Many might think that sitting, relaxing, and savouring the heat is all there is to do in infrared saunas – however, with the right practice, that can’t be further from the truth. In fact, combining the treatment with a form of gentle movement such as stretching can multiply the IR sauna benefits you gain during your session.
Infrared saunas may not always provide the best views but their heat and humidity create the perfect environment for improving your flexibility and mobility through stretching. In this article, the team behind Sun Stream Saunas NZ will delve into the benefits of stretching during your infrared sauna sessions, and give you some tips to consider.
Understanding the Science Behind Stretching
The simplest goal of stretching is to increase the range of motion of a joint. In your day-to-day life, this helps you move your body to the fullest, granting your body access to a wider selection of activities without feeling tension or getting injured.
Stretching also improves muscular performance by increasing blood flow to the muscles and helping to eliminate waste byproducts from muscle tissue. Last but not least, daily stretching ensures you maintain flexibility in old age. With adequate flexibility, you maintain your access to a variety of available movements – which makes daily routines easier, reduces the risk of injury, decreases joint pains, and even improves posture.
Different types of stretching exist, with two prominent archetypes of exercise being static and dynamic stretching. With static stretching, you hold a stretched position for a few seconds up to several minutes – focusing on postural awareness, time under tension, and conditioning the body for more stable, controlled movements. For dynamic stretching, you move the joint through its full range of motion, highlighting raising muscular temperature, and preparing the body for fast-twitch movements that could be similar in nature to a given sport or activity. Both of these kinds of stretching can be done in infrared saunas, but can depend on the space available.
Infrared Sauna and Stretching: Why They Go Together
Unlike traditional saunas, infrared saunas provide a more comfortable environment for any mobile activity. With their lower heat and humidity, infrared saunas are less harsh and make it easier to move around without immediately feeling fatigued.
This heat also helps loosen up your muscles and joints, allowing you to achieve a deeper stretch. Additionally, the sweat produced during your session helps cleanse your skin and promote a healthy glow.
IR Sauna Benefits When Stretching is Added
IR sauna and stretching benefits go hand in hand perfectly. Here are a few benefits to look forward to when combining these two practices.
- Improved flexibility: As mentioned earlier, the comfortable heat in these saunas helps relax the muscles and joints, making it easier to stretch and practise your flexibility without tension.
- Increased circulation: Similar to mild exercise, an infrared sauna helps raise your heart rate and boost circulation. Add stretching into it, and you’ll have a mild cardiovascular activity that’s great for the heart.
- Improved recovery: Infrared saunas and stretching help muscles recover after strenuous physical activity. Doing them together compounds this benefit, inducing muscle repair and preventing inflammation.
- Breaks down lactic acid: This acid’s buildup is one factor contributing to muscle pain. The good news is that the combined features of infrared saunas and stretching break these down and prevent soreness in the muscles and joints.
Simple Stretches You Can Do In the Sauna
- Butterfly pose: Sit up straight and sit cross-legged style but instead of crossing your ankles, let the soles of your feet meet in the middle while dropping your knees to the sides. Place your elbows on top of your thighs and gently push down for a stretch.
- Forward fold: Raise your arms with your fingers pointing to the ceiling. Inhale and draw your spine long then as you exhale, start bending forward, hinging at your hips. As you breathe, imagine pulling your belly closer to your thighs. You can choose to retain this position or repeat the motion a few times.
- Side Bend: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and raise your arms overhead. Then bend your body to the left and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side and repeat the motion two more times.
- Supine figure four: Lie down with your feet flat on the floor, then place your right ankle on your left knee. Bring this knee closer to your chest and pull it closer to you to get a better stretch. Hold the position for at least five breaths and repeat on the other side.
Key Takeaway
There’s more to sitting and sweating in an infrared sauna. By adding stretching into the mix, you not only help ease aching muscles in the present but will also help you maintain flexibility and mobility far into your golden years. Learn more about the benefits of combining infrared saunas with other holistic treatments in our Sun Stream blog. If you’re interested in knowing more about your home infrared products, feel free to contact us today!