My Secret Weapon for Staying Shredded -- Sauna

Sauna is simple, effective and it has many benefits other than helping you lose weight.

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It is scientifically shown that frequent sauna use is associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a lower risk of coronary heart disease, a lower risk of sudden cardiac death, a lower risk of stroke, a lower risk of dementia, or Alzheimer's disease but an increase of growth hormone, which is extremely beneficial for metabolism and recovery.

Now, you do burn calories by sitting in a sauna, but the main benefit comes from the overall health improvements it provides. A sauna is not a replacement for exercise because you’re not loading your muscles, tendons, and bones to signal them for adaptation.

Here’s one thing I do to make my sauna sessions more productive, and one situation in which I avoid using the sauna.

The one thing that makes my sauna session more productive is meditation. My go-to technique is box breathing because it’s simple yet powerful. You inhale slowly for a count of four, hold your breath for another count of four, exhale for four, then hold again for four. This lowers resting heart rate and, over time, increases heart rate variability (HRV), meaning your body has better cardiovascular fitness and greater resilience to stress. You won’t tire as easily, and you’ll recover from fatigue more quickly. If you used to be huffing and puffing after a flight of stairs, you’ll now stay composed.

Box breathing is such a great tool, though I often forget to use it during the day. But when I’m in the sauna, sweating and facing the heat, it’s the perfect time to sit still and focus on breathwork.

One situation to avoid is dehydration.

In my case, I had a low-volume high intensity strength training workout where I did not sweat much. And I made sure I drank my protein shake mid-workout. However, if you just finished playing pickleball or soccer, you ran around for hours and you are in sweat. Then it's not a good time for sauna. Hydrate, get something to eat. Perform some work. And use sauna at a later time.

Do you use Sauna? How frequently do you use it? What do you like to do when you are sitting in a sauna?

Let me know in the comments!

Enjoy

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