Hack Your Fall Fitness Routine With Sauna Therapy

Why wait for January? 

Most people who are planning a change-up to (or starting) their fitness routine tend to wait until New Year’s Day. We get it – January 1st is a natural time to make a new start for a fresh new year. 

Great news – you don’t need to wait. 

Fall’s a great time to change up your fitness routine. The weather’s cooler, making outdoor activities more enjoyable than they were in the depths of summer. Changing up your routine can help you maintain focus, giving you something new to look forward as you work out. 

Here’s something new to consider: a sauna. Integrating sauna sessions into your fall workout routine doesn’t just keep things fresh. Saunas have major benefits for active people which can help them heal, recover … and work out better. 

Here’s how: 

Fall-ergies: How A Sauna Helps You Beat Allergies In The Fall 

Aren’t allergies more of a spring and summer thing? 

For some, yes – blooming flowers and trees mean sneezing season. But for a lot of people, allergies continue well into fall thanks to some persistent allergens. The biggest culprit? Ragweed. 

A family of flowering plants, ragweed tends to release pollen in August. But ragweed blooms can last well into fall, and most people allergic to spring plants also react to ragweed. Also, ragweed pollen likes to travel – it’s not uncommon for it to travel hundreds of miles away from its bloom site. 

It’s not just ragweed, either. Dust mites, although again common in the summer, can be stirred into action once heaters are turned on as the weather turns colder. Dust mites are common in school and office heating systems, too. 

Finally, there’s mold. Mold doesn’t just occur in damp areas inside your home, it also happily lives in wet places outside, like clumps of dead leaves, pool areas, or places around water features like fountains or ponds. 

All three of these add up to runny noses, sneezes, and coughs … the last of which you definitely want to avoid these days. 

Here’s where saunas come in:  

• They make you sweat out toxins – including allergens – while increasing circulation. 
• They strengthen immunity by raising our body temperature. 
• They help us rest, which allows the body to heal itself. 

Allergies aside, there’s other good reasons to integrate a sauna into your fitness routine. 

Boost Your Performance & Bounce Back Faster From Workouts With Saunas 

There’s never a bad time of the year to work saunas into your schedule – they can enhance your regular workouts in some surprising ways. 

Again, saunas help you sweat out toxins. Since you tend to sweat more during saunas than you do during workouts, you’re really purging toxins like metals and addictive substances. Plus, you’re prolonging the sweating you’re doing during workouts, too. What this means is you’ll fundamentally feel better after your sessions – and recover faster, too. 

Also, there may be a connection between saunas and weight loss. A study conducted by Binghamton University in New York seemed to discover participants who used an infrared sauna three times a week showed weight loss over four months, but more research needs to be done. 

Finally, since saunas increase blood circulation, they can help your muscles recover. When people exercise, their muscles develop microscopic tears, which is why workouts can leave you feeling store — or give you cramps. The body heals these tears naturally, resulting in stronger muscles. By increasing blood circulation, saunas help muscles recover faster. Heat also relaxes muscles, preventing post-workout tension. 

Short On Time? Study Shows A Sauna Session Is Similar To A Moderate Workout 

It’d be nice if fall simply meant changing colors and pumpkin spiced everything, but unfortunately, it doesn’t. For a lot of us, fall is when things speed up at work, rushing towards deadlines and goals as the year ends. It can be hard to fit in workout sessions, even for the most devoted fitness fiend. 

Here’s where saunas can really do some heavy lifting. In 2019, researchers from Martin Luther University in Germany teamed up with colleagues from Medical Center Berlin for a study. First, the team had their subjects partake in a 25-minute sauna session. The team measured their blood pressure and heart rates. 

Later, the subjects went through a short exercise program on stationary bikes. Again, their blood pressure and heart rates were measured. 

The results were surprising – the subjects’ heart rates and blood pressure reached the same levels during both activities. While not a replacement for a full workout session, the results suggest a quick sauna session is better than nothing for a busy person trying to stay fit. 

Any Time Of The Year Is Good Time To Explore Saunas 

We’re not saying you have to wait until fall rolls around to change up your workout or give saunas a try in your fitness regimen. Any time is a great time for self-care. 

Sculpt Spa is a premier aesthetic care provider in Las Vegas. Our infrared spa uses lamps to directly warm your body, creating a sauna environment which can be more comfortable than traditional saunas. The heat penetrates bodies more deeply, allowing for a more efficient (and less intense) sauna experience. 

Want to know more? Contact us at (702) 997-1066 for more information.