Nothing is more relaxing than hitting up the spa and letting your worries melt away in the sauna. Saunas hold a strong significance in numerous cultures around the world. It’s place where people go to sweat their hearts out for a brief period before emerging refreshed and relieved.
But heat therapy is not only incredibly comforting physically, it’s also a powerful pain reliever that’s safer than any painkiller on the market. Controlled heat therapy can bring relief for a variety of chronic pains such as stiffness, muscle cramping, dull aches and other niggles. At the most basic level, heat therapy works because it allows for greater blood flow and encourages muscle relaxation.
If you haven’t discovered the wonders of sauna therapy yet, here are some of the ways heat therapy can greatly boost your physiological wellbeing:
1. Increased Blood Flow
When you sit in a sauna, your heart rate can rise by around 30 percent or even more, which means that a little less than double the amount of blood is pumped around the body every minute. This oxygen-rich blood flows rapidly around the body and towards vital organs, allowing them to function better, invigorating the body and helping it detoxify. This oxygen-rich blood also allows for greater mental clarity and cognition, which explains why many people feel a profound sense of wellbeing after leaving the sauna.
2. It Lowers Blood Pressure Afterwards
Although sitting in a sauna does raise your blood pressure for a short period, it’s been shown to reduce resting rates during daily life. According to a study published in early 2018, spending half an hour in the sauna can help reduce systolic, and diastolic blood pressure. Sauna therapy has also been shown to reduce the risk of a variety of vascular diseases related to having high blood pressure.
3. It Improves Respiratory Function
Sauna visits enhance lung capacity and function. It can also improve breathing for people suffering from a respiratory condition such as asthma or bronchitis. Regular sauna visits can even boost your immune response, meaning that you won’t get catch a common cold as often as others.
4. It Promotes Pain Relief
According to research, one of the greatest benefits of regular sauna time is that can reduce the discomfort caused by musculoskeletal conditions like Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Osteoarthritis. In fact, the heat from saunas allows tense, injured and overused muscles to relax and loosen up while promoting the natural pain-killing response of your body.
Who Heat Therapy Isn’t For:
Sauna therapy is incredibly beneficial and safe, but when embarking on any new health regime, there are some risks to watch out for.
Dehydration: Sauna therapy makes you lose a lot of fluid and you may not realize it because all of the sweat evaporates rapidly. It’s not great for anyone suffering from kidney diseases as this can cause dehydration. Even if you have healthy kidneys, a rise in body temperature can cause nausea and dizziness.
Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, it is advisable to avoid the sauna because of the risk of dehydration, fainting, and overheating. Although there is little research on using hot tubs, saunas or Jacuzzi during pregnancy, it has been suggested that their use potentially affect the baby’s development, especially if you are in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Sauna therapy is a fantastic way to reduce chronic pain, enhance respiratory function and allow your blood to flow better.15 to 20 minutes per session is more than enough, and you can even cycle with a cold bath if you’re looking for greater physical recovery from sports.
After using heat therapy, give your body time to cool down and make sure you drink 3 to 4 glasses of water. At AMO, we have an extensive food & beverage menu that you can browse on the large deck during or after your sauna session. Our sauna area boasts contrasts baths, a Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well as private showers with fresh towels.
