A sauna session is always a nice thing to have. It’s where you can relax, de-stress, or cleanse your body of any harmful toxins it has accumulated. But how long should you really stay in one to maximize its effects? How often should you have a sauna session?
Whether you have your own sauna at home or you regularly visit a spa that has one, it’s important that you must be consistent about your sauna sessions. If you only go to a sauna once or twice every two to three months, you’re not giving your body the maximum benefits that a sauna session brings.
In addition to the relaxation it provides, there are still plenty of health benefits when going to a sauna. These benefits might even be the reason why you want to buy a sauna. Hence, it’s important to maximize every session so you’ll be able to reap the benefits.
That being said, here are tips to make the most out of your sauna sessions:
- Shower Before And After Your Sauna
No matter how tempted you may be to get inside your sauna right away, take the time to shower first. Showering before you step into a sauna is a good idea because it makes you sweat more rapidly and heavily, gives you a more restorative experience, and allows you to feel extra refreshed.
Here are more benefits you can gain when you shower before a sauna session:
- Stimulates blood flow in the body;
- Perspire freely;
- Removes dirt, lotion, and other grime.
You should also take a shower every after your sauna session. Doing so will leave you feeling clean, energized, and invigorated. To maximize the health benefits of your sauna, don’t shower with a shower gel as the water would suffice.
- Exercise Before And After
Typically, there’s no hard and fast rule as to when you should exercise if you’re also planning to have a sauna session in the day. You’ve got to choose a time based on your schedule and your preference. For instance, there are those who prefer to exercise before their sauna session, while there are those who also prefer to do it after. Regardless of your choice, the point is that it’s best to pair these two up. That way, you can maximize the health and detox benefits that both your exercise and sauna sessions provide.
Some of these health benefits are:
- Enhances your immune system;
- Relieves you from stress;
- Gives you a healthy skin tone.
- Remove Your Clothes
If you’re just alone or with your partner, then don’t feel compelled to cover up. Nothing beats removing your clothes when going to a sauna. Doing so also allows you to optimize the effects of a sauna session.
Clothing will interfere with the heat’s ability to penetrate directly through your body. Particularly if you’re using the sauna for medical reasons, like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or pain, the heat has to penetrate directly.
Moreover, any piece of clothing or a towel can hamper the evaporation of sweat. Remember that sweat is needed to keep the body cool. If this doesn’t evaporate, then your body fails to cool.
- Add Some Music
Music may reduce your stress levels. So, if you want to maximize your relaxation, it helps to add some music when you’re in the sauna.
Just be very careful, however, that your music player can withstand the heat if the sauna you’re using doesn’t support an audio capacity.
- Time The Duration Effectively
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach as to how long you should and can stay in the sauna. Typically, this will differ based on your age, health, and even your heat tolerance.
On average, most sauna users will stay inside for around 10 to 15 minutes before taking a break to cool off, and then going back to the sauna again. If you have the means to go as frequently as three to four times a week, this is the timeframe in which you’re set to receive maximum benefits. If not, then once a week is alright.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve got insights on what you can do to maximize every sauna session, you can start applying these so you can enjoy all of its effects. Surely, you wouldn’t want to waste your time going to a sauna and then not being able to enjoy it to its fullest.
However, remember that this isn’t meant to substitute advice from a health professional. Whenever you’re unsure, you should always seek help and tips from your doctor.
