Combining Sauna and Cold Plunge therapies offers a holistic approach to fitness recovery. This synergistic method not only aids in physical recovery but also contributes to improved overall health and well-being.
After a sauna, it's generally recommended to stay in a cold shower for about 1 to 3 minutes. This duration helps to effectively cool down your body and can promote muscle recovery and improve circulation. However, listen to your body; if you feel uncomfortable, it's okay to cut the cold shower short.
Research suggests that both saunas and ice baths can be a helpful addition to a post-workout recovery routine.
Benefits: Cold showers can help reduce muscle inflammation and soreness, particularly after intense workouts. They can also help lower your body temperature quickly. When to Use: If you had a particularly strenuous workout or if you're prone to muscle soreness, a cold shower might be beneficial.
It is generally safe to use a sauna after a workout. In fact, using a sauna can have several benefits after exercise, such as promoting relaxation, reducing muscle soreness, and aiding in recovery.
While you might get slight muscle recovery benefits from using a sauna after a workout, you might also hurt your fitness performance the next time you exercise. And using a sauna before or after a sweaty workout could deplete you of too many fluids.
Hot showers can help you sleep better and cool down from heat exposure. However, research says that cold showers are the best way to shower after working out. Cold showers offer a surprising number of health benefits, including protecting your skin, preserving your natural hair oils, and improving hydration.
Boosts Metabolism and Weight Loss
Regular cold showers stimulate the production of brown fat, a type of fat that generates heat by burning calories. Over time, this can aid in weight management and potentially support weight loss efforts when combined with a balanced diet and exercise.
Taking cold showers every day for 30 days may lead to increased energy levels and alertness as well as improved overall health. Your skin and hair may feel and look better due to the reduced drying and irritating effects of a hot shower. However, remember, individual responses to cold therapy vary.
It is recommended to first sauna then ice bath and not the other way around, as sauna sessions increase the blood flow and heart rate and make our muscles relax, which cold plunges slows down the heart rate and makes our blood vessels contract.
One of the most common questions we get asked is, "Can I sauna every day?" The short answer is yes, it can be safe for most people to sauna daily. However, it's important to keep a few things in mind, like how long you stay in and any health conditions you might have.
Regular sauna sessions trigger the body to release endorphins, thus relaxing your body and mind, which has a positive effect on your energy levels. In combination with a cold plunge, your body releases even more positive hormones, especially norepinephrine, which boosts focus, attention, and energy.
The body's natural cooling process after a cold shower can promote sleepiness and facilitate a smoother transition into sleep. Cold showers can also lower body temperature, which is associated with sleep onset and maintenance, potentially improving sleep quality.
Do eat protein and carbohydrate-rich foods, support the muscles, drink plenty of water, practise a cool down, and try relaxing activities. At the same time, do not come to an immediate stop after exercise, avoid alcohol, don't eat sugary foods and avoid another workout!
If you are training for a 5K or a marathon, you will want to do cardiovascular training first for maximum performance. If you want to increase your muscle strength, do strength training first when your muscles are not fatigued from cardio.
Experts recommend 2 to 3 rest days between strength-training workouts like lifting weights. So you can plan resistance workouts that target different muscle groups. For example, you might do upper-body exercises on Monday and lower-body exercises on Tuesday. On Wednesday, you could do a cardio workout.
But some people should avoid them altogether. “This does impact your sympathetic nervous system, and so anyone who has heart issues, concerns about arrhythmias and abnormal heart rhythms should avoid cold showers,” Dr. Young said. If you want to try taking a cold shower but aren't sure if it's safe for you, Dr.
A sauna is unlikely to cause significant, long-term weight loss. But it may contribute to a complete weight management plan. Sitting in a sauna temporarily increases calorie burn, reduces water weight, and relieves stress, which can aid weight loss.
Because you sweat during your session and toxins are released, having a shower after your sauna will help to cleanse the skin and close pores. A cold shower after your sauna can also activate cold shock proteins in the body, which may help assimilate fat for weight loss.
Eat after you exercise
Eat a meal that has both carbohydrates and protein in it within two hours of your workout if possible. Eating after you work out can help muscles recover and replace their glycogen stores. Think about having a snack if your meal is more than two hours away.
Post-exercise, your body undergoes repair and rejuvenation, and a nap can help in muscle recovery and fatigue reduction. It can also help replenish your energy levels. However, it's important to keep naps short—typically around 20-30 minutes—to avoid entering deep sleep cycles which might leave you feeling groggier.