Traditionally, people who go for a sauna are supposed to immerse themselves in cold water, whether in a lake or under the shower, afterwards for the full health benefits. — Filepic
Are you one of those sauna-goers who dreads the subsequent cold plunge or shower, but does it anyway because it’s supposed to be good for you?
Well, you needn’t worry if you don’t, a medical expert says.
“You don’t have to be so hard on your body,” says physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and Federation of German Spa Doctors (VDB) vice-president Dr Karl-Ludwig Resch.
“To avoid stress, you can try to gently bring your body back to normal temperature”, by taking a warm post-sauna shower for example.
A bath in a pool with a “feel-good” water temperature of 28°C would be ideal, he says.
“It’s a wonderful way to normalise your body temperature very pleasantly, without gasping and your internal organs sounding the alarm.”
As a general rule, don’t subject yourself to temperatures lower than what you’re comfortable with, advises Dr Resch.
“You don’t have to grit your teeth, but should be able to look in a mirror and see yourself completely relaxed.”
Cooling down “lite” is especially suited to people who spend an entire day at a wellness facility and want to continue relaxing afterwards.
It’s not suited, however, to those who have a sauna session after sport or a workout in order to aid muscle recovery and want to be active afterwards.
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“Then it’s important to definitely end the relaxation process,” remarks Dr Resch, for which the water should be sufficiently cold. – dpa
