The skin is your body’s largest detoxification organ. The process of sweating allows toxins, heavy metals, and other impurities to be expelled from your body through your pores. Simply sitting in a sauna to detox your body may sound too good to be true. However, along with proper diet and eliminating toxin consumption, sauna sweating can boost your detox.
How Does a Sauna Help Detox Your Body?
Many traditions have used saunas for “sweat therapy” to treat various illnesses. Sitting in the sauna creates an artificial fever which stimulates the creation of white blood cells to fight off bacteria. The heat also causes your pores to open and toxins are purged through your skin. Additionally, the sauna causes your lungs to work harder as your body temperature increases demanding more oxygen. This in turn allows you to expel toxins from your as you inhale and exhale through your mouth in long, deep breaths.
Benefits from Detoxing in a Sauna
People have reporting receiving benefits from sauna sitting including:
- Improved circulation
- Relaxation
- Enhance detoxification
- Brighter/clearer skin
How to Use a Sauna to Detox
Prep
Be sure to drink plenty of water before going into the sauna. You don’t want your stomach to feel bloated so avoid chugging water just before going in. Instead, drink water regularly the day before and stay well hydrated throughout the day before going to the sauna.
Sauna benches can be hot so bring a long towel with you to lay on. Also bring a cool water bottle with you. Most saunas have directions for heating or are run by the facility you are utilizing. Usually it takes 30 minutes for the sauna to heat up.
You can upgrade your sauna experience by incorporating essential oils for detox support as well. Be sure to check the facilities policy beforehand.
How Long Do You Have to Sit in a Sauna to Detox?
For first timers, using a sauna to detox, begin with only 10 minutes. Allow yourself the opportunity to see how you respond to the heat. From here you can work up to sitting in the sauna for up to 20 minutes.
Cool Down
After the 10 to 20 minutes is over, exit the sauna. Drink plenty of water immediately after. Allow your body a few minutes to naturally cool down. Then shower very well to wash off all the sweat and prevent any toxins from reabsorbing. Take a shower in cool water to increase circulation benefits. Pro tip – your cool down should last the same amount of time as you were in the sauna.
Potential Sauna Detox Side Effects
It is possible to become light headed or feel dizzy when using a sauna. This is why beginners are recommended to start with less time. If you begin to feel dizzy in a sauna, carefully step out. Allow yourself to cool down naturally. Lay down if needed. Drink plenty of water. Avoid taking a cold shower immediately after as this could shock your system even more. Only take a shower after you no longer feel light headed.
Women who are pregnant as well as people with medical conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure should talk to their family care practitioner before using a sauna for detoxing.
Sauna vs Steam Room for Detoxing
Some people report that using a steam room for detoxing is better than a sauna. It is also great for people with respiratory problems. However, to detox through the skin you have got to get a serious sweat on. The heat from the dry sauna will allow your body to increase temperature to expel toxins through sweat.
Sauna vs Hot Tub for Detoxing
You will not get the same result from a hot tube as you will from a sauna for detoxing. The hot tube will not increase your temperature to mirror a fever. Additionally, since hot tubes are not enclosed as saunas, a great deal of heat exits through your head decreasing how much you sweat.