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Off-Topic Sauna use: recommended?

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Mike E

Mike E

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I'm trying to talk my wife into getting an indoor sauna. She swears she'll never use it, it takes up too much room, cost too much and is just something else to clean. I've read a lot about how healthful they are. Two examples:

1. The Amazing Heart-Health Benefits of Saunas - Rhythm of Life

2. 8 Unexpected Benefits Of Sauna That Will Impress You

Also Dr. Rhonda Patrick recommends sauna's and Dr. Paul Jaminet has said positive things about them: "I think saunas are healthy. The sweating helps excrete toxins, and high body temperatures can help kill viruses and other pathogens, including some that may cause cancer. It’s best to alternate frequently between the sauna and cold water, and to keep yourself hydrated."

Does anyone swear by (or swear at) using a sauna? Do you recover faster from hard workouts using them?
 
I used to love sitting in a sauna or steam room at the gym when one was available...and nothing beats a good shave in a steam room. I'm wondering, though, if maybe your efforts at logic and data to convince your wife might be tuned into a different channel than she's using. Might be good to get some input on this, as a happy wife is much better than a sauna, any day of the week! haha
 
I do not have experience, but have heard that the dry sauana is good for recovery in ways that a hot tub doesn't replicate, mainly the amount of sweating. Since a sauna has very dry heat, your sweat evaporates faster and you sweat more. Along with this, blood is brought to the surface, which from what I've heard (I have no idea the validity) is good for the muscles. I've also heard that the best use of this effect (blood being forced through the muscles) is to alternate cold baths with steam. The cold bath flushes body to key internal organs, and the dry heat forces blood to the surface. This "flushing" is good for recovery, and though I don't know the science, I know that top performers in many sports practice this sort of thing (NFL, NHL, NBA).
 
I am Finnish. Around here, practically every house has a sauna. Sauna is a Finnish word!

I do enjoy the sauna and I find it is a good form of recovery. But I admit, I am biased.

I also do second the advice about the sudden changes in temperature, I personally love cold showers just after sauna, and it is a custom in Finland to go rolling in the snow straight out of the sauna. Believe me, it is thoroughly exhilarating.
 
Get one. I'd happily convert my entire house to one huge sauna if I could. Yeah well it would lead to divorce but then as a single man I'd have naked sauna house parties. Ok, a bit weird.
Very jealous; sure charm, persuasion and bribery will work wonders. If you pop over to Ben Greenfield fitness he's always harping on about infra red saunas, plenty of articles and oodles of research. I always feel great after a good roasting and as a result of your post, I've just seen some nice outside ones.....hmmmm, allocated a position in the garden already......speaking to the wife about it later....let me know how you get on......
 
I want a sauna also. Those small indoor ones are pretty high tech nowadays. I have had the same discussion with my wife. They are costly, but it would be nice.

I have always done contrast showers. 3 cycles of 3-5 min. each of as hot as possible, then as cold as possible. Not the best recovery method, but very convenient.
 
There are lots of portable electric infrared saunas on the market, from $100 up to hundreds of dollars. They are made of fabric and only hold one person at a time but the price is right and the detox benefits are there. I've owned a couple in my life.
 
As a rule, outdoor saunas are always better than indoor ones, so if you have the space in your yard there's no reason to not get one. You can heat it with wood, which is the best choice. You don't need any plumbing or cabling.
 
slnm said:
There are lots of portable electric infrared saunas on the market, from $100 up to hundreds of dollars. They are made of fabric and only hold one person at a time but the price is right and the detox benefits are there. I've owned a couple in my life.
Click to expand...

The only one of these I've seen got rather poor reviews for its lack of heat. Are there any models you would recommend?
 
Thanks for all the great positive feedback! Matts, I got a laugh from my wife when I showed her yours...that's a positive sign I think! I'll keep working on it. Now she wants to know how many times a week I would use it, and I need to do a spreadsheet analysis on how much the electricity will cost. I think she thinks as long as I'm still answering questions we're not actually buying the damn thing. This is going to cost me in more ways than one...
 
kbell12 said:
The only one of these I've seen got rather poor reviews for its lack of heat. Are there any models you would recommend?
Click to expand...
I bought this one from Therasage. Portable Saunas - SHOP
I paid $600 for it plus shipping, which is more than any of the others, because of its low EMF emission. I don't know if it's any better than the cheaper ones. It puts out enough heat to make me sweat a good amount. Keep in mind that infrared doesn't heat the body as much as dry or wet saunas do.
 
Dr. Rhonda Patrick has spent a good bit of time talking about the benefits of Sauna (and cold therapy, too) on recent episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience. The episodes are free on itunes.
 
In our old house we had two saunas. Now that we build a new house, I made sure that the sauna is a good one. We go to sauna every day. Some times twice. Today we took himalayan salt treatment in sauna. Now I feel so relaxed and ready to go to sleep.
 
Saunas are great if you have access to very cold water to jump into right after, snow is better. Like the scene from Grumpy Old Men. I do something similar with my jacuzzi tub and my stand up shower. Reminds you your alive real quick. Lol.
 
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