Thermotherapy: The Secret to Athlete’s Recovery
Have you ever found yourself googling “what helps sore muscles after working out?” Maybe you tried a new workout, are feeling the effects of your new training schedule or just want to take care of yourself more. You may have found things that work well enough, but when it comes to an essential of athletic recovery, one word is enough: thermotherapy.
After a grueling work out, there’s no better way to rejuvenate your mind and body than a spa day. Thermotherapy offers a blend of hot and cold treatments that can optimize recovery and overall wellness. Whether you’re dealing with sore muscles or simply need to unwind, the spa is your answer to recover faster and feel better.
Here’s Why You Should Add the Spa to Your Recovery Regimen
The Benefits of Thermotherapy for the Body
- Boosts athletic performance: the thermal experience can enhance overall athletic performance by helping your body recover faster and perform better.
- Strengthens immune system: the heat from saunas mimics fever symptoms, stimulating your immune system and keeping you healthier and more resilient.
- Improves circulation and heart health: the heat boosts blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, and promotes a healthier heart rate, essential for peak athletic performance.
- Enhances skin health: the heat cleanses, tones, and firms the skin, restoring its elasticity and giving it a healthy glow.
- Detoxifies the body: sweating during thermotherapy releases toxins and impurities, cleansing your body.
- Improves breathing capacity: the thermal shock which occurs when you go from hot to cold promotes slower, deeper breathing, enhancing your breathing capacity and endurance.
- Relieves muscle aches and promotes relaxation: thermotherapy effectively relieves muscle aches and pains, promoting relaxation and faster recovery after intense training.
- Enhances sleep quality: the thermal experience not only aids in physical recovery but significantly improves sleep quality, essential for overall well-being and performance.
The Benefits of Thermotherapy for the Mind
- Boosts feel-good hormones: thermotherapy triggers the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones, calming the mind and lifting your spirits.
- Reduces pain, stress, and anxiety: these same endorphins are known to alleviate pain, reduce stress, and lessen anxiety, helping you feel more balanced and at ease.
- Enhances memory and mental clarity: the thermal experience not only improves memory but also eliminates fatigue, leaving you feeling more alert and mentally clear.
- Promotes relaxation and better mental health: by fostering deep relaxation, thermotherapy contributes to better mental health, providing a peaceful mind and improved overall well-being.
How to Do Thermotherapy
- Sweat in a sauna or steam room for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cold plunge for 10 to 15 seconds, if you want to try longer cold plunges, gradually build up to them.
- Rest for at least 20 minutes. Rest is as important in the thermal cycle as it is in your training schedule.
- Repeat the process for at least 3 complete thermal cycles to reap all the benefits of thermotherapy!
- Immediately feel the difference.