It isn’t just about working out! Gyms with saunas and steam rooms add an important step to your wellness routine. Get the full spa experience before or after your workout by using our state-of-the-art facilities, always stocked with fresh towels. You may be surprised by the real health benefits these facilities offer.
What Guidelines Do Gyms With Saunas and Steam Rooms Want You to Follow?
Heat bathing is an ancient practice that traverses cultural divides and customs. The saunas you’ll find at SBAC are similar to the Finnish saunas, constructed of cedar or pine. However, ours are the electric, dry variety, and our members love lounging in the heat before or after a workout. Just remember a few basic measures you should consider before sweating it out:
- Be well hydrated before, during, and after.
- Consult your doctor before trying a sauna or steam room. Getting clinician approval is an absolute must if you’re pregnant, have existing heart or blood pressure issues, or are on certain medications.
- Be mindful of the minutes. Some people are happy with five, while others cap off at 20. It really depends on your hydration levels and how you’re feeling. Don’t wait until you feel faint or dizzy.
- Be respectful of others. Our facilities are separated by gender, but giving other people enough personal space is still appreciated. Another example of crossing the social boundary is talking loudly on your phone or watching videos—not only will the heat damage your phone, but you may be harshing someone else’s mellow!
These recommendations don’t mean you can’t enjoy a nice chat with another member. After all, this is a communal activity, and it should be relaxing and fun!
Can A Gyms’ Sauna Or Steam Room Replace Cardio?
Sometimes gyms with a sauna and steam rooms market them as a way to flush out toxins and lose weight. We hate to break it to you, but these facilities will not torch calories like a decent cardio session would, and your body naturally detoxifies itself. We provide these facilities at Santa Barbara Athletic Club because our members deserve them. Fortunately, their real health benefits are just as hot. Pun very much intended.
Whether you use saunas as a meditative retreat or for health, experts agree they can induce cardiovascular effects. Studies have shown when your body experiences extreme heat, your heart works harder to pump blood to bring down the internal temperature. Some have linked this response to increased cardiac health and fewer heart-related illnesses. Heat bathing could prevent possible cardiac issues in the future, but not as a treatment for existing heart problems.
What Other Health Benefits Saunas or Steam Rooms Have?
It’s easy to forget that over 300,000 years of evolution, the human body is, for the most part, an exceptionally intelligent machine. It’s developed mechanisms that use external stressors to our advantage.
For example, research suggests that our body’s exposure to extreme temperatures initiates a heat shock response which could help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. This reaction produces special proteins which repair and regenerate damaged proteins, helping to halt the expression of diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Despite the internal stress of hot temperatures, many people experience an endorphin release during their steam and sauna sessions and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. Plus, as we mentioned earlier, you experience better blood circulation due to heat and steam, which carries more oxygen to your brain. So if you feel happier, more centered, and are sleeping better after using a sauna or steam room, it could be a complimentary way to help manage depression and anxiety alongside clinical solutions.
Some people also enjoy steam rooms because it opens their pores and helps them exfoliate dead skin. Also, because of better blood circulation, you may notice your skin is glowing after steaming. Not a bad side effect!!
Visit SBAC Gyms With a Sauna to Take Your Workout Further
Undoubtedly, the health perks we’ve covered are great additions to round out your wellness routine. But, for SBAC, the bottom line is that these amenities make our members feel good. That precious outcome is more valuable to us than any data or research. Craving a sweat session? Visit our website to explore the other perks of a Santa Barbara Athletic Club gym membership! Plus, now through April 30th, you get 50% off the initiation fee and receive a $100 gift card to Vuori when you sign up for a membership!