You may have noticed recently the trend of hot yoga and combining fitness with sauna-level temperatures. The impact that heat has on the body can be severe, especially for a body that isn’t used to such high level of exposure. Alternatively, even with someone who is in pristine conditioning, they can run into trouble trying to complete a workout under strenuous sauna heat.
If you’re concerned about doing yoga, tai chi, endurance exercises, or strength exercises in extremely hot conditions, we want to highlight what the risks are, what the science says about fitness activity inside a sauna, and what the ideal approach is between your sauna and whichever workout you prefer.
Using hot yoga as an inspiration
The best example of combining heat with fitness is in hot yoga. All that ‘hot yoga’ is is regular everyday yoga performed in hot, humid conditions. The exact temperature a hot yoga class is ranges from 90 degrees to 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Please note that these temperatures come below what you’ll find in any infrared sauna, dry sauna, traditional sauna, or steam room.
Hot yoga’s been proven safe for most people. For others, it can cause overstretching, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke. These risks are similar to a sauna and participants are encouraged to drink plenty of water, start easy, and when the heat becomes overwhelming to leave the room. These are in large part the same instructions given to sitting or performing any sort of exercise in a sauna. Be safe.
Can I work out in a sauna?
There are studios that are rising up in various cities across the world offering short instructed workouts in an infrared sauna usually set at no more than 125 degrees Fahrenheit. As seen, this temperature is hotter than what’s given in hot yoga. Comparatively, the sauna workouts are generally shorter and limited to 15 minutes as well.
What sort of workouts can I do in a sauna?
Most studios offering fitness inside a sauna focus on isometric exercises. The most common workouts in a sauna include yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and barre. Although some low-weight free weights are introduced in some places, workout out in a sauna zeroes in on movement.
Under high heat conditions, your body is already stressed. Heart rate increases, circulation improves, and your body is put into a state almost identical to performing moderate intensity cardio. You don’t want to be adding a lot of heavy, tough weightlifting exercises to it. Anyone can very easily overstress their bodies doing so. For this reason, things like yoga and Pilates are applied which create movement in the body.
How much time can I use to work out in a sauna?
If you intend to work out in a sauna, whether it’s on your own or in a class, the average time to work out in a sauna is 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Now this is shorter than the type of fitness you’d do in a gym but 30 minutes is all you need. Ultimately, if you end up feeling overstressed in a workout, get out of there, get some air, and grab some water. One needs to be more vigilant about their body’s reactions to fitness when it’s being done in a sauna.
What are the effects on the body from a sauna workout?
Infrared sauna heat raises core body temperature and heart rate, raises metabolism, provides pain relief, temporarily resolves mobility problems, and more. These effects on the body from a sauna workout can continue for up to 60 minutes.
Is it bad to work out in a sauna?
A lot of people ask the question, is it bad to work out in a sauna? The answer is that it can be. If someone is pregnant, has a heart condition, isn’t in strong cardiovascular health, or who is struggling with a chronic condition of some kind, absolutely check with their physician first. Engaging in regular sauna workouts can prove to be too stressful on the body and could potentially cause an incident.
A risk factor one must also consider is that in a sauna, the heat is very relaxing. Muscles that are relaxed are more likely to be injured. This is why you won’t find very many people doing benchpress exercises in a sauna. This isn’t smart and won’t help you. Do not do heavy weight lifting, in a sauna. Your muscles won’t be ready for it. This isn’t to say you can’t use weights like 15 pounds, 12 pounds, 10 pounds, or 5 pounds, or less. These are much more manageable in a heated setting.
Why some prefer using a sauna after their workout
There are a lot more people who use a sauna after a workout than people who work out in it. Using a sauna after you work out in a gym enhances muscle recovery, reduces soreness, and boosts performance overall.
One study has shown sitting in an infrared sauna is akin to a moderate intensity cardiovascular workout. What this does at the tail end of a workout session is provide your body with a way to slowly wind down from the high-impact weightlifting or work you did in a gym session. Also, circulation increases. This is important because when you work out, you deplete muscles of oxygen. Circulation increased carries more oxygen-rich blood around your body which creates relaxation and recovery, while eliminating muscle tension and any sort of delayed onset muscle soreness which some of us are more prone to.
An infrared sauna produces physiological changes in the body
Using a sauna 4-7 times a week, in a matter of a couple months, can produce positive physiological changes in the body that leave you a healthier person. In some cases, these physiological changes can be permanent if one continually invests in sauna time. Consider a sauna almost like a category of nutrition that your body didn’t know it needed. Among people who use a sauna regularly, whether it’s to work out in, after a workout, or sans workout, the following benefits are what they find:
More energy and less fatigue.
Better insulin resistance and helps to manage risk of diabetes.
Improved lung function, decreasing risk of lung or respiratory disease.
Assists with combating certain types of cancers.
Lowers inflammation.
Increases red blood cell count, increasing oxygen delivery to cells.
Promotes better brain performance, increases growth of new brain cells, and neuron repair.
Increases muscle growth.
Helps with weight loss.
Improves heart health.
Slows down the agiWg process at a cellular level.
Regulates blood pressure.
Improves physical endurance.
Improves skin health.
Decreases pain.
Strengthens the immune systems.
Fights the risks of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Fights symptoms of depression.
Will working out in a sauna help me burn more calories?
Yes, working out in a sauna may slightly help you burn more calories and intensify the effects of a workout. The primary reason that people do fitness inside a sauna however is for endurance, almost like challenging their bodies to work harder to achieve the same result. If you are limited mobility-wise, a sauna can also be used to help lose weight, regulate your body’s cardio conditioning, and to help you maintain health.
Thankfully, you don’t need to exercise in a sauna to arrive at its benefits. Even just by sitting there, you’re turning up your core body temperature, increasing metabolism, and working your body. If you have struggled with working out in the past, an infrared sauna’s a very simple way to start challenging your body in the gentlest of ways. If you do have a chronic condition, consider speaking with your physician first to confirm your risk factors and to ensure a sauna poses no danger.