There are many known benefits to working out, in general. When practised correctly, exercise can improve health, both mental and physical, as well as improve the overall quality of life. However, physical activity, especially regular workouts, puts stress on the body.
It is important to practice post-workout recovery techniques that will allow your body to properly adjust to the changes it is experiencing. It is a good idea to take advantage of the amenities at a fitness club such as whirlpools or saunas. If you are looking for a Nunawading gym, Element Fitness Health Club provides a clean, spacious workout facility with a complimentary sauna.
If you’re looking for the best post-workout recovery, there are few options better than sitting in the sauna. Check out these six benefits of a sauna after a workout.
Promotes Additional Healthy Weight Loss
By partnering your workout with sauna use, you teach your body to let go of retained water weight. It is important to note that dehydration can occur when using a sauna, so keep some water with you or increase water intake on sauna days. A sauna alone will not provide a healthy way to lose weight on its own. Rather, it is the combination of physical activity, heat, and sweat that promotes additional weight loss post-workout. In addition, increased blood flow to relaxed muscles can accelerate muscle growth and tone.
Improved Heart Health
Exposure to the dry heat of the sauna can improve heart health. The heat promotes blood flow and relaxes blood vessels which promotes healthy cardiovascular function. Individuals with heart concerns should consult a professional before using a sauna regularly to determine if it is safe for their condition.
Improved Lung Health
Similar to the heart benefits, sauna use can improve lung capacity and open airways. It is proven that steam inhalation opens up clogged airways brought on by smoking, bronchitis, allergies, or even asthma. After working out, your lungs are already more open than normal due to increased blood flow during exercise. Breathing in the steam from a sauna can further promote lung capacity by increasing oxygen flow post-workout.
Pain Relief
The relaxing effect a sauna has on the body after working the muscles has been proven to reduce stiffness and tension. In turn, this results in pain relief and reduced inflammation, which may be beneficial to chronic pain conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. After a tough set, the potential pain relief can be one of the biggest benefits of sauna after workout.
Detoxifying
Because the sauna is a controlled environment, it creates sterile heat in which your body sweats. This brings excess toxins out of the body and naturally expels them. In addition, because your muscles are in a relaxed state, post-workout sauna use can increase the detoxifying effect by prolonging the sweating process beyond activity.
Stress Relief and Mental Relaxation
It is important to remember that exercise works not only the body but also the mind. Mental discipline contributes greatly to the impact of a workout and, therefore, should be considered in the cool down and rejuvenation practice. Tension released in a sauna can relax the body as well as the mind and lead to an overall reduction in stress.
Regardless of why you chose to recover in a sauna after a workout, you are sure to reap the many benefits. Check out the amenities at the Element Fitness Health Club to plan for your post-workout recovery today!
