Did you know that spending time in a sauna could help you burn calories, in addition to its commonly known relaxing effects? A sauna session can be a beautiful mix of leisure and wellness, aiding in relieving stress and contributing to weight management. The concept of cozily ensconced in a hot, steamy sauna and experiencing those sauna burned calories might sound quite compelling and inviting.
However, it is essential to understand how exactly this process works, how many calories you actually burn, and the factors that influence this calorie burn. Join us as we explore into the specifics of calorie burning within the comforting warmth of a sauna.
How Can Sauna Burn Calories?
Sauna Sessions Increase Your Heart Rates
When you expose your body to the extreme heat of traditional saunas, it significantly raises your heart rate. This increase is similar to the changes you’d experience during moderate physical activity, which leads to energy expenditure and subsequent loss in body weight. Various studies suggest that heart rates can increase by 50-75% in a dry sauna, hence boosting the calorie-burning process.
Incorporating sauna sessions into your routine can be a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle, potentially lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease while contributing to overall wellness.
Traditional Saunas Stimulate Your Metabolic Rate
Regular usage of such saunas is known to stimulate your metabolism, which further aids in weight loss. As the elevated core temperatures make your body work to cool itself down in the sauna’s heat, it results in more energy use, hence burning more calories. A boost in your metabolic rate combined with a balanced diet and physical activity can result in long-term weight management.
Saunas Lead to Sweating and Water Weight Loss
The process of sweating also burns calories. When your body temperature rises in a sauna, the natural cooling mechanism is to sweat. While this may involve the loss of some water weight, which is quickly regained once you rehydrate, it can still slightly enhance your metabolic rate and assist in burning body fat. The energy required by an average person’s body to sweat can contribute to calorie burning, although in small amounts when compared to the toll traditional exercise methods take.
Saunas May Aid in Body Recovery and Improve Performance
Apart from burning calories, the regular use of saunas (including an infrared sauna session) can improve your physical performance by aiding muscle recovery. While this might not directly burn calories, a quickened recovery could allow for longer and more efficient workouts, which, in turn, accelerate caloric expenditure. This complements your regular fitness routines, supports heart tolerance, and enhances weight loss efforts.
Saunas and Water Weight
It’s vital to keep in mind that a substantial part of weight loss from sauna usage, including dry saunas, is water weight, which is regained as soon as you rehydrate. While on the surface, this might give the impression of significant calorie burning, any fluid loss from sweating can still slightly increase your metabolic rate.
It’s important to stay hydrated before and after a sauna session to maintain balance, avoid dehydration, and prevent unnecessary alteration in body mass. This also assists your body temperature in adapting to the extreme heat.
How Many Calories Do You Lose in a Sauna?
The number of calories you burn in a sauna may differ depending on several factors, such as your current weight, the temperature of the sauna, and the duration of your stay. On average, for a 150-pound (68 kg) person, a 30-minute session in a sauna can burn approximately 90-150 extra calories. However, it is important to note that these calories are mostly burned due to increased heart rate and metabolism, and any weight loss from sweating is due largely to water loss, which is quickly regained upon rehydration.
Despite this, one of the benefits of sauna use includes potential cardiovascular improvements, and while using a sauna for weight loss shouldn’t be the sole strategy, it can support an overall fitness and wellness routine.
Open the Calorie-Burning Power of Saunas Now
Saunas can contribute to calorie burning and offer various health benefits. While they can be a part of a balanced wellness routine, it’s essential to combine sauna sessions with regular exercise, a healthy diet, and proper hydration for optimal results.
Remember to stay hydrated and consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating sauna sessions into your routine, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. Sauna use should be enjoyable and safe, enhancing your wellness journey alongside regular exercise and healthy habits.
Enhance your wellness journey today by contacting Home Saunas for top-quality DIY home sauna kits designed to fit your lifestyle. Reach out to us now to transform your home into a sanctuary of relaxation and health!
