Both sauna sessions and massages are popular ways to relax and promote general health and wellness. But they don't necessarily need to be enjoyed separately. Many people find that stepping into a sauna or steam room either before or after having a massage can help to enhance the health benefits, like improved circulation and detoxification.
Taking a sauna before massage relaxes muscles, increases blood circulation, and reduces stress, enhancing the massage experience. However, using a sauna after a massage helps further relax muscles and promote detoxification. Both approaches offer unique benefits, and the choice often comes down to personal preference and how your body responds.
Traditional saunas have been used for thousands of years, dating back to ancient times in countries like Finland and Russia. A traditional sauna or Finnish sauna is essentially an enclosed space with a container of heated rocks inside it. The rocks may be heated via gas, electric power, or some other source.
In terms of what a sauna is, it’s essentially an enclosed space that is designed to get extremely hot. A traditional sauna or Finnish sauna is no more than a small room with a container of heated rocks inside it. The rocks may be heated via gas, electric power, or some other source, and they radiate heat around them to warm up the space.
There are also other types of sauna, like an infared sauna. Infrared sauna therapy makes use of infrared light to warm the body from within. These saunas are generally seen as more comfortable, as they don't get as intensely hot as others.
Whether you're using a traditional Finnish sauna, modern infrared sauna, or looking for an outdoor sauna for sale, the basic principles remain the same
Similar to saunas, massage therapy has been around for thousands of years, having its roots in India and other Eastern cultures. It's all about rubbing, pushing, kneading, and physically interacting with the body's soft tissue, like muscles, tendons, and skin.
Key massage benefits include:
One of the best shared benefits of saunas and massages is improved circulation and blood flow. Research has found, for instance, that spending time in a sauna can provide a notable boost to circulation. This is due to the fact that the high temperatures of the sauna make the blood vessels widen, allowing more blood to flow through and get where it needs to go.
Massage can have a similar effect, though it works in a different way. Specifically, by pushing and rubbing certain areas of the body, massage therapists can effectively help the blood flow through congested or tight areas more freely. Even a five-minute long massage session has been shown to improve circulation, both in the targeted area and the surrounding parts of the body.
Given that both massage and sauna use can improve circulation in their own unique ways, it stands to reason that combining these treatments can provide even greater, amplified benefits. For example, a person with poor circulation could step into a steam sauna before or after massage, enjoying the heat benefits of the sauna, plus the physical blood flow boost from the massage.
Circulatory improvements aren’t the only benefits that come from saunas and massages. Detoxification is another benefit that is often linked with spending time in a sauna. It’s believed that the high heat of the sauna can help detox the body via sweating, and there is evidence to back this up, as gathered and summarized in a 2022 review.
That review, among other studies, found that sweat can contain small amounts of various unwanted elements. Examples include heavy metals, like lead and cadmium, which are considered carcinogenic, along with harmful chemicals that can accumulate in the body over time and interfere with various bodily processes.
What’s more, if a person uses a sauna or steam room before massage, their muscles will be warmed up. That heat can soften the muscle tissue and prepare them for the massage process. This can make massage more effective, as research shows that heat and massage, when combined, produce more intense relaxation effects. This is partly why a lot of massage techniques incorporate heat in some way, like hot stone massage.
Key advantages include:
Do’s |
Don’ts |
Hydrate well before entering. |
Avoid eating a heavy meal right before. |
Take a shower to clean your skin. |
Do not consume alcohol beforehand. |
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. |
Avoid using oils or lotions on your skin. |
Consult a doctor if you have health issues. |
Don’t enter if you're feeling unwell. |
Do’s |
Don’ts |
Cool down gradually post-session. |
Don’t shower with cold water immediately. |
Rehydrate with water or electrolyte drinks. |
Avoid alcohol after the session. |
Rest and relax for a few minutes. |
Do not rush into strenuous activities. |
Moisturize your skin post-shower. |
Don’t skip meals; eat something light. |
Both traditional saunas and massages aren't right for everyone. Consult with doctors if you have:
Whether you choose sauna before or after massage, both combinations can offer significant benefits when done correctly. The key is finding what works best for your body while following proper safety guidelines and staying well-hydrated throughout the process.
For the best experience, start with shorter sessions and gradually increase duration as you understand how your body responds. Remember that everyone's body is different, and what works best for one person may not be ideal for another.
outdoor sauna for sale.
I'm Jasper Knight, the founder of SecretSaunas.com. During my travels through Finland and Scandinavia in 2018 I was introduced to the thrilling local ritual of taking daily hot saunas and then cooling off by plunging into the dark icy waters of a frozen lake. This experience was so fulfilling that it felt like an addiction. My desire to return to the forests and lakes of Northern Europe led me to set up Secret Saunas with the mission of bringing that authentic Finnish sauna experiences home.