Top 7 Sauna Benefits for Athletes & 10 Ways To Maximize Them

Imagine finishing a tough workout or competition. You're spent, and your body feels fatigued and sore. You know that recovery is critical to enhancing your performance, but getting your body back to normal so you can train again or compete once more is challenging. While this situation may be impossible to avoid entirely, there is a natural way to help athletes recover and get back to performing at their best—the sauna. Learning how to use a sauna effectively can make a big difference in accelerating recovery. Recent research has confirmed what many athletes have long suspected—the sauna benefits athletes by improving their recovery and performance. The following will explore how sauna benefits for athletes improve physical and mental performance, enhance recovery, and boost overall health.

One valuable tool for achieving these objectives is GoPolar's sauna app. This simple-to-use app helps you easily navigate sauna use and develop a customized approach to suit your needs and goals.

What Is the Science Behind Sauna Use?

Any athlete will tell you that recovery is just as important as training. After all, the body rebuilds and repairs itself during recovery, getting stronger. There are many ways to recover after a sweaty workout. You can stretch, foam roll, or perform active recovery moves; plenty of devices also want to help you recover. 

Stepping into a steamy sauna post-workout can offer many advantages and even extend the benefits of your exercise routine.  

How Do Saunas Work?

Saunas are a big part of Scandinavian culture. They can feature heated rocks, steam, or infrared heaters and are available at home, in spas, or in the gym. Depending on your choice, you can install an at-home sauna for about $100 to thousands. There are also portable or built-in options. 

Dalleck says any type of sauna can offer health benefits. To get the most out of it, he recommends using a sauna for 15 to 20 minutes post-exercise and getting your core temperature to 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Nevertheless, it is possible to get overheated and dehydrated if you use a sauna for too long; regardless of how a sauna is heated or the humidity level, the effects on the body are similar. 

What Happens to Your Body When You Use a Sauna? 

When a person sits in a sauna, their heart rate increases and blood vessels widen. This 

similarly increases circulation to low to moderate exercise,, depending on the duration of sauna use. Heart rate may increase to 100-150 beats a minute while using a sauna. This may bring some health benefits. 

Do Saunas Improve Athletic Performance?

Your body experiences heat stress in your sauna and adapts physiologically to protect itself. This adaptation involves surges in heat shock protein, which repairs damaged proteins (muscles), and human growth hormone, which stimulates muscle growth. Because of this surge in these two substances, researchers have discovered that athletes who sauna post-workout experience more excellent muscular development than athletes who do not.

These effects are strongest when you sauna within 30 minutes of your workout and remain slightly dehydrated since dehydration adds to heat stress. It’s also important not to push your body too far--skip to the end of the article for recommendations on sauna safety.

Endurance Gains: How Sauna Benefits Athletes’ Performance

Sauna bathing, whether independent or paired with exercise, can significantly increase endurance. One study found that runners who sat in a post-workout sauna for 30 minutes four times per week increased their time to exhaustion by 32%. Those researchers also found increased plasma and red blood cells over the study period, which might explain the improved performance.

Improved endurance from saunas might also be explained by measurably improved thermoregulation in test subjects. Athletes who sat in the sauna for 20 minutes the day before a running trial experienced less heat stress and less perceived fatigue during the trial.

“The evidence that sauna use can significantly enhance endurance is very strong,” says Exercise Physiologist Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., an adjunct researcher at Stanford University’s Prevention Research Center. “Our current interest stems from the old-school use of sauna exposure by cross-country skiers, pro cyclists, and other endurance athletes. Their mostly European coaches would have them sit in the sauna after training to help with recovery and sweating capabilities.”

What’s Going on Inside Your Body? How Sitting in a Sauna Triggers Natural Performance Enhancement

Such traditional explanations of sauna benefits might play some role, but Sims and her colleagues suspect that there’s a more potent reason that sauna heat fires up sports performance.

She explains that as the sauna gradually warms up our core temperature, sensors in our brains trigger sweating to keep us from parboiling. Sweating in a sauna doesn’t cool us much, but it has a secondary effect. Because the liquid in sweat comes mainly from blood plasma, the more we drip, the more dehydrated we become and the more challenging it becomes to pump our blood. 

This decreases oxygen tension in the kidneys, triggering the release of a natural hormone called erythropoietin (EPO). EPO stimulates red blood cell production and increases blood volume.

What Is EPO?

Chances are you’ve heard of EPO before. Synthetic forms have long been used medically to treat serious health conditions like anemia. Lance Armstrong admitted to taking it, too, despite its ban by World Anti-Doping Agency for being an illegal blood doper.

