The benefits of the sauna for the human body. Sauna after fitness: benefit or harm

The benefits of the sauna have been repeatedly proven by scientists. Such a useful past time has recently almost replaced the traditional Russian bathhouse. However, many people, especially athletes, doubt whether it is worth visiting a sauna after training. To begin with, we will analyze the general effect of such a procedure on the body.

Sauna: benefits and harms

Sauna undoubtedly strengthens the body. Temperature changes contribute to increased immunity, hardening and improve overall health. A person simply becomes resistant to various infectious diseases.

A trip to the sauna is often accompanied by the application of essential oils, massage sessions and aromatherapy. The active components of various substances easily penetrate through enlarged pores and have a positive effect on the skin and the body as a whole. So, the health benefits of the sauna:

• Infections are destroyed.
• The immune system is strengthened.
• Regular visits to the sauna significantly reduce the risk of cancer.
• All kinds of toxins are removed from the body.
• The work of the kidneys is stabilized.
• Salt metabolism is stabilized.
• The skin becomes clean, soft, supple and supple.
• Blood pressure is normalized due to the expansion of blood vessels and capillaries.
• Significantly reduced the degree of stress.
• Irritability and nervousness disappear.
• Fatigue disappears.
• Vigor and clarity of thought returns to man.
• The work of the brain is stimulated, as a result of which mental abilities develop.
• There is a surge of energy.
• The general health and condition of the body improves.
• After playing sports, lactic acid often accumulates in the muscles, which leads to pain. Sauna accelerates this substance and eliminates discomfort.
• Sauna accelerates the metabolism of proteins, so that the body assimilates nutrients much faster and better.
• Sauna is an excellent prevention of bone tissue diseases.
• Runny nose, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and similar diseases will disappear without a trace after several procedures.

This is a really impressive effect on the human body. However, sometimes a sauna is not only beneficial.

Harm to the sauna for the human body

If the rules for visiting the sauna are not followed, then the body is dealt significant damage. So, the harm of the procedure:

• If you are in a state of intoxication in the sauna, you can give an excessive load on the heart.
• Unprotected hair risks becoming dry and brittle after the first procedure.
• If you do not treat the skin before visiting the sauna, you risk drying it out.
• If you enter the steam room barefoot, you can pick up the fungus, because not all visitors to the sauna are healthy, and the temperature in it is favorable for the development of parasites.
• Sauna at any stage of pregnancy can adversely affect the health of the child.
• You can not visit the sauna with high blood pressure, as there is a huge probability of loss of consciousness.
• Acute infections can develop even more after visiting the sauna.

To avoid such consequences, you must follow the rules for visiting the sauna.

Rules for visiting the sauna

The benefits of the sauna for women and men will be obvious if you follow these rules:

• Do not eat immediately before the procedure. It is better to do this a few hours before visiting the sauna.
• Any alcoholic drinks before and after the sauna will nullify the whole positive effect.
• Wrap your hair in a towel so that it does not become dry or brittle.
• Apply natural oil to your skin to protect it from high temperatures.
• If your body is sensitive to fever, stay in the steam room for a minimum amount of time.
• If you are sick and your body temperature has risen, refrain from going to the sauna, put it aside for a more suitable moment.

Compliance with these rules will allow you to spend time in the sauna with maximum benefit. However, there are several categories of people who are categorically contraindicated in this procedure.

Contraindications to visiting the sauna

Very often, a Finnish sauna attracts people . The benefits and harms of such a pastime do not really bother them. However, some people should not use the sauna. These include:

• Pregnant women.
• People with diabetes, tuberculosis, diseases of the nervous system.
• People with high blood pressure.
• Women during menstruation.

There are not so many contraindications to visiting the sauna. Therefore, you need to pay attention to them. If you neglect contraindications, you can cause irreparable damage to health.

We figured out the benefits and harms of the sauna, now let's talk about this procedure immediately after training.

Sauna after the gym: benefit or harm?

