Hot Sauna or Cold Plunge? Embracing Discomfort for Better Performance and Health.
Exploring the Science of Ice Baths and Sauna Sessions.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in extreme temperature therapies. Seasoned athlete Gabby Reece is known for her endorsement of scorching sauna sessions, reaching temperatures of up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by refreshing icy plunges. Similarly, Lady Gaga's Instagram posts often feature her immersing herself in ice as part of her post-performance routine, which involves alternating between hot and cold treatments.
While I don't typically follow influencers, both of these women are onto something important: embracing discomfort in both hot and cold environments can have positive effects on performance and overall health, particularly for women.
The Science of Saunas Unveiled
Saunas have been embraced by diverse cultures across the globe for thousands of years, and this enduring tradition is rooted in their remarkable health benefits. A comprehensive review of research from 2018 revealed compelling evidence that sauna usage is associated with a decrease in high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, pulmonary ailments, neurocognitive conditions like dementia, and even the alleviation of pain linked to inflammation and arthritis. Furthermore, sauna sessions have been linked to a reduced risk of premature mortality.
The underlying mechanism driving these health gains is akin to the body's response to moderate to high-intensity exercise. When you enter a sauna, your heart rate increases by approximately 30 percent, your body temperature rises, you start to perspire, and hormones such as noradrenaline and growth hormone are released. As a result, you reap health benefits that resemble those obtained from a vigorous workout. Interestingly, individuals who engage in regular exercise and complement it with frequent sauna sessions enjoy enhanced cardiovascular advantages, as per the study's findings.
Empowering Women with Sauna Training
For women, sauna training can offer unique advantages, particularly when it comes to performing under challenging conditions such as extreme heat, cold, or high altitudes. Women, on average, exhibit distinct physiological responses compared to men in these situations.
Women tend to perspire less and commence sweating later than men. This delay in sweating is due to a process in which our blood vessels dilate first before we start to sweat. In simple terms, the internal temperature required to trigger sweating is higher in women than in men. Moreover, women experience variations in their heat-loss responses throughout their menstrual cycle, driven by fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels.
During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, particularly in the week leading up to menstruation when hormone levels are at their peak, women's core body temperature is slightly elevated. As a result, they tend to start sweating later during physical activity, and their blood plasma volume can decrease by as much as 8 percent. This combination of factors results in a reduced tolerance for heat during this phase.
Understanding these gender-specific differences can empower women to adapt their training and performance strategies effectively, harnessing the benefits of sauna training to enhance their overall capabilities in various challenging environments.
The onset of menopause often leads to a significant decline in heat-loss capabilities, even though they can be enhanced through improved endurance fitness. This limitation can pose challenges for overall performance.
Fortunately, sauna treatments offer a promising solution to enhance heat tolerance and performance. Research suggests that the dehydration resulting from exercise or the end of the day can expedite the adaptation process during sauna sessions. When you enter the sauna under such conditions, your body responds by redirecting blood flow to your skin, promoting sweating to prevent overheating. In this state, with limited blood volume available, your kidneys recognize the need for more red blood cells to ensure sufficient oxygen transport to vital organs. This prompts the production of erythropoietin (EPO) and an increase in plasma volume, ultimately bolstering your blood volume and, consequently, your performance.
Sauna treatments, especially after exercising, can help your body adjust to high temperatures better. This is useful for improving performance, especially at high altitudes where the air is dry and can make you lose fluids. Research also suggests that using saunas can make you perform better in milder and cooler conditions.
Regular saunas usually heat the air to about 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius), while infrared saunas keep it around 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). It's a good idea to spend 25 to 30 minutes in the sauna, keeping the temperature below 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful not to stay in very high temperatures unless you're experienced with saunas, and leave if you start feeling uncomfortable.
If you're getting ready for competitions in hot weather, there are quick and efficient ways to adapt to the heat. Recent studies have found that a 9-day plan can give you similar benefits for your heart and temperature control as the 4 or 5-day plans often recommended for men. Women who want to speed up their heat adaptation can choose the shorter 4 to 5-day plan and include a primer session before the main sauna session to help the body adjust faster.