But boosting your own body’s supply naturally is entirely kosher. Most athletes do this — at least to some extent — during workouts, thanks to dehydration. Some sports, of course, are legendary for their dehydrating potential. 

Sweat Loss in Athletes: More Than Just Runners

Marathon runners, for instance, have been known to lose more than 1.5 gallons of sweat (about 10% of their body weight) during summer races. It’s not only prolonged endurance exercise in a hot environment that causes it, either. Swimmers sweat, too (even though it’s hard to see them do it), and the water doesn’t have to be particularly warm.

The Impact of Water Temperature on Sweat Loss in Swimmers

For a study in Science & Sports, for instance, competitive male swimmers agreed to race a 5K three times in different pool temperatures. When the water was a stifling 90 ̊F, the swimmers lost up to 3.5 pints of sweat per hour; at a comfortable 80 ̊F, the rate was still nearly 2.5 pints; and even at a chilly 73 ̊F, they lost up to 1.6 pints per hour.

Why Does Losing Water Weight Mid-Event Matter?

“One of the primary factors in endurance muscle fatigue is this drop in blood volume,” Sims explains. “Sauna training helps counter this by increasing EPO and, through this, both plasma volume and red blood cell count. It can be super-beneficial for any endurance athlete. Think of it as another natural ergonomic aid in your arsenal, one that can provide a 2-3% boost in performance.”

To maximize the benefit, Sims has developed a protocol to use before any major event likely to challenge you to your limits. Make sure to check with your doctor first, especially if you take medications (including NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen, which reduce blood flow through the kidneys) or suffer:

• Hypertension
• Kidney problems
• Other serious health problems

Sauna Benefits for Weight Loss

The sauna can burn a few calories: sitting in the heat elevates your heart rate like low-to-moderate exercise.

A sauna’s natural weight loss power is in its effect on insulin. Just three weekly sauna sessions could increase insulin sensitivity, helping with blood sugar regulation. Women who successfully lose and keep off weight tend to have higher insulin sensitivity than women who have not lost weight or have lost weight and relapsed. By using your sauna session to achieve this marker of metabolic health, you are priming your body to achieve your weight loss goals.

Sauna Benefits for Cognition

Suppose you are among the many people who value mental clarity and mood regulation from regularly working out. In that case, you’ve probably wondered whether saunas also enhance brain health. And they do! Among other hormonal changes listed above, hyperthermia also increases the production of norepinephrine, which can help you stay alert and focused.

Saunas also increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a key molecule in the growth and development of neurons. That means that regular sauna use can improve your learning and memory.

Sauna Benefits for Immune Health

Immunity isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the gym or the sauna, but truthfully, that immune boost is one of the most significant benefits either activity gives you. Even better, this is a case where the sum is greater than the parts: one study found that sauna usage increases the number of white blood cells in the body, and the increase is most significant in athletes.

How Do I Incorporate the Sauna Into My Fitness Routine?

Pre-Workout

The heat of the sauna can loosen up muscles and release tension, increasing the flexibility and efficiency of your workout. Sit for 5 minutes (just enough to warm up) before starting your workout, but don’t replace your regular warm-up with the sauna.

Post-Workout

Sauna within half an hour of finishing your workout 2-5 times per week. Start with 5-10-minute sessions, then build up to 30-minute sessions once you’re acclimated. Exit the sauna and begin rehydrating immediately if you experience:

• Headache
• Lightheadedness
• Dry skin
• Any other symptom of dehydration or heat-related illness 

Your Cold Plunge and Sauna Companion

Our cold plunge app is the go-to resource and tracking app for people who like to take cold plunges and saunas. With GoPolar's cold plunge app, you can track your cold plunges, cold showers, and sauna sessions with your Apple watch. 

After your plunge or sauna session, you can review your heart rate during a session, see trends in the app with Apple Health data, and track your scores in our leaderboard/community. With our app, you can also find the best spots to cold plunge in your area! 

Download our cold plunge app for free today to level up your cold plunge and sauna sessions with our tracking features and the GoPolar community leaderboard.

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7 Science-Backed Sauna Benefits for Athletes

1. Better Muscle Recovery and Growth with Sauna Use

Muscle recovery and growth occur when the muscles are given time to repair themselves after a workout. With ample recovery, growth can happen. Sauna helps move this process along by increasing blood flow to the muscles. During a sauna session, your body's temperature increases, which causes blood vessels to dilate and increase blood flow. This increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, which are known to improve recovery and growth. Sauna use also assists muscle recovery by triggering the release of growth hormone. Also referred to as HGH, this hormone is widely known to promote muscle growth and repair. Studies have shown that regular sauna use can increase growth hormone levels in the body.

