Gain competitive edge with accelerated muscle recovery, growth and performance
In the competitive realm of sport, athletes are constantly exploring innovative methods to gain a competitive edge. In this pursuit, the spotlight is now turning towards the remarkable benefits of infrared sauna therapy. Join us as we delve into the science-backed benefits infrared saunas offer athletes; from enhancing performance to accelerating muscle recovery, all through the power of heat therapy.
Do Infrared Saunas Improve Athletic Performance?
Infrared saunas offer many benefits that contribute to potentially improved athletic performance, including; faster muscle recovery, reducing inflammation, better endurance and cardiovascular function.
Enhanced Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery
Near infrared saunas generate heat that can penetrate deeper into the body compared to traditional saunas or standard far infrared saunas. This heat causes blood vessels to dilate, leading to improved circulation. Enhanced blood flow can help deliver oxygen and nutrients more efficiently to the body’s tissues, including the heart and muscles.
Nitric Oxide Production
Exposure to infrared heat has been shown to stimulate the production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels. This relaxation can lead to increased blood flow and improved endothelial function, which is important for maintaining healthy blood vessels.
Enhanced Cardiovascular Conditioning
Heat stress from infrared saunas can create a cardiovascular conditioning effect, somewhat similar to exercise. This conditioning may lead to improved heart rate variability, which is a marker of cardiovascular health and the body’s ability to adapt to stress.
Heat Acclimation
Regular exposure to the heat in infrared saunas may help athletes acclimate to high temperatures. Heat acclimation can lead to better performance in hot and humid conditions, which is particularly relevant for endurance athletes participating in events held in challenging environments.
Stress Reduction
Intense physical training can lead to stress and anxiety, which can impact an athlete’s performance. Infrared sauna sessions offer a calming and relaxing environment that may help reduce stress, potentially benefiting overall performance and mental well-being.
What are the Benefits of Stimulating Heat Shock Proteins?
Infrared saunas are known to stimulate the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) through a process known as heat shock response. This response is a cellular defence mechanism that cells activate when exposed to various forms of stress, including heat stress. HSPs play a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, aiding in protein folding, and protecting cells from damage caused by stressors.
Protein Folding and Stabilisation
One of the primary functions of heat shock proteins is to assist in protein folding. During exercise or other forms of stress, cells may experience protein misfolding or denaturation. HSPs help refold and stabilise these proteins, preventing cellular damage and promoting proper function. In muscles, this function is critical for maintaining the structure and integrity of contractile proteins and enzymes involved in energy production.
Muscle Repair and Regeneration
Heat shock proteins play a key role in repairing damaged muscle tissue. When muscles undergo stress from exercise, HSPs are up regulated to help remove damaged proteins and support the repair process. This is essential for recovery and the growth of stronger muscle fibres.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
HSPs have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation in muscle tissue after intense exercise. Inflammation is a natural response to muscle damage, but excessive or prolonged inflammation can impede the healing process. HSPs help regulate the inflammatory response, promoting a balance between repair and inflammation control.
Recovery and Muscle Soreness
Infrared saunas may aid in reducing muscle soreness and inflammation. Faster recovery could translate to more consistent training sessions, ultimately contributing to better long-term athletic performance.
Benefits of Infrared Sauna After Work Out
Improved Muscle Recovery
Do infrared saunas accelerate muscle recovery? One of the most significant benefits of a sauna after a workout is improved muscle recovery. During a workout, your muscles produce lactic acid, which can cause muscle soreness and fatigue. However, when you enter a sauna after a workout, the infrared heat helps increase blood flow and circulation, which can help remove lactic acid from your muscles and promote faster recovery.
Increased Flexibility
Another benefit of a sauna after a workout is increased flexibility. The heat and humidity levels in a sauna can help relax muscles, making them more pliable and easier to stretch. This increased flexibility can help reduce the risk of injury and improve your overall performance during future workouts.
Reduced Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural response of your body to injury or damage. However, excessive inflammation can delay the healing process and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Infrared sauna can help reduce inflammation by increasing blood flow and promoting the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This can help improve your overall health and well-being.
Increased Endurance
Saunas can also help increase your endurance and stamina. When you enter a sauna, your heart rate increases, simulating a cardiovascular workout. Therefore, using a sauna benefits heart health and future endurance training sessions.
Do Infrared Saunas Increase Muscle Growth?
Sauna therapy enhances muscle growth by stimulating the production of EPO and regulating crucial hormones like human growth hormone. Notably, research supports these sauna-related health advantages and even indicates that individuals who use infrared saunas may enjoy extended lifespans due to a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.
