5 Tips for Eating Before Your Sauna Session

When you step into a sauna, the main thing you want to focus on is unwinding. However, if you don’t consider what you’re eating before your sauna session, you could be doing more harm than good. 

The good news is that developing a healthy eating strategy for your sauna practice is pretty easy. You don’t have to invest in any elaborate superfoods or embark on a heavy-duty fast. In fact, you probably already have much of what you need in your pantry to fuel up before treating yourself to the warm embrace of your sauna.

Eating Before Your Sauna Session: Keeping It Simple

When it comes to eating before your sauna session, the key is to keep things simple. Specifically, some basic foods and water consumed purposefully are all you really need to prime your body for the best sauna experience.

1. Stay hydrated.

First and foremost, it’s critical to stay hydrated throughout the day before you even set foot in a sauna. Drink enough water so that your body can better regulate its temperature and also help you sweat out any toxins.  

2. Stick to the basic food groups.

Remember those messages you heard as a kid encouraging you to “eat colorful foods?” And not the processed stuff loaded with artificial flavorings and dyes. The nutritious stuff like fruits and vegetables. Those are the foods you should favor before your sauna session. Apples and bananas are good options for eating before a sauna session because they contain essential vitamins and minerals and won’t weigh you down. 

Additionally, light proteins like yogurt, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, or nuts will provide energy without overloading your stomach. If you want something more substantial, try eating satiating whole grains such as oatmeal or brown rice with some vegetables mixed in. 

3. Avoid rich foods and beverages.

The last thing you want is for your sauna session to make your body feel worse than it did before. Therefore, it’s best to avoid eating anything too heavy or spicy as this can make you feel ill during the sauna session. Similarly, you should avoid eating anything that is high in fat. These foods can make you feel sluggish and bloated under the heat of the lamps. 

And, as challenging as it can be, you want to stay away from anything with a lot of sugar or caffeine as these can interfere with your ability to relax during the session. Alcohol is also not recommended prior to sauna use as it can dehydrate you and cause nausea.

So save the drive thru fare or your famous linguine and clam sauce until after you’ve sweated through some calories. And if you have to grab that coffee pick-me-up in the morning, go easy on the cream and sugar, and make sure it’s run its course through your system before you step into the sauna.

4. Don’t eat right before your sauna session.

It’s also important to consider the timing of eating before a sauna session. You should give yourself at least 2 hours after eating before beginning your sauna session in order to avoid any digestive discomfort. 

5. Don’t eat to feel full.

Finally, be sure to eat only enough food so that you don’t feel overly full prior to entering the sauna. Eating too much can make it uncomfortable to sit or lie down in the sauna which can lead to nausea or dizziness. 

The Best in Sauna Wellness

By practicing these eating habits before your sauna session, you’ll be able to enjoy your sauna time more and reap all of the benefits of a good sweat. 

If you live in the Brookfield, Connecticut area and wonder how you can incorporate this practice into your routine at home, contact us at Wellis New England. Our staff will be happy to introduce you to our selection of Clearlight^Ⓡ infrared saunas so you can achieve and sustain the physical and mental wellness you’ve wanted for so long.