2. Increase Strength with Sauna After Weight Lifting

One study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that regular sauna use improved muscle strength and power in male athletes. Another study at Northern Michigan University found that male weightlifters' post-workout sauna use increased muscle hypertrophy. Most associated with:

• Strength training
• Resistance exercise
• Bodybuilding

Muscle hypertrophy is how skeletal muscle fibers increase in size and cross-sectional area. These findings suggest that sauna use can effectively enhance muscle recovery and increase strength, which likely extends to both men and women.

3. Reduce Inflammation with a Post-Workout Sauna

Another benefit of sauna after workout sessions is reducing inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response to muscle damage, and while typically not perceived as unfavorable, chronic inflammation can impede the recovery process and is unhealthy. 

Sauna use has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, aid post-workout recovery, and improve general health. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that post-workout saunas also reduce muscle soreness and inflammation in male endurance athletes. 

A Natural Anti-Inflammatory for Athletes

Another study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that regular saunas reduce oxidative stress in male athletes. Oxidative stress results from an imbalance of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can trigger an increase in inflammation. So, it's safe to bet that sauna use effectively reduces inflammation and aids post-workout recovery.

4. Enhance Endurance with Sauna After Cardio

Saunas post-workout also aid in developing heat acclimation, enhancing endurance in hot environments. A study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that regular sauna use improved endurance performance in male distance runners. Once again, science proves that sauna use can be an effective post-workout tool!

5. Improve Cardiovascular Function with Sauna Post-Workout

Improving cardiovascular function and reducing blood pressure can benefit overall fitness and heart health as it boosts the heart and blood vessels' efficiency to dilate while lowering the force of blood against arterial walls. 

Multiple studies have found that regular sauna use improved cardiovascular function in both men and women athletes. This typically means strengthening the heart muscle, optimizing its ability to pump blood, and ensuring blood vessels are flexible and free from blockages.

6. Boost Circulation with a Sauna After Your Workout

In addition to reducing inflammation, sauna use can also boost circulation in the body. Improved circulation assists the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, which aids recovery and growth. Improved circulation also assists in the detoxification and removal of waste products from the muscles, which helps with soreness. And who doesn't need a little help with that?

7. Build Flexibility with a Sauna After Exercising

Flexibility is crucial in optimizing athletic performance and reducing the risk of injuries. Recent research has found that regular sauna use can significantly increase flexibility and strength. This enhancement in flexibility offers an array of advantages for athletes, including:

• Extended range of motion
• Improved joint mobility
• Decreased stiffness
• Increased joint relaxation

Such post-workout improvements benefit athletes aiming to reach their peak performance levels and individuals seeking to prevent injury and maintain overall joint health.

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Should You Hop in a Sauna Before or After a Workout?

Along with the health benefits of sauna bathing, there are also some performance boosts to consider, even if you are already well-trained. In one study, when a small group of well-trained distance runners sat in a sauna for 30 minutes after training four times a week, they improved their performance in a run-to-exhaustion test by 32 percent and decreased their 5K time by nearly two percent after just three weeks. 

Before or After Your Workout?

You can reap the benefits of sauna bathing anytime. While some people like to pregame their workout by warming up their muscles in a sauna—which helps you loosen up but shouldn’t replace your regular warmup—using the sauna after you exercise, when you’re still a little dehydrated maybe even better. 

The Pros and Cons of Using a Sauna Before a Workout

Anyone who has spent time in the locker room of a big box gym knows there are hardcore sauna fans who love to sit there (and sit there and sit there!) after a workout. And in the context of fitness, that’s generally when the experts we spoke with suggest using the sauna, too. 

Why Pre-Workout Saunas Aren't Ideal

There aren’t many benefits to hitting the sauna right before exercising. “For most types of sports, if you do a good sauna session before, you will likely get dehydrated,” Fuchs says. “Of course, you can drink water during the sauna session, but you will sweat a lot, your body temperature will increase drastically, and these things are generally not very helpful for your exercise performance.”

Gordon says that if you’re not careful, dehydration could put you at risk for heat stroke or heat exhaustion, especially if you exercise in the heat after the sauna. 

“It has been observed that pre-heating decreases exercise time to exhaustion in a neutral environment and self-paced exercise intensity when the performance was done in a hot environment,” says Essi K. Ahokas, a doctoral researcher who has studied sauna use at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. 

If you use the sauna before a workout, you may not go as hard while exercising somewhere hot and may need to tap out sooner, even at room temperature. You might also feel like your workout requires more effort, Ahokas adds. 

