Key Takeaways
· Cold plunge therapy reduces muscle damage, inflammation, and soreness while speeding up cellular repair after a marathon.
· Using a cold plunge tub for home supports immune system recovery and improves sleep quality for athletes post-race.
· Home sauna wellness accelerates muscle regeneration and provides a hormonal reset, helping to balance cortisol and promote wellbeing.
· The best home sauna enhances cardiovascular recovery by improving blood flow and flushing out metabolic waste after strenuous activity.
· Alternating cold plunge and sauna sessions supports both mental and physical recovery for marathoners.
Running a marathon and thinking of the best ways to recover? You have a few good options and spending time in the sauna or taking a cold plunge could be one of them. Both options offer different benefits to a recovering marathoner as any physical therapist or wellness expert will tell you. So, what do you do after a marathon? A cold plunge or sauna bath? Let's find out!
The truth is, a sauna bath or cold plunge is great for post-marathon recovery because they have numerous benefits as recent research can prove. If you can, include both in your recovery plan and make sure you follow the right process and procedure.
But they don't offer the same benefits so let's look at why you should do both after a marathon.
Why Take a Cold Plunge After a Marathon?
A cold plunge is a centuries-old self-care practice that involves immersing your entire body in cold water or water mixed with ice for a set period. It has been around for many years but only recently became popular especially due to social media. Professional athletes and clubs have been using cold plunging as a post-workout or post-event activity for years as well.
Cold plunging (also referred to as cold water immersion - CWI or cold-water therapy) is said to have numerous positive effects on your body as emerging studies have proven in recent years. For marathoners in recovery, cold water immersion offers the following benefits:
Reduces Muscle Damage
Cold water immersion or cold plunging has been proven as an effective way to reduce or deal with muscle damage related to physical exercises. As research into the impact of marathons on muscle stiffness has shown, long-distance running inflicts high mechanical stress and damage to muscle fibers. A cold plunge helps your muscles recover after a marathon in the following ways:
a) Dealing with Inflammation
Running stresses your muscles, which can cause swelling due to inflammation. Cold plunging helps constrict blood vessels to limit inflammatory responses that could further damage your already strained muscles.
b) Reducing Muscle Soreness
Immersing your limbs in cold water numbs the nerve endings. This has the net effect of reducing your body's perception of pain for strained muscles after a marathon. Reduced muscle soreness allows you to return to normal mobility and muscle function.
c) Speeding Muscle Repair
Immersing your body into an ice bath or cold plunge triggers a hormone called norepinephrine which supports muscle tissue repair and regeneration. This response has enhanced cellular recovery to a higher degree than resting after a marathon.
d) Lowering Muscle Temperature
You will probably be sweaty and boiling in the muscles after a marathon. Using a cold plunge to lower your muscle temperature post-marathon can help prevent cellular breakdown and microtrauma. Lowering muscle temperatures also prevents excess inflammation for faster recovery.
Tip: Having a cold plunge tub for home allows for convenient post-marathon cold therapy and speeds up regular recovery. Learn more about muscle recovery and cold plunging: Cold Baths for Sore Muscles: Science of Cold Immersion
Apart from muscle recovery, which is important for recovering marathoners, cold plunging has the following additional benefits:
Boosting Immune System Function
Your immune response systems will get temporarily suppressed during and shortly after a marathon. A cold plunge can help stimulate your immune cell activity post-marathon by prompting the body to produce more white blood cells. The net benefit from this is not having to deal with post-marathon illness.
Want more information about cold therapy and immune support? Read: Ice Baths and Immune Function: Can Cold Therapy Boost Your Body's Defenses
Improving Sleep Quality Post-Marathon
Many people who take cold baths or cold-water therapy report having better sleep, and research has proven that as well. For a recovering marathoner, a cold plunge will help you sleep better so your body can release more growth hormones and repair damaged muscle tissues. It does this by regulating your body's natural temperature cycle for deeper sleep.
Promoting Mental Recovery Post-Race
Preparing for and running a marathon can be stressful and the resulting strain can last for days if you don't take steps to return to normal. Taking a cold plunge, alongside other mental recovery techniques, triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine. These chemicals can help your body deal with the mental fatigue that comes after a marathon. It also gives you a much-needed psychological reset for better moods.
Tip: Exploring established cold plunge therapy health benefits can provide marathoners deeper insight into physical and mental recovery processes. Learn more: The Science Behind Sauna and Cold Plunge Therapy: Benefits for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts
How Sauna Therapy Helps After a Marathon
In addition to cold plunging, sauna therapy is also great for recovery after a grueling marathon. Unlike cold water therapy, a sauna experience is usually more enjoyable and therefore easier to do regularly as part of your recovery process.
Accelerate Muscle Recovery
Like cold plunging, sauna therapy can help stressed muscles recover faster after a marathon. The sauna heat stimulates shock proteins in your body and they in turn repair damaged muscles. These shock proteins act as cellular protectors, strengthening your muscles and tissues and speeding up post-marathon recovery.
Tip: Setting up the best infrared sauna for home ensures efficient heat delivery for optimal cellular and muscle repair after endurance events. Learn about sauna therapy as a beginner: Beginners tips on how to use a sauna
Hormonal Recovery
Sauna therapy can help marathoners recover more quickly after a marathon through a hormonal reset. The heat from sauna steam triggers growth hormone and stimulates the endocrine system. The net result is an enhanced ability to balance cortisol levels, which are usually quite elevated during a marathon. Hormonal recovery also helps marathoners steer clear of the "overtraining syndrome" very common for endurance events.
Enhancing Cardiovascular Recovery Post-Marathon
Marathons tend to stress the cardiovascular system and lead to waste accumulation. Sauna therapy is a great self-care method used to improve blood circulation and flush out metabolic waste after a marathon. The sauna heat also improves your blood flow, allowing more oxygen to the muscles. Regular sauna therapy services, even when you are not recovering, can also help improve your cardiovascular system.
Tip: Utilizing diverse sauna accessories such as temperature monitors and aromatherapy options can further enhance the relaxation and effectiveness of your recovery process.
Relaxing the Muscles
Just like cold plunging works on the muscles to aid recovery, sauna therapy also helps in muscle recovery post-marathon but in a different way. A sauna helps relax your stressed muscles after a marathon to reduce soreness and aid in recovery. The heated steam from the sauna helps dilate your blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the skin and muscles, making you feel more relaxed.
For Mental Recovery After a Marathon
Sauna therapy is not just about recovery. The experience is also pleasant and provides a meditative environment for mental relaxation and stress reduction. Use the relaxing heat and scented steam to engage in mindful recovery and enjoyment.
Tip: Understanding cold plunge vs ice bath for recovery can help you select the most appropriate cold therapy for your specific needs and optimize your marathon aftercare routine.
In Conclusion
So, what have we learned today as marathoners? Both sauna therapy and cold plunging are great for you when recovering from a grueling marathon. We suggest combining both but probably alternating them on different days or hours. For instance, do a cold plunge in the morning and enjoy sauna therapy in the evening for better sleep. Happy recovery!
Sun home Saunas sells some of world best Infrared Saunas, the popular infrared sauna blanