Sauna bathing can lower the levels of cortisol, but that’s not all it does.
When you sweat it out in the sauna, it increases your heart rate variability (HRV), imitating the effects of moderate physical activity on your parasympathetic nervous system, which puts your fight or flight response on hold after a stressful event. It also mitigates metabolic risk factors, leading to improvement at the cellular level.
Clever ways to enjoy the sauna without activating your fight-or-flight response
• You lose fluid from your body when you sweat, causing the ratio of glucose to water to change and become more concentrated. Hence, before you book a session, ensure your blood sugar levels are in the target range and try to hydrate yourself before and during the sauna session to prevent a sugar spike.
A sauna session can do wonders for your overall health and well-being; notably, it affects the parasympathetic nervous system positively, which helps our body enter a state of relaxation, contributes to lower blood glucose levels, and promotes better digestion. That said, consider starting with smaller sessions, and gradually increase the duration as your body gets used to the high temperatures.
