It's Getting Hot in Here

DBG and Hitting the Sauna

All of us know what a sauna is, most of us think it's good for us, and only some of us actually reap the incredible physical and psychological effects of regularly going to the sauna. To my non-USC readers, of which there are currently zero, we are lucky enough to have access to sauna seven days a week at our famed Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center. To my USC readers, if you're not going, what are you waiting for?!

Bathhouses have been a staples for centuries; the Romans, Native Americans, and Koreans alike have had their dry saunas, sweat lodges, steam rooms, and cold plunges longer than most countries have existed. These ancient practices must have validity to have persisted for so long. 

The main promise of saunas appears to be detoxification, which is felt through the excessive sweating out toxins through the pores. More scientifically compelling is the benefits to cardiovascular health: the sauna is connected to lower rates of heart problems, greater circulation, and less inflammation over time. Generally, the short bouts of heat stresses our hearts in beneficial ways.  According to Dr. Rita Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, the heart is a muscle, and the more it's worked, the better shape it will be in and longer it will last. 

I personally go after every workout if I'm there during pool hours, which are different from gym hours. According to research, the sauna seems to enhance the benefits of a workout, especially cardiovascular health, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Regardless of the semantics, I feel fan-freaking-tastic after the sauna. The more I sweat the better, whether I'm actually getting rid of toxins or not, it feels incredibly cleansing to sweat intensely out of every pore and then shower and start fresh after. I also tend to hydrate better knowing I'll be sweating in the sauna, and while I'm hot inside. It's not the most comfortable feeling being in the high temperatures, but it feels so good to push through and reap the benefits after. 

If I sauna and shower right after, I think it's awesome to clean out my pores sweating, and circulate my blood to the surface of my skin. If I wait too long to shower, it goes the other way :/. I am always red and flushed after the sauna, and that circulation makes increases the rate of healing of injuries to the skin, aka acne. 

Another subject I'll touch on is being a woman in a heavily male-dominated environment. Honestly, back to the idea of most people are good people and other people are usually just lost, it's really hit or miss, and mostly hits. I used to wear my shirt at the sauna to deal with it less, but it's so disgustingly sweaty and hot that it really makes more sense to be in my athletic skivvies. Yes, occasionally guys will stare a little too long, and sometimes they start peacocking if they are with friends, by this I mean they talk to each other knowing the girls present can overhear and I honestly feel embarrassed for them, which is why it doesn't get us down! It's mostly incredibly annoying when the peaceful silence is disrupted. I also have experiences where people are friendly and chatty, and I get into a good conversation with strangers; those are the best times! Sometimes it's both: just tonight I was chatting with a freshman, junior, and senior about MD, PA, and our respective sports teams. We had just gotten into east coast snow sports and the poor quality of snow when a bunch of guys came in, were rowdy, and proceeded to freestyle rap for the begging audience, which did not exist. So annoying. Most of the time I sit in silence with everyone else and read my book. No one talks and we all enjoy our alone time, nice. 

Essentially the sauna is awesome, and sauna etiquette is nothing to be scared of, just feel it out and don't be afraid of losers who make it an uncomfortable environment every once and a while, more so than the physical discomfort. Find peace in the fact that they are pathetic and weird and you are cool and superior in maturity! It is so sweet the majority of the time, and nothing to be afraid of even if you are in the gender minority. Get your sweat on y'all!

Until next time, find your factor.

JJ