Pre-Workout Saunas for Acclimatization

Fuchs says he could see a pre-exercise sauna session helping if you’re preparing for an upcoming athletic event or competition in scorching weather. Spending time in a toasty sauna before training over the few weeks before the event might simulate your competing conditions and help you acclimate. “You kind of let your body adapt to tolerate the heat better,” he says.

Sitting in the sauna doesn’t replace a proper warm-up. “Even though it increases body temperature and activates the cardiovascular system, it doesn’t activate the neuromuscular system and might not be as effective as an active warm-up,” Ahokas says. 

If you’re about to sprint, a sauna will prepare you better than no warm-up at all, she adds, but no coach or trainer worth their salt would recommend you take that route. (Instead, try one of the many great guided warm-ups in the Peloton App. They only take a few minutes!) 

Sauna Benefits for Older Adults and Those with Joint Pain

Older adults or anyone with joint pain or arthritis might theoretically feel less stiff during exercise after a bit of time in the sauna, Church says. Still, you’re also more likely to get dehydrated with age. No matter what, if you decide to sauna bathe immediately before exercise, “keep it short and use milder temperatures,” Ahokas says. 

The Pros and Cons of Using a Sauna After a Workout

So what about after your workout? For some people, a post-exercise sauna session is all about relaxation, and if that works for you, go for it. “Some people really get relaxed by it, and by all means, then do it, because if you can make your body relax, maybe you sleep better,” which is also helpful for fitness, Fuchs says.

One small 2015 study in SpringerPlus with 10 male participants found that using an infrared sauna after an endurance workout improved jumping ability recovery. It may also ease muscle soreness and improve one's perception of how recovered one is, Ahokas says.

But it’s not all good news: In a small 2019 study in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, swimmers who sat in a sauna after a workout swam worse the following day. “Thus, after intensive exercise, sauna bathing might be an extra stressor to the body and actually slow down recovery,” Ahokas says, mainly if the workout already left you drained of energy and dehydrated.

That may be because whole-body heating (versus localized heating, like a heating pad on an achy muscle) increases blood flow to the skin to cool you down rather than to the muscles, Fuchs says. 

Hydration is Key After a Workout

If you worked out hard and lost a lot of fluids, you also risk worsening your dehydration by sweating more in a sauna afterward, Fuchs says. Stay aware of how hot the sauna is and how long you will soak. And consider bringing your preferred hydration drink into the sauna with you, Church recommends. “Just don’t consider this a cooldown,” Gordon says, “because you won’t be cool.” 

How to Decide If You Should Sauna Before or After a Workout

There are real risks of using a sauna too close to exercise in either direction. Both heating up too much before a workout and sweating too much more afterward can lead to dehydration and declines in performance. The experts we spoke with suggest saving your sauna bathing for a separate part of your day outside of exercise. 

The Potential Benefits of Pre-Workout Saunas

Using a sauna throughout the week could still have recovery benefits. Ahokas hypothesizes there might be benefits of sauna bathing 20 hours before a workout (aka almost an entire day before). Although there isn’t any research investigating this, it might take that long to activate specific proteins that could help muscle repair based on research looking at other kinds of whole-body heating methods, she says.

Still, if you want to hop in the sauna before or after a workout, experts typically suggest doing so afterward. A pre-workout sauna may alleviate joint or muscle stiffness before exercise, but preliminary studies point to more excellent recovery benefits from post-exercise saunas.

“Based on current research, sauna bathing is a possible tool to accelerate recovery and ease muscle soreness,” Ahokas says. “Theoretically, sauna bathing combined with a workout could augment training adaptations, but more research is needed.” 

How to Use Sauna Bathing to Boost Your Workouts

Are you interested in giving it a shot? Here’s how you can gain these sauna benefits.

Aim to hit the sauna for seven days in a row for optimum results. The first day, you may only be able to tolerate five to 10 minutes, but by the seventh day, 25 to 30 minutes should be attainable, Sims says. 

Women and Sauna Acclimation

Women may respond best to a “heat primer” when acclimating to the sauna since their hormonal cycles give them different thermoregulatory thresholds. So they may want to try going into the sauna for five to 10 minutes, then exiting for five minutes, and then heading back in for the rest of the session, up to that 30-minute mark.

Because your resting heart rate will be high during sauna time, try to keep your workouts less intense that week. Sims says to prevent overtraining, plan for more of a recovery or endurance week.

Shoot for hitting the sauna within 30 minutes of completing a workout. Try not to drink during these 30 minutes. Your protein recovery drink is okay, but no other fluid is needed since some dehydration is key to adapting this technique, Sims says. You can pour some water over your neck to cool off instead. 

