Health | Guidance

The most dazzling sauna myths

Opera divas, acting stars or top managers, their reputation precedes them all. The same goes for the sauna: there are numerous stories about it - which sometimes correspond more, sometimes less to reality. Among the most popular misconceptions are the following...

Content

Just sweat it out.
The hotter the better.
In the sauna you lose weight.
Muscle soreness dissolves in the heat
Skin + hair dry out
Drinking only after the sauna session.

Colds

Just sweat it out.

How nice it would be if this sentence were true - but unfortunately it is not. Studies have shown that you cannot avoid a cold by taking a sauna. On the contrary: if it is dormant in you, you are more likely to bring it out by taking a sauna. If you ignore the cold and go to the sauna anyway, it can lead to anything from headaches to severe circulatory problems. However, it has been confirmed that regular sauna sessions boost the immune system. So you can prevent a cold by going to the sauna.

Temperature

The hotter the better.

Saunists are actually a very relaxed people. Only sometimes they seem to be gripped by false ambition: Then they try to challenge themselves (or the person next to them in the sauna) and stay in the sauna for a particularly long time. Or at a particularly high temperature. This is not smart. Because this "technique" puts a lot of strain on the circulation. Sauna sessions should be gentle and moderately long. Experts recommend shorter and more frequent saunas. But the same always applies here: everyone must listen to themselves and their body!

Figure

In the sauna you lose weight.

Fitness clubs would probably have no members left if this sentence were true! Unfortunately, you can't sweat out fat cells - you can only get rid of them with a lot of work and discipline. If the scales show less after a sauna than before, it is only because you have lost water. However, you should quickly replenish the fluid in your body. If you are on a diet, you can consider regular sauna sessions as an additional means to a balanced diet and exercise: Because it stimulates the metabolism and blood circulation and thus has a positive effect on the desired goal.

Muscle soreness dissolves in the heat

Especially on skiing holidays, you can often meet sauna beginners on the lounger hoping to get rid of their sore muscles there. Unfortunately, they won't have much success. But they will still feel better after a sauna session! Because the increased blood circulation in the body is good for the damaged muscles and promotes their healing process.

Skin + hair dry out

If you have an oily, shiny sauna neighbour next to you who has applied a thick layer of cream from head to toe, it's all very well to smile: because this care effort would not have been necessary. It has not been proven that saunas dry out the skin and hair. It is true that the pores of the skin and the hair cuticle open up and thus absorb skin care products particularly well - but dermatologists warn against going to the sauna with a hair or skin treatment. The intensive effect could be too strong and thus trigger allergies. It is better to sweat first and then apply cream!

Drinking only after the sauna session.

It is true that saunas are dehydrating. However, it is nonsense to say that you should not drink anything during the breaks. In fact, it is particularly important to give your body plenty of fluids between (and after) saunas. Unsweetened teas or mineral water are particularly suitable for rebalancing the body's fluid and mineral balance. The body should only be dry on the outside before entering the sauna.

The most dazzling sauna myths

Just sweat it out.

The hotter the better.

In the sauna you lose weight.

Muscle soreness dissolves in the heat

Skin + hair dry out

Drinking only after the sauna session.

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