Visitors to gyms and fitness classes are often invited to go to the sauna immediately after a workout. This is due to the fact that there is an opinion about the undeniable benefits of this procedure after playing sports.

However, each person must make their own choices. Scientists have proven that the sauna adversely affects muscle growth. Elevated temperature simply does not allow them to develop at full strength. But this does not mean that visiting the sauna will harm the body. Under certain conditions, it will contribute to such processes:

• Due to the strong blood flow, the muscles renew faster.
• Significantly reduced muscle pain.
• Toxins are eliminated.
• Sauna removes natural metabolic products from the body.
• Sauna helps to relax and relieve muscle tension.
• Calories are burned, and in significant quantities.
• It creates a natural flow of oxygen into the body.

The benefits of the sauna after training will be noticeable only if certain rules are followed.

How to train before going to the sauna

Some athletes are not so happy as a sauna after fitness. Benefit or harm will be from the procedure, no one cares. However, potential adverse effects on health can lead to serious consequences. And if you follow these recommendations during training and while in the sauna, then you will spend time with benefit:

• Do not overload the body, the activity should be medium in intensity.
• Allow the workout no more than 45 minutes.
• During classes, periodically drink clean water.
• After training and before visiting the sauna, also drink some clean water.
• One session in the sauna should not last more than 20 minutes.
• After exiting the steam room, be sure to plunge into the cool pool or take a shower.
• Eat something carbohydrate-protein immediately after the sauna.
• If you have the opportunity to visit the sauna on the day when you are not exercising, then do so.

After the workout, we figured out the effect of the sauna on the body. But sometimes people want to visit this place just before class. This has its positive and negative sides.

Trekking before training

Many athletes like to go to the sauna before training, arguing that the procedure significantly warms up the body and regulates the optimal temperature regime.

There is some truth in this, since the sauna really warms the body and prepares it for sports. During training, your muscles will no longer need a strong workout. But not only the positive aspects of this procedure. The benefits of a sauna before training depend on the planned workload in the classroom.

Sauna damage before training

The benefits of a steam room before going in for sports will be apparent only if you visit it quickly and do not steam for longer than 10 minutes. This is due to the fact that the body runs the risk of getting into a state of dehydration.

In addition, body temperature will increase significantly, which means that the temperature regime during training will not be optimal. In this state, playing sports is simply ineffective.

Alternative to sauna after workout

An excellent procedure after training is washing your face with cold water or taking a cool shower. This normalizes the temperature regime, speeds up metabolism, slows the heartbeat, prepares the body for the intake of a protein shake and promotes the synthesis of glycogen in the body.

In addition, oxygen enters the muscles much faster, which perfectly affects their work and growth.

Unlike a sauna, washing does not adversely affect muscle growth, which is important for athletes who work out in the gym. A cool shower also strengthens the immune system and hardens.

A bit about infrared sauna

Today, an infrared sauna is gaining popularity. This procedure is used both on the day of training, and as a separate full-fledged service in various beauty salons.

Infrared sauna differs from the usual one in that it contributes to the warming of the human body from the inside. This means that the body is updated at the tissue level. The skin becomes firm and supple, and excess fluid is completely eliminated from the body.

Which sauna to choose, each person decides independently. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding to introduce your body into a peculiar stressful situation.

If you don’t feel like doing it at all

Sometimes it happens that a person does not want to not only go to the sauna, but also to play sports. In this case, the following manipulations will help:

• Change your workout program.
• Go to another gym several times.
• Take a few lessons with a personal trainer.
• Watch a few motivational films.
• Go to training with a friend, try yourself as a coach.
• Arrange for yourself a full day off, in which you will neither work nor play sports.

If you train too often, sooner or later the body will resist this, so your desire will disappear.

Thus, a sauna after training is a great way to relax and relieve stress. But sometimes it has the exact opposite effect. Therefore, it is important to know how the steam room affects the body, how the state of health changes under the influence of high temperatures. Sometimes it’s better to refrain from going to the sauna. The best option for you would be to consult with your doctor and trainer before deciding on visits to the steam room.