Post-Sauna Hydration and Cooling Down

After you’re done in the sauna, slowly rehydrate over two to three hours. Gulping down fluid in large amounts after sauna bathing may cancel out some of the heat-stress response to the kidneys, Sims says. If you’re showering afterward, make it warm, or wait at least 10 minutes if you want a colder one—sudden, dramatic changes in temperature can make you lightheaded. 

Track, Measure, and Connect with GoPolar

Our cold plunge app is the go-to resource and tracking app for people who like to do cold plunges and saunas. With GoPolar's cold plunge app, you can track your cold plunges, cold showers, and sauna sessions with your Apple watch. 

After your plunge or sauna session, you can review your heart rate during a session, see trends in the app with Apple Health data, and track your scores in our leaderboard/community. With our app, you can also find the best spots to cold plunge in your area! 

Download our cold plunge app for free today to level up your cold plunge and sauna sessions with our tracking features and the GoPolar community leaderboard.

10 Ways to Maximize Sauna Benefits for Athletes

1. Start Early: Prepare for Your Event with Sauna Training

To get the most benefits from sauna training, begin at least two weeks before your event. This gives your body time to adapt to the heat, helps improve performance outcomes, and reduces the chance of heat-related illness on race day.

2. Cool Down, Then Heat Up: Use the Sauna After Your Workouts

For optimal results, enter the sauna within 30 minutes after each daily workout to promote recovery.

3. Get Comfortable with Dehydration

To enhance your blood plasma volume, avoid drinking water before and during your time in the sauna. If you need a break, get out briefly, pour cold water on your neck and tongue, then return. 

4. Chill Out: If You Start to Feel Sick, Get Out

Many younger adults can gradually work up to 30 to 35 minutes of exposure per session, but older folks may need to cut this time in half.

5. Stay Seated: Don’t Exercise in the Sauna

Passive sauna bathing alone will increase your resting heart rate to 140 to 150 beats per minute (or faster).

6. Listen to Your Body: Everyone is Different

Never remain in the sauna if you start to feel sick. Do not become competitive with yourself or others. 

7. Drink Water Slowly

After exiting the sauna, resist the urge to gulp water. Instead, sip fluids gradually over the next 3 to 4 hours.

8. Repeat Daily

Repeat the above daily for at least a week, even rest days.

9. Take a Break Before Race Day

Stop sauna training one week before your event and let your system recover and rebound. This will maximize the increase in blood volume and set you up for enhanced performance on the big day.

10. Stay Consistent

Like any training protocol, sauna training has to be approached with consistency and dedication to see the best results.

How Long Should an Athlete Stay in a Sauna?

Sauna benefits for athletes start with improving circulation and blood vessel health. Blood circulation is vital for athletes. Without proper circulation, waste products cannot be removed from cells, and nutrients won’t end up where needed. But how does a sauna use to boost circulation? 

The Science of Heat Stress and Heat Shock Proteins

Hyperthermia, or overheating, causes so-called heat stress on the human body. Heat stress, in turn, activates your "heat shock proteins." These heat shock proteins are like thermometers for your cells. Once they measure a very low or high temperature, the alarm bells go off, and a physiological cascade is put in motion to deal with that heat. 

The Body's Response to Heat

The body thus considers that heat a threat to itself. When humans lived in nature, outside our warm or air-conditioned houses, excess heat or cold could end you. Hence, an evolutionary pathway exists to prevent you from freezing to death or dying from heat stroke.

Sauna Use on Capillary Density

Your tissues will develop a higher density of “capillaries.” Capillaries are the smallest of blood vessels. These tiny blood vessels are the final step where waste products are removed from your cells, and nutrients are moved inside. The good thing is that the more frequently you use a sauna, the more capillaries are created. These capillaries offer better blood flow and improved oxygenation of your entire body.

Heat Shock Proteins on Blood Vessels

Another thing that happens when you activate your heat shock proteins is that nitric oxide (NO) is released into your blood vessels. As a result of that NO, blood vessels all across your body expand. 

The Benefits of NO Release for Cardiovascular Health

The problem with aging, sedentary behavior, or a poor diet is the opposite. Eventually, our blood vessels and arteries get clogged by atherosclerosis. NO prevents that, and frequently releasing NO keeps your blood vessels healthy. The same is directly valid for the heart. Blood flow around the heart improves the more sauna sessions you engage in.

Studies show that using a sauna for just 30 minutes triggers the creation of new blood vessels and better circulation. For the best results, repeat this process three to four times weekly.