Integrating infrared sauna sessions into a workout routine, presents an excellent opportunity to amplify the benefits of both physical exercise and sauna usage.
Infrared Saunas for Sore Muscles
A particular study examined the impacts of employing a far-infrared sauna for post-exercise recovery. In this study, ten healthy men engaged in either strength or endurance training, followed by a 30-minute session of far infrared sauna bathing set at a temperature of 35-50°C, which provided a soothing and enjoyable experience. Subsequently, the men spent another 30 minutes in a standard room at room temperature.
The researchers assessed the men’s muscle strength, jumping ability, and oxygen utilisation during exercise both before and after the training and sauna sessions. The findings indicated that, in comparison to merely sitting in a room at room temperature, using the infrared sauna led to increased jump height for the men. Moreover, it was observed that the men’s heart rate was lower following infrared sauna use compared to when they used a traditional Finnish sauna.
The outcomes of this research suggest that infrared therapy can contribute to the recovery process after endurance exercise, facilitating improved muscle and lung functionality. Notably, the experience within the far-infrared sauna was also reported as comfortable and relaxing.
Increase Post-Workout Recovery Time with Infrared Saunas
Studies suggest infrared light penetrating below the skin can reduce muscle pain and speed up healing processes by expanding blood vessels and increasing oxygen levels in the bloodstream, which produces more red blood cells to form erythropoietin (EPO).
EPO naturally helps improve a person’s endurance performance, allowing athletes to train longer with less interruption caused by their injuries.
The infrared heat in the sauna also boosts circulation to help eliminate lactic acid build-up while increasing temperature in muscles and joints, creating direct stimulation that helps target underlying conditions like inflammation.
As infrared saunas continue to become more popular among athletes, they are tapping into their power to not only aid in muscle soreness relief but also provide joint pain relief, improving overall cardiovascular health.
How to Incorporate Infrared Saunas into Your Recovery Routine
- Employing cold showers before and after sauna usage can aid in diminishing inflammation and fostering muscle recovery.
- Opting for an infrared sauna is advised due to its lower operational temperature compared to conventional saunas, and its ability to deeply penetrate the body.
- Always listen to your body and stick to a comfortable temperature for you.
- Prior to entering the sauna, make sure you are adequately hydrated and in good health. Severe muscle cramps might stem from dehydration or insufficient salt levels.
- Throughout your post-workout infrared sauna sessions lasting 30 minutes, engage in stress management techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and stretching.
How Long Should you Sauna for Sore Muscles?
Research indicates that spending 30 minutes inside an infrared sauna is the ideal duration for alleviating sore muscles. For effective recuperation, sauna usage is recommended post-workout, with temperatures set at 55ºC, and a frequency of 3-5 times per week. Let’s delve into the findings from several studies.
Indeed, the benefits of sauna extend to endurance training, as demonstrated in a notable study. The investigation involved six male distance runners who engaged in three weeks of post-exercise sauna sessions, interspersed with three weeks of control training, and a three-week interval in between. During the sauna phase, the runners sat within a humid sauna maintained at approximately 90ºC for 30 minutes immediately after exercising, repeating this routine around 13 times over the three-week period.
The outcomes revealed that following the sauna intervention, the runners’ performance in a 15-minute treadmill run to exhaustion elevated by an impressive 32% in contrast to the control period. This enhancement in performance equates to roughly a 1.9% increase in an endurance time trial. Additionally, the runners experienced a growth of about 7% in their plasma volume (the liquid portion of blood) and an approximate 3% increase in red blood cell volume after the sauna sessions. The study concluded that the surge in blood volume attributed to sauna exposure likely played a pivotal role in enhancing endurance performance.
What Infrared Sauna is Best for Muscle Recovery?
If you’re looking for quick relief from muscle aches, the best sauna is a near infrared sauna. Near infrared saunas penetrate deeper into the skin than other types of heat treatments, like traditional saunas and steam rooms.
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References
Kirby NV, Lucas SJE, Armstrong OJ, Weaver SR, Lucas RAI. Intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing improves markers of exercise capacity in hot and temperate conditions in trained middle-distance runners. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021 Feb;121(2):621-635. doi: 10.1007/s00421-020-04541-z. Epub 2020 Nov 19. PMID: 33211153; PMCID: PMC7862510.
Scoon GS, Hopkins WG, Mayhew S, Cotter JD. Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners. J Sci Med Sport. 2007 Aug;10(4):259-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2006.06.009. Epub 2006 Jul 31. PMID: 16877041.