The Science of Cold Plunges Revealed
Many of us are familiar with using ice baths as a recovery method following intense workouts, such as marathons and heavy strength training sessions. Initially, the idea was that exposing the body to cold would cause blood vessels to constrict, reducing inflammation and, consequently, pain. While this does occur, there are instances when we actually want some inflammation to aid in adaptation. In such cases, cold exposure can impede recovery and slow down the body's ability to adapt.
Additionally, there are gender-based differences to consider. The cooling effect on the body operates by essentially tricking it into moving blood from the skin back into circulation through the muscles. Men typically don't require this process as much because their blood vessels naturally constrict after exercise, directing blood away from the skin and back into the central circulation. In contrast, women tend to experience vasodilation after exercising, meaning that our blood tends to accumulate in the skin, leading to a drop in blood pressure and reduced blood flow to the muscles that need recovery. Cold water immersion can help women by speeding up vasoconstriction after strenuous exertion, assisting in the return of blood to the central circulation. This, in turn, helps increase blood pressure and improves the flow of blood into the muscles, aiding in the recovery process.
Just as saunas have a long history of being used for health benefits, cold water immersion has also been employed for its positive effects on well-being. Wim Hof has brought this practice into the modern mainstream, promoting it as a method to reduce inflammation, enhance hormonal and metabolic health, increase the metabolism's fat-burning capacity by stimulating metabolically active brown fat, and raise endorphin levels to improve mood (studies suggest that cold plunges can alleviate symptoms of depression). Over the long term, the effects are comparable to those of exercise, leading to a decrease in heart rate and better control of the vascular system.
There are notable gender differences in how the body responds to cold-water immersion. Exposing the body to cold triggers the release of norepinephrine, which can reduce inflammation and boost energy levels and mental focus. Some anecdotal reports and limited evidence suggest that cold exposure can also enhance immunity. However, research indicates that while both men and women experience similar sensations of cold stress, the neuroendocrine and immune responses tend to be more pronounced in men. This isn't to say that women don't benefit from cold exposure in this regard, but the response may differ between the sexes.
Wim Hof
Wim Hof, commonly known as The Iceman, is a Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete renowned for his extraordinary cold tolerance. He has achieved remarkable feats, including holding a Guinness World Record for swimming beneath ice and enduring prolonged full-body contact with ice. Additionally, he holds a record for completing a half marathon on ice and snow while barefoot.
For women going through menopause, especially those dealing with temperature issues, I suggest taking a lukewarm shower before bedtime. Start with warm water to avoid a sudden shock to your system, then gradually make it cooler until you feel slightly chilled. Afterward, put on your pajamas, get into bed, and let the comforting tiredness help you fall asleep.
If you're thinking about adding cold plunges to your routine, remember that women don't need to go as cold as men. Women tend to start shivering at higher temperatures, are more sensitive to the cold, and generally feel colder and less comfortable than men in the same cooling process. Although there's limited research on specific guidelines, in general, cold water immersion means immersing yourself up to your shoulders or neck in water ranging from 32 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 15 degrees Celsius). The duration can vary, from 2 sets of 30 seconds with a 2-minute break at the coldest temperatures to 6 sets of 3 minutes at 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).
To Conclude
Women can benefit from both saunas and cold plunges, but it's important to consider their unique physiological responses. Sauna sessions can aid in improving heat tolerance and overall health, particularly during the menopausal transition when thermoregulation may be a challenge. Cold plunges, on the other hand, can offer benefits such as reducing inflammation, enhancing mood, and potentially boosting immunity, although women may not require as cold temperatures as men for these effects. When incorporating these practices into their routines, women should pay attention to their own comfort and individual responses, adjusting the intensity and duration accordingly. Ultimately, both saunas and cold plunges can be valuable tools for women seeking to enhance their well-being and performance, provided they are used mindfully and in alignment with their specific needs and goals.