Sauna Use Boosts Muscle Recovery and Workout Recovery

Sauna benefits for athletes include faster recovery after workouts. Lots of studies have investigated the effects of saunas after a workout. I’ll summarize these studies below:

The Psychological Benefits of Sauna Use

First of all, spending time in a sauna is very psychologically relaxing. When comparing the stress levels of athletes, whether they’re going through an intense workout or spending time in a sauna, the sauna results in far lower stress levels. That fact alone makes the case that after a hard workout, a sauna is a great way to cool down in a psychologically relaxing way.

The Physiological Impact of Saunas on Performance

Saunas still place physiological stress on the body. So if you use a sauna before a workout or competition or an intensive sauna session just before your competition day, expect your performance to go down. That result is exactly what happened in research on swimmers, where three eight-minute sauna sessions the day before a swim reduced their performance.

A Long-Term Recovery Tool

Saunas are the most frequently used interventions for quicker recovery, following to massages and a long night of sleep. These outcomes have been found in questionnaires with endurance athletes. I emphasize, though that you can expect more than quick results here. Again, the reason is that saunas tend to increase stress in the short term. 

The Delayed Benefits of Sauna Use

For you, that means that workout recovery will be impeded in the short term but enhanced in the long term as the body adapts. For this very reason, many sauna studies show short-term detrimental effects. If you use a sauna once and then test performance, it tends to go down. Over time, performance increases, though.

Here’s the deal: Far infrared light benefits over heat alone. Heat means heating the air around you, as in a traditional sauna. Infrared works very differently. Infrared light penetrates the human body and is a nutrient to your cells. For instance, infrared light can increase cell energy production by affecting mitochondria. Infrared light can also charge the water in your cells.

Infrared light can penetrate the body up to several centimeters. Because many systemic effects are triggered by infrared light penetrating a few centimeters, it can also affect deeper tissues of the body. 

The Benefits of Far Infrared Saunas for Performance

For that reason, spending 30 minutes in a far infrared sauna with temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius has increased performance. Users often deem far infrared saunas much more relaxing and less stressful on the body. One reason for being less stressful is that you don’t have to breathe in scorching air during your sessions.

The Science Behind Far Infrared Saunas and Neuromuscular Performance

As a result, power output goes up, even in endurance athletes, after a far infrared session. Researchers' theory is that far infrared light offers better improvements in the neuromuscular system than a traditional sauna because of its properties. “Neuromuscular” means the nervous and muscular systems and their interaction.

Using saunas over time also increases blood volume, which, in turn, leads to improvements in endurance. The volume of the blood plasma increases, for instance, as does the volume of red blood cells. Remember that red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and remove CO2, thus directly affecting endurance.

During three weeks of three to four sauna sessions per week, sports performance increased by a whopping 2%. You may think that 2% isn’t too much, but just think about how much improvement a marathon runner or sprinter would be if they could shave off 2% of their personal best.

If these results keep increasing over time, the benefits will be mind-boggling.

How Long Can You Stay Inside a Sauna for Performance Enhancement?

Generally, I recommend staying inside an infrared sauna for 30 minutes, at least if you’re a healthy athlete. If you’re in poor health or have a health condition, consult your physician first and take it very slowly. Start with 15 minutes daily and monitor whether you recover properly from your sauna sessions.

Also, as stated before, using a sauna after a workout is best. Using a sauna before a workout or competition can impair your performance. 

How Long to Sauna for Improving Heat Tolerance? 

One other benefit of saunas is heat acclimation. There’s much good evidence for this benefit, meaning you get acclimated to the heat or increase your heat tolerance.

A Competitive Advantage in Hot Climates

That benefit is beneficial for people who have to exercise or compete in high temperatures. Think about ultramarathon runners in the desert, baseball players in a hot climate, or even soccer players during the summer. If you can tolerate heat better, you can perform longer at higher intensities. Thus, you’ll have a massive edge over the competition.

Just three weeks of sauna bathing after a workout includes heat acclimation. As a result of that heat acclimation, the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) increases, as does workout performance and how the body deals with lactate. 

Sauna Bathing on Performance and Recovery

Lactate is the so-called “pump” induced with intense activity. That pump is prominent in 400-meter sprinters, 2,000-meter rowers, and gym workouts. Breathing capacity (FEV) and resting heart rate also improve.

Blood flow in the extremities also improves, which helps the body deal with overheating better.

This increase in heat tolerance does not only help in hot environments, though. Because the lactate threshold is improved, as well as resting heart rate, VO2 max, and breathing capacity, you should see performance improvements in cold environments and those with an average temperature.

