Do you burn calories in a Sauna

melinda6569

I have read many different things! Can anybody tell me if you actually do burn calories sitting in a sauna? I usually sit in it for 30 minutes at 130-146 degrees..Should I log this or just consider it a bonus?

mgreen10

No. Likely, you burn less calories than normal because your heart rate slows down.

MrsWibbly

Sitting.... I think that is the key point so no I would not expect any calories to be burnt, other than the few that you would naturally burn just by living and breathing!

I always understood that any weight loss from a sauna was due to sweating - i.e. water loss

SueN113

I am not sure if you do either, however I would think that your heart rate would go up to cool your body.

TourThePast

No you don't burn calories in a sauna, at least no more than your BMR which covers the basics such as breathing, heart pumping, thinking etc.

In fact some of your BMR is expended on keeping your core temperature up, so I fully expect that you'd actually burn fewer calories sitting in a sauna than you would sitting at home.

kjb0976

Your heart rate does go up as it is compensating for the heat. My heart rate will go up to about 120 while sitting there. When I get out, it spikes to 130ish. Which the higher the heart rate, the more calories your burn. Now is it productive calorie burn? Probably not.

Not sure if sitting in there that long is good. Be sure to drink lots of water afterwards to compensate for the water loss. My personal trainer tells me to sit in there for 10-15 mins to flush toxins from the body.

GCPgirl

I think the sauna actually helps you release the toxins in your body through your sweat. Getting a massage does too (bonus!). That's why you have to drink water after.

TourThePast

Which the higher the heart rate, the more calories your burn.

Unfortunately that is not correct, there is no direct relationship between the heart rate and calories burned. Apart, of course, from the tiny amount burned by the heart itself which after all is a muscle. If someone creeps up behind you and says "Boo" your heart rate may rise, but you haven't just burned a bunch of calories, just because your heart rate has gone up.

Heart rate monitors are able to estimate the amount of calories burned **during exercise which causes the heart rate to rise** purely because exercise raises the heart rate by a fairly predictable amount.

However, it is not the heart rate being elevated per se which burns the calories.

So, for instance, if you were sat perfectly still and relaxed strapped into in a rollercoaster, scared out of your wits with your heart banging away, you wouldn't be burning calories at anything like the same rate as if you were running enough to make your heart rate rise to the same rate.

wewon

130 - 146 degrees?!? That sounds painful as hell!!

hroush

According to the Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology, you burn .568 calories to release 1g of sweat. This doesn't sound like much, but if you lose 1 pound of sweat, that would be 257 calories. I just attempted to do a quick search for sauna related weight loss, but didn't find any studies on it, though I'm sure they've been done. One study i did find showed that people's heart rates ranged in the 140's in the sauna for 20 minutes and averaged a pound lost.

melinda6569

Thank you everyone..I will not log sitting in the sauna. But i do enjoy it so i will keep on doing it..

Thanks Again

melinda6569

130 - 146 degrees?!? That sounds painful as hell!!

Feels really good to have the heat penetrating deep into your bones..

Pseudocyber

According to the Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology, you burn .568 calories to release 1g of sweat. This doesn't sound like much, but if you lose 1 pound of sweat, that would be 257 calories. I just attempted to do a quick search for sauna related weight loss, but didn't find any studies on it, though I'm sure they've been done. One study i did find showed that people's heart rates ranged in the 140's in the sauna for 20 minutes and averaged a pound lost.

Hmm. So I can lose weight by sitting in a hot bath and sweating! Sweet!

keiraev

How do u sit in it for 30 mins!?

10/15 mins and I have to get out of there

DeBlue

Sitting in an ice bath... now THAT would be a burn! :bigsmile:

RMinVA

I wouldn't count it as additonal burn. Just consider it a bonus. You would naturally burn about most of it just sitting around anyway.

melinda6569

How do u sit in it for 30 mins!?

10/15 mins and I have to get out of there

I just take my music and magazines in there and lose track of time..i love it! i love the heat

bethanddallas

but what if you work out in a sauna? i lift weights (2 pounds) and do leg lifts and twisting exercises. It seems to be difficult. i also dance in the sauna to keep "working out" after I have done my eliptical workout prior to getting in.

bethanddallas

me too. love the heat. i was raised in arizona and am missing it. i love my sauna.

DavPul

No

iluvtrees123

I'm pretty sure most saunas I have seen have warnings telling you not to exercise in there. 130 degrees for a while is OK for you, but if you are exerting yourself extra in that kind of temperatures you are on your way to overheating/heat injury.

RainHoward

are you doing aerobics while in the sauna? maybe take a stationary bike in with you. sex in a sauna, that'd burn a few calories. Sitting on your backside getting a sweat on? Um, no. Nice thought though. On the plus side they're great for your complexion, muscle tension and even your lungs.

LeggyAmericanGirl

I live in Texas I couldnt imagine wanting to sweat from heat geez. Its like 120 in my truck to drive home.

HeikkiLaukkanen

130 - 146 degrees?!? That sounds painful as hell!!

It's just the air temperature. Air isn't a great conductor of heat. Now if you were in water with a temp of 130-146 degrees that would be dangerous.

I grew up with a sauna (wood fired stove) and we routinely took them at much higher temperatures than 130-146. You just don't stay in that long, take cooling breaks and for the really brave jump in some cold water or roll in the snow.

jsidel126

I lose weight in the summertime when its 95 and above and humid - similar to the spa...I assume its mostly water weight...will return shortly...The body is trying to cool down...I assume relaxing in the spa does burn a few calories but its not enough to take the place of a 30 min run...

bestoffriends

When I go to Finland I loose # every time!!! I eat more but use the sauna on a regular basis I can't figure that one out . Maybe I am more relaxed it's a mystery to me. Come back home and I fight to keep my weight down.

Good old exerise here at home and counting those calories.

lukezbieranowski

your heart rate increases, puts you body into a fever state which is good for the immune system as it produces more white blood cells and immune cells. Your metabolism is heighten due to heart rate increase.

kimosabe1

I wouldn't because I am sitting down. That is NO effort. BONUS!

Bobby__Clerici

Don't waste your time.
Sorry....:laugh:

bethanddallas

Well, I have not changed my eating habits, get in the sauna nearly every day or every other day, and my clothes are looser after 2 weeks of this. Humm...

annakow

Helps to clean skin, and doing great detox but there is no calorie burn