Sauna Session Benefits for Athletes & Non-Athletes: White Blood Cells & Cortisol Levels Improved
Yes—sauna sessions appear to offer benefits for both athletes and non-athletes. A Finnish study examined how a single sauna session affects white blood cell profiles (an immune-system marker) and cortisol (a stress hormone) in both groups, and this episode breaks down the takeaways and how to put them into practice.
Learn about this and much more on this week's episode of the Garage Gym Athlete Podcast!
Episode 174 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
Sauna Session Benefits for Athletes & Non-Athletes: White Blood Cells & Cortisol Levels Improved
Key Takeaways
- This episode breaks down a Finnish study on how a single sauna session affects white blood cell profiles and cortisol levels in athletes and non-athletes.
- Sauna use is discussed as a recovery and wellness tool for both trained athletes and the general population.
- The episode also covers the "Fat & Sugar" Meet Yourself Saturday workout, great for heart-rate-zone practice.
- Jerred and Joe share life updates and what's coming for Garage Gym Athlete in 2023.
This episode, Jerred and Joe are back at it! They dive into a study that looks at the benefits of a sauna session for both athletes and non-athletes. The guys give their overall takeaways of the study and how you can best put that into practice! Next, they go over the Meet Yourself Saturday workout. It's called Fat & Sugar and is great for heart rate zone practice. Burpees seem inevitable on this one so just consider yourself fitter afterwards! Lastly, they give an update on their lives and their plans for 2023. There are lots of changes happening coming up for the Garage Gym Athletes as well, so stay tuned for more information!
What the research says
The study of the week, "Effect of a Single Finnish Sauna Session on White Blood Cell Profile and Cortisol Levels in Athletes and Non-Athletes," looked at how the body responds to a single sauna session. Researchers measured two things: the white blood cell profile—markers tied to the immune system—and cortisol, a hormone linked to stress and recovery.
By comparing trained athletes with non-athletes, the study explored whether a person's training status changes how they respond to sauna heat. On the podcast, Jerred and Joe walk through the takeaways and discuss how to fit sauna sessions into a recovery routine. For the specific measurements and results, read the full study linked above.
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast either on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play by using the link below:
IN THIS 42-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- Sauna Session Benefits
- Life Updates
- Fat & Sugar
- Athletes vs. Non-Athletes
- Cortisol Levels
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sauna sessions good for athletes?
The study discussed here examined how a single Finnish sauna session affects immune-related white blood cell markers and cortisol in athletes and non-athletes, and the episode treats sauna as a recovery and wellness tool for both groups.
What does a sauna session measure in this study?
Researchers tracked two markers after a single session: the white blood cell profile, which relates to immune function, and cortisol, a hormone tied to stress and recovery. For the specific findings, see the linked study.
What else is covered in the episode?
It's a 42-minute episode that also covers the Fat & Sugar Meet Yourself Saturday workout for heart-rate-zone training, plus life updates and 2023 plans.
Related reading from Garage Gym Athlete
- Hot Water Immersion & The Perfect Mile
- Is Cold Immersion The BEST For Recovery?
- Why Sleep Can Save Your Life & How To Get It
Want sauna, recovery, and conditioning built into a complete plan? Start a free trial with Garage Gym Athlete.
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
—
Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
Like these ideas? You need GGA.
Garage Gym Athlete is the "tip of the spear" for our training. We identify training weaknesses, solve them through our program design, and validate it with science.
For ongoing daily training that exploits everything we have discusses here and more, check out Garage Gym Athlete.
