Thanks to this, your body is better able to protect yourself from surrounding viruses.
Against stress and fatigue
The heat released in the sauna makes release endorphins by the body, which causes a feeling of relaxation. Let go and completely relax during your 15 minute session!
Endorphin production also affects your sleep You will be perfectly relaxed which promotes good restful night's sleep !
For the respiratory tract
If you have a cough, you will see an improvement after your session!
Against cardiovascular risks
If you go to the sauna regularly, you are less likely to develop heart problems.
Please note, if you have known heart problems, you must ask your doctor for advice before going to a sauna. In fact, this makes it possible to reduce risks but not necessarily provide treatment problems already installed.
What happens during a session ?
It is important to know the progress of a sauna session, especially when you go there for the first time. Follow the leader !
Duration
Before starting, it is advisable to take a hot shower to promote hygiene but also to activate sweating of your body. Once dried, you can enter the sauna and position yourself wherever you want: the higher you go, the more you will feel the heat.
A session must not not exceed 15 minutes to avoid any risk of dehydration of the body. Once out of the cabin, it is advisable to take a cold shower and take a few minutes of rest before returning or not. The operation can be repeated 2 to 3 times to release all the toxins. The whole thing islisten to your body and not force !
Contraindications
Several contraindications should be taken into account before embarking on a sauna session. In fact, this practice is not recommended when you have:
- asthma
- fever
- heart problems
Ask for itadvice from your doctor before going to a sauna.
In addition, it is not recommended to:
- drinking alcohol before a session : you risk becoming dehydrated more quickly
- exceed the recommended maximum time
- eat too big a meal before
- to wear jewellery : this represents a risk of burns
- to do sessions if you are pregnant
Outfit
Traditionally, sauna sessions take place unclothed. In fact, the heat accelerates the spread of bacteria on tissues, this is why only one towel is accepted most of the time.
In all cases, you use the towel to sit on the sauna benches, so remember to bring one with you.
To conclude
The benefits of the sauna are no longer to be proven! They represent real virtues for the health and well-being of body and mind.
To summarize, here are the different benefits of sauna practice:
- relaxes the muscles
- stimulates blood circulation
- makes the skin radiant
- increases immune defenses
- helps fight against stress and fatigue
- clears the airways
- reduces cardiovascular risks
Be careful, however, of the few contraindications that exist and which may indicate to you that the sauna is not a practice made for you.
Try the sauna at Aqua by
Come pedal in our pools during 50 minutes ! Aqua by welcomes you every day in its 4 studios to make aquabiking sessions in a colorful and rhythmic atmosphere.
At the end of your session, you can enjoy a moment of relaxation in our saunas before leaving. Enjoy the benefits of the sauna on your muscles after an intense session!
You can find a sauna in all Aqua by studios, so don't wait any longer to come and let off some steam first and relax afterwards!
