Sauna or heat therapy may induce a stress- adaptation response that causes hormetic changes in the body, this adaptation can lead to a huge number of health benefits that sauna therapy is associated with.
Benefits include:
✅Improvements in cardiovascular disease
✅Pain relief
✅Stress relief/ enhanced relaxation
✅Improved sleep
✅Increased detoxification of certain chemicals
✅Reduced blood pressure
✅Improved lipids (lower Total cholesterol and LDL)
✅Decreased fasting glucose
✅Enhanced antioxidant activity (due to short term generation of free radicals)
✅Lipolysis
✅ Regular sauna therapy is associated with longevity
Highly recommend…
For these reasons I’m a BIG fan of sauna therapy and include it in my recommendations to all of my clients who have access to one.
In regards to protocol and timing, I usually recommend 15 – 20 mins sauna after workouts followed by a cold shower although I have no literature to support this. On non training days 3 x 15 minutes intervals (with cold showers in between) should also be beneficial.
Please note…
⭐️ It is worth noting that exercise and fasting also provide acute stressors which can lead to a healthy adaptive response, so the combination of exercise, structured fasts and sauna therapy seems like a possible winner for promoting health and longevity.
?⚕️ Always ensure adequate hydration when using saunas and consult with your GP before using them if you have any health complaints that could possibly be made worse by heat therapy