How sauna and sport complement each other
Sauna after sports. However, some medical experts are now sounding the alarm. Athletes would go into the heat too early and thus harm their circulation. We show why this is so further down in this article. However, the dear habit is not all bad – as long as a few rules are followed. Scientists have also already confirmed this in many studies. But what are the benefits anyway – and how do you sauna properly?
Goodbye sore muscles!
The greatest benefit of the heat is for the muscles themselves. More precisely, for their relaxation. During strength training, you tense your muscles. That’s the whole point, because after all, they should grow properly through the drudgery. Afterward, however, they need some care. Otherwise, there’s a risk of nasty muscle soreness.
So, relax briefly – and then: off into the heat. The pleasant warmth immediately loosens the tensions in the body. The muscles get the signal to rest and regenerate. And that is quite healthy. If you don’t exert yourself too much, you even manage to avoid the annoying muscle soreness altogether.
Sauna stops the breakdown of nutrients
But the whole thing actually does something for your fitness. Your muscles build up by accumulating protein during exercise. As soon as the effort is over, they break down the nutrient again and therefore lose mass. This, by the way, is the reason why so many people turn to protein drinks after exercise.
They want to supply the substance artificially. The success of this measure is usually modest. The body cannot be chased so simply into the box horn. Or is it? The heat during a sauna visit apparently stops the breakdown of nutrients. Researchers came to this conclusion only recently.
Time for regeneration
As useful as the sauna is after a workout, it can also be unhealthy. Before you expose yourself to the heat, your body needs time for regeneration. After all, it is still trimmed for high performance. Your pulse is literally at 180, and that’s exactly what’s so dangerous. As you know, your body relaxes in the pleasant heat. It also tries to lower your circulation.
While you’re sweating in a relaxed state, your heart beats about as slowly as it does when you’re asleep. If your pump is now working at full capacity in the heat, your organism will try to lower the circulation as quickly as possible. And this is exactly where the problem lies: under certain circumstances, the complex system gets so confused that you go limp.
Healthy sweating in the sauna
To avoid this, you need to rest a little after your workout. If you use a heart rate monitor, wait until your resting heart rate is reached. If you don’t use technical aids, wait a quarter of an hour. At least until you can breathe normally, are no longer sweating, and otherwise feel completely well again. Then nothing will stand in the way of healthy sweating, and you can enjoy your sauna bath as usual. But take care of yourself and leave the sweat room at the slightest discomfort.
