The B.rad Podcast Health Benefits And Training Effect Of Sauna Therapy (Breather Episode with Brad)
(Breather) I don’t know about you but I can’t make it through the cold winter days without access to either a sauna or a hot tub. Once I get a little chill (usually from doing a workout and then not showering right away), I feel it the entire day.
Facing a Lake Tahoe-style winter for the first time, my Almost Heaven Sauna is going to be a lifesaver, social centerpiece, and amazing tool for cardiovascular fitness and health, and disease protection. In this show, I walk you through the many scientifically validated benefits of sauna use, as well as the big picture benefits of achieving warmth any time you want, and experiencing an incredible general relaxation effect and social bonding experience.
I describe my personal regimen where I want to get the most bang for my buck as fast as possible. So I crank up the heat on my Almost Heaven Harvia unit through a double cycle and get it up to 210F! By comparison, most health clubs and spas have saunas running at 175F, not wishing to over-stress a random user. As soon as I enter that crazy hot barrell, I immediately commence 40 pushups followed by 40 deep squats. This will prompt profuse sweating only a few minutes after I enter, and then I relax on the bench and enter an incredibly relaxed, trance-like state. I’ll get out after I’ve been sweating profusely for a good 10-15 minutes. This is a sign that the esteemed Heat Shock Proteins have been released to work their magic on my brain, cardiovascular system, and muscular system.
The sauna is also your friend when it comes to the risk of cognitive decline and muscle atrophy that comes with aging, because of its detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging benefits. They can improve liver function, especially if your liver has been damaged or stressed, and help you sweat out nasty, bio-accumulated toxins, like BPA. BPA is a chemical you can find anywhere, and unfortunately, one that a lot of people don’t even know is in their system. After I did my Nourish Balance Thrive testing, I discovered I had toxic petroleum products, as well as plastic contaminants, in my system. My first move was to sweat it out until I was profusely sweating and then scrub my skin in the shower with a good soap, like Dr. Bronner’s. Moral of the story: be careful about those water bottles you leave in your car! And if you do forget to take some out of your car, use the leftover water to water some plants - but don’t ever drink it!
A consistent sauna regimen of 2-3 times a week will lower your heart attack risk by 20%, while going 4 -7 times a week will result in a 48% reduction! Combine that with regular exercise, and your heart disease risk will lower even further, and improve your vascular function. Just as impressively, studies have shown sauna use can greatly improve depression and anxiety levels.
Finally, I suggest you try going into the sauna after working out, as it greatly improves your conditioning response. Research, as well as personal experience, has shown me that post-workout sauna sessions can significantly alleviate the muscle soreness one usually experiences the following day. I’m also a fan of taking a warm/regular temperature shower after my sauna session, as this allows your body to naturally cool down afterward. Check out Almost Heaven, or start small, trying the sauna out at your local health club, and let me know how your experience goes with this therapeutic practice!
TIMESTAMPS:
Regular sauna therapy has many benefits, especially keeping your body warm. [03:48]
What are some of the other health and disease protection benefits of sauna? [07:47]
Sweat contains nasty toxins that should be sweated out! [11:16]
Heated plastic, like water bottles in the car, can be harmful. [13:32]
Regular use reduces overall oxidative stress and inflammation. [16:43]
It also has some good effects on depression, anxiety, and other mental conditions. [19:45]
If you are tight and inflamed from a workout, the sauna increases the blood flow. [22:55]
Before you do sauna regularly, be sure to have medical clearance. [23:26]
Contrast Therapy is switching back and forth between hot and cold therapies. [25:16]
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