Many people assume that a steam room is helpful for relaxing after a long day of physical activity. But a steam room can also be useful for when you’re warming up before exercising. Whether you’re an athlete, a weightlifter, a powerlifter, or a crossfitter, you’ll find a steam room treatment can help you make the most of your workout.
The odds are you might struggle with joint pain and inflammation when you exercise. These pains can keep your exercise routine from being as effective as you wish. Your joints won’t move as well without pain, and you might feel discouraged from working out any further.
A steam room can help you get ready for a workout by loosening up your joints. The heat can help reduce joint pain and improve how well you can handle your activities. You can use your steam room experience to help you get back into your exercise routine.
Increase Joint Mobility
You’ll have an easier time moving your joints after you undergo heat treatment. By applying heat to a joint, the amount of force necessary to move that joint will decline.
The heat from a steam room can loosen your joints and keep them from feeling so stiff. It’s easier to move your joints without feeling pain.
The effect from a steam room is similar to what you’d get from a pre-workout warmup. It’s also less painful than if you tried warming your body up without heat. Proper joint movement is necessary for a successful workout, so staying in a steam room for a bit beforehand can make a positive impact on how well it works.
Reduce Pain
You will feel less pain around your body when you undergo heat treatment. The heat from a steam room will improve blood flow to your muscles. The heat will dilate blood vessels throughout the body, improving how well oxygen and nutrients can move into your joints.
The heat will enter deep into your skin as you relax in the steam room. You can spend about 10 to 20 minutes inside the steam room to get the best results.
Reduce Inflammation
You can also reduce inflammation around your joints when relaxing in a steam room before exercising. Steam therapy can produce a hormonal response that helps reduce pain signals triggered by inflammation. A thermosensitive part of the brain will trigger a physical response that helps improve your mood and reduce physical stress.
Specifically, steam can improve serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is necessary for improving your mood, while melatonin helps the body relax.
Loosen Up From the Prior Day
It’s often tough to exercise before your body has been through so many things during the day. Whether trying to get ready in the morning or restoring your body at night, your body can feel stiff. A steam treatment is necessary for loosening your body and improving how well it can handle exercises.
Steam can loosen muscle tendons and joint tissues that might have been wound up from a long day of activity. Your body will be ready for exercise after your tissues become loose and healthy.
Conclusion
Don’t assume a steam room is only something for use after a workout. You can use a steam room before working out to get your body ready for intense physical activity. Using such a room beforehand may be better than doing so afterward, as you’ll have an easier time moving your body when exercising after you go through a steam treatment.
The heat from a steam room will loosen your body and improve your mood. You’ll appreciate how well you can handle your exercises when you relax in a steam room before working out.
FAQs
What is the average temperature inside a steam room?
A steam room will be about 100 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit on average. The room will require a consistent mist to remain humid while maintaining this temperature.
How long should you stay in a steam room before exercising?
You can stay in a steam room for about 10 to 20 minutes before your exercise. Staying in your steam room for too long could cause you to become dehydrated.
What should you do before entering your steam room?
Make sure you consume enough water before entering a steam room. Drink about two to three glasses of water to help offset the sweating you’ll experience inside the steam room.
Is a steam room useful for people with breathing difficulties?
A steam room can help soothe and relax your respiratory system. You may find it easier to breathe while in a steam room, but watch how well your body responds as you’re in the room. You can leave the room if you start to notice breathing issues.