The Best Health and Fitness Tool You’re Not Using

By Emily Shoemaker

Our typical gym routine goes something like this: Get sweaty with some cardio, hit up a few weights, stretch out, and then head straight for the showers. Good enough—or are we missing something?

Almost every gym in America has a sauna or steam room, but they’re usually neglected as we sprint past them for the treadmill and weight room. To most of us, a stint in the sauna may seem an indulgent treat, like a festive holiday beverage, rather a necessary part of our wellness routine.

But the opposite is true in other cultures where the benefits of sauna time are considered vital to health. In Finland, sauna tradition dates back to the 12th century, and the country is still crazy about saunas: Finland boasts approximately one sauna for every three people, and 99 percent of Finns sauna it up at least once per week! A bunch of other cultures have their own versions: the Turkish hammam, Russian banya, and Korean Hanjeungmak, to name a few. While each has a unique take on the hot and/or steamy room concept, all emphasize its cleansing and healing properties. Could these cultures be on to something?

Breaking a Sweat

“Sauna” and “steam room” tend to be used interchangeably in the U.S., but there are a few differences between the two. A sauna gets super hot—between 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit—and has low humidity, while a steam room runs at a more reasonable 110 to 120 degrees. Steam rooms, as the name implies, also have much higher humidity.

While a hard workout can leave us dripping wet, saunas and steam baths provoke the same physical response without the effort. During exercise, body temperature rises and a response system kicks in to avoid overheating. Circulation picks up, blood flow goes to the skin, and sweat pours out—all in the name of keeping us cool Temperature regulation during exercise. Gleeson, M. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998; 19 Suppl 2:S96-9.. During a short sit in a sauna, the average individual’s pulse will rise by 30 percent as blood flow goes to cool the skin. As the circulatory system kicks into gear, one can sweat out about a pint of fluid in less than 20 minutes.

Rumor Has It…

A number of popular claims exist regarding the health benefits of steam rooms and saunas, but many lack strong scientific backing. Sweating has traditionally been regarded as a cleansing practice that offers numerous health benefits Environmental determinants of chronic disease and medical approaches: Recognition, avoidance, supportive therapy, and detoxification. Sears, M. E., & Genuis, S. J. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012; 2012:356798., and sauna devotees claim that getting …read more

Source:: Greatist