For the best results:

• Ensure you get at least three weekly sauna sessions in for three weeks. 
• Use a sauna or infrared sauna as hot as you can stand, assuming you’re healthy as an athlete. 
• If you have a chronic health condition or more, talk to your physician first, and don’t try to build up heat tolerance. 

In that case, general health promotion is more essential for you. So saunas are excellent for heat acclimation.

How Long Should You Sauna for Better Sleep Quality at Night? And Why Sleep Quality Matters for Athletes

More than 80% of people sleep better after spending time in a sauna. Good quality sleep is vital for peak performance, especially at elite levels.

Simply put, if you’re sleep-deprived, your performance will suffer. If you frequently don’t sleep sufficiently, your recovery and performance will suffer big time in the long run. Being an athlete can be an intimidating job, whether amateur or professional. Not only will you place lots of stress on your body through training, but you’ll also have to travel frequently, follow a strict diet, and plan your relaxation.

A Natural Aid for Relaxation and Sleep

That act of intentionally having to boost recovery, such as through sleep, is paradoxical. And that’s where saunas come in: saunas are a fantastic tool to let go and get your body relaxed naturally. Spending time inside the sauna helps release endorphins, natural opioids that act as painkillers and make you relaxed. As an athlete, you thus need to do nothing to become more comfortable in a sauna, which helps sleep quality.

The Promising Connection Between Saunas and Sleep in Athletes

Although I’d like more research on sleep quality and saunas in athletes, the current study is up-and-coming. Athletes preferably use saunas for relaxation and recovery, and most of the human population uses saunas to feel better, so the connection between saunas and sleep quality is very likely. 

The Importance of Sleep for Athletes and the Role of Saunas

Many athletes need to get the recommended amount of sleep. Elite athletes need 8.3 hours on average to feel recovered, but they generally only get 6.7 hours of quality sleep per night. Only 3% of athletes get sufficient sleep. If you’re an athlete, try using an infrared sauna. Start slowly and for short durations, and focus on relaxation at first.

How Long Can You Use a Sauna for Fat Loss to Improve Athletics? 

An average sauna session burns about 500-600 kilocalories per session. With those numbers, you can lose about 1 pound of body fat per week, assuming all other health strategies remain equal.

Internal weight loss research by Clearlight® and Birmingham University shows similar results. On average, study participants could lose 1% of body fat per month by using an infrared sauna for 30 minutes daily. If the participants used the sauna after 3 PM, though, fat loss levels were doubled. Greater relaxation and activation of the “rest and digest” part of the nervous system were likely responsible for that.

The Impact of Body Fat on Athletic Performance

These fat losses are excellent for athletes. There’s a considerable drop off in performance once athletes carry around extra fat mass. Explosive power and endurance both go down once you carry around excess body fat. Even in high school students, there’s a linear drop off in performance for every percentage of body fat. In males, performance declines after 10% body fat and 19% for females.

So if saunas can make you leaner, help you recover, and boost your workout performance, you have a killer tool. For the best results, use a sauna 30-45 minutes per day, three times per week, to stimulate fat loss for athletic performance.

How Long to Sauna for Sore Muscles?

Studies show that using a sauna before or after a workout can reduce muscle soreness. Cold therapy generally works even better for the same goal but has its downsides, such as killing long-term performance gains. I therefore recommend using an infrared sauna after your workouts or competitions as the best option.

Some animal studies even show that heat can improve muscle gains after exercise. Heat can sometimes prevent muscle mass reductions when muscles are not used for a while, such as during injuries.

I’d like to see more high-quality human studies regarding saunas and muscle soreness reductions, but current research is up-and-coming. Use a 30-minute infrared sauna session directly after your workout for the best results. If you do the sauna session before your workout, soreness may also be reduced, but workout performance likely will as well.

Can You Stretch in a Sauna? How Long Should You Stretch Inside a Sauna?

I’ve previously called stretching in a sauna a match made in heaven. A good reason is stretching can increase flexibility and muscular performance.

Hot and Bikram yoga have become popular in hot rooms. You can also perform that by yourself in a sauna. Bikram yoga offers several benefits, including improvements in:

• Upper and lower body strength
• The range of motion of your joints
• Balance
  Heart and blood vessel health
• Stress levels
• And more
  

And with Birkam yoga you’re killing two birds with one stone…

Why? If you’re inside a sauna, you may as well do something. Birkam yoga isn’t for everyone, though; some people just like to sit down, do nothing, and just let go of their day; both approaches are perfect. But hot yoga or Bikram yoga is the ideal solution for people who don’t like to sit still and do nothing. Of course, you can do that yoga after a workout or just a plain stretching routine.

