The sauna is an ideal place to relax, sweat out your cares and the weekend’s nasty hangover.  See: too much tequila, or beloved Coachella
weekends.

Beyond that (assuming you’re in reasonably good health and, sorry mamas-to-be the debate is still out, not pregnant) the sauna provides multiple health and beauty benefits.

So you want to glow

You know that glorious feeling when you leave Bikram and your skin seems to glow for the next couple days? Same thing happens in the sauna, minus the unyielding poses.  The combination of high heat, (average 180-190 degree F) and low humidity (average 20%) promotes an all-over total perspiration that flushes out the body’s impurities and deep cleans your pores—hence the healthy rosy after-glow and detoxification.  Even after a long weekend.

So you need to relax

Saunas help soothe and relax tired muscles, relive mental fatigue, relieve tension and stress, provide temporary relief for arthritic pain, and increase your resistance to illness.  The last one is two fold.  If you don’t stress, you’re less likely to get sick.  If you don’t get sick, you
won’t stress (as much).  Hurray multiple benefits!

So you want a mild workout

A sauna session increases your blood circulation, metabolic rate, breathing, and pulse.  This means you are actually burning calories (about 300), and providing a mild cardiovascular workout for your heart.  Our body’s natural painkillers, beta-endorphins are released in a sauna, and just one session can provide the same feelings often associated with an exercise high (that blissed out experience).

However, please don’t replace standard workouts with sauna-ing; it won’t work.  Sad face.  And remember to stay hydrated.  You need to replace all that water you’re losing.

Now drop that towel and enjoy deep sauna satisfaction.

-Arianna Schioldager