First, here's what it looks like. You'll have to imagine the pervasive cedar scent.
As a note, I think it's strangely counterproductive the way that sauna brochures describe infrared as being between microwaves and ultraviolet-B. I wonder why they don't also relate it to cosmic rays, x-rays, microwaves and particle beam accelerators?
On the other hand, the time and temperature exposure levels that the saunas provide is a legitimate concern. Both traditional saunas and infrared saunas can provide an extreme environment and they must be used carefully.
I don't have any strong feelings about the health benefits of infrared saunas. I'm pretty skeptical about all the claims. I bought mine for purely creature comfort reasons. If any health benefits come along that would be nice too. It is, however, both a physical an emotional benefit to relax in total warmth when those cold winter days start coming around. Just knowing it is there with it's wonderful cedar scent always offering comfort and (can I use the word "warmth" again) is enough to get me through the day.
Then comes the question about how to use the sauna and I have questions with few answers.
- Should I use the sauna before or after a workout? Browsing around the web I see that most people seem to use it after a workout. I suppose their intent is to help the recovery process. But I'm thinking that warming those muscles and joints up before beginning my exercise might be a better way to go. Maybe first a little sauna with some stretching, then smoothly into a cardio session finally followed by a strength training workout. It's rather appealing to me. And I sometimes need some incentive to get out of bed and get started on those chilly early mornings.
- My sauna temperature control does not seem to control air temperature. Since the heating effect is mostly due to radiant energy and less due to air convection this makes sense, but I don't know how they calibrate it. What is that little sensor really measuring? Is it some kind of material that is sensitive to radiant energy? Does it have a real significant mass to provide control damping when the heater cycles or is it a virtual heat load of some kind?
- I want to start using my heart rate monitor while I'm in there and measure my water weight loss. Today I noticed that my heart rate went from 60 to 93 in 25 minutes as the temperature built up from 126 to 150 degrees F. I was impressed with how smoothly heart rate increased.
- Of course the sauna exposures fit right in to the Google docs workout diary.
5 comments:
I think you have a point in warming up the muscles in the sauna before exercise. Heat makes the peripheral blood flow increase and the muscles will benefit from that. However, do not stay in for very long and permit yourself to relax in normal room temperature and get the pulse down a little bit before you start exercising.
After 25 minutes or so in the sauna my heart rate is up to 98 - 110 bpm. Then by the time I shower and change into exercise clothes it's down to 85-90. Then I start a cardio session at 130 bpm for 45 mins. I guess there is a natural slowing of the pulse just getting out of the sauna. Then going into an even cooler exercise room is much more tolerable with the sauna first rather than just climbing out of bed and starting some serious cardio work.
The heart rate reflects the heat strain put on your body while in the sauna. Heavy exercise combined with elevated core temperature can wipe you out quickly. It seems a good thing though to be warmed up before you enter a cold exercise roomm, brrrr.
I suppose I could measure core temperature. But that is a step further than my imaginings were taking me. Or, maybe, rather, my imaginings were not letting me take that step.
Your imaginations took you to one technical solution, that I assume is regarded a bit unpleasant by most people....of course there could be exceptions...
However, your general feeling of being warm and sweating tells you a lot about your status. Moving fom the sauna to the exercise room is probably all you need to cool off a bit.
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