Your best option is our “Yoga” model. It's named that way because there’s plenty of space for yoga poses using a yoga mat. The sauna is also named for its ability to let you do yoga or simple stretching in it. 

How Long to Use Near Infrared Light Therapy or Red Light Therapy Inside a Sauna for Even More Benefits

So far, I’ve only talked about far infrared saunas or traditional saunas for boosting workout performance, and there’s a method you can use to get even more athletic performance benefits out of your sauna sessions. That method is by adding near-infrared light.

There are two main ways to add near-infrared light to your sauna experience. Near-infrared light has different benefits from far-infrared light, which are independent of it.

The first way to add near-infrared to your sauna experience is to use a full-spectrum sauna. Full-spectrum saunas combine near, middle, and far infrared for the ultimate therapeutic experience. Secondly, if you have a far infrared sauna or plan on buying one, add red and near-infrared light by getting the Red Light Therapy Tower add-on. That Red Light Therapy Tower can be added to any far infrared Clearlight® saunas.

Here are the benefits of red and near-infrared light for your workout performance:

• Quicker workout recovery
• Better workout performance and less fatigue
• Faster injury healing and recovery
• Enhanced energy production at the cellular level
• Sleep Quality
• Well-being
• Stress reduction
• Pain
• Chronic inflammation and more

All of these areas have huge effects on sports performance. Hence, a regular far infrared sauna gives you lots of science-backed benefits. Adding red and near-infrared light to that equation, such as with a Red Light Therapy Tower, makes the benefits for athleticism far better. 

Risks of Using a Sauna After a Workout

The Sweat Cycle: Rehydration After Exercise and Sauna Use

When we work out, we sweat to cool down our bodies. Unfortunately, that can lead to dehydration, impairing performance and recovery, making it critical to rehydrate properly. If you plan to use a sauna after exercising, rehydrate before getting in. Both exercise and saunas cause significant sweating, and dehydration can occur quickly, especially if you have not rehydrated adequately after your workout. 

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Thirst
• Muscle cramps

To mitigate this risk, drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout.   

Sweat-Induced Electrolyte Imbalance: Why It Matters

Excessive sweating while working out and sitting in a sauna can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes (charged molecules like sodium and potassium) vital for muscle function and overall body processes. This can be particularly problematic for athletes who have a history of muscle cramps or poor recovery. An imbalance can result in:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Weakness

To replenish lost minerals, consider consuming electrolyte-rich drinks or foods after a sauna session.   

Overheating in the Sauna: Recognizing The Warning Signs

The intense heat of a sauna can raise your body temperature and lead to overheating or heatstroke (the most severe heat-related illness). Be mindful of your body's tolerance and take breaks in a cooldown area if you feel overheated. 

The Sauna and Low Blood Sugar: What You Should Know

Saunas can boost your body's insulin sensitivity, which may lead to lower blood sugar levels. If you're prone to low blood sugar, have a carbohydrate-rich snack or suck on hard candies before entering the sauna.   

Skin Irritation: The Unpleasant Effects of Prolonged Sauna Use

Extended exposure to the heat and sweat in a sauna can lead to skin irritation. Dry saunas, in particular, may strip the skin of natural oils, leading to dryness and itching.

Is Using a Sauna After a Workout Right for Everyone?

Sauna use is only suitable for some athletes. People with certain health conditions should talk to a healthcare provider before incorporating saunas into their post-workout routine. Older adults, for example, may be more sensitive to high heat and have difficulty regulating body temperature. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at regulating temperature, making older adults more susceptible to overheating in a sauna and developing heatstroke.  

Pregnancy and Sauna Use

Pregnant people should avoid saunas. The high heat of a sauna raises your core body temperature, which may increase the risk of congenital (present at birth) central nervous system conditions, such as spina bifida (improperly formed spinal cord in which the neural tube does not close all the way).   

Heart Conditions and Sauna Use

People with certain conditions should exercise caution before using a sauna, including people with:

• Unstable angina
• Recent myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve, restricting blood flow from the heart to the aorta and body 

Drugs That Affect the Body’s Response to Heat

Certain drugs and medications can alter the body's response to high temperatures in a sauna. Avoid using a sauna after drinking alcohol or when taking stimulant medications (e.g., amphetamines).

Related Reading

• Sauna Tips
• Dry Sauna vs Infrared Sauna
  
• Does Sauna Detox Your Body
  
• Can You Bring Your Phone in a Sauna
• How to Track Time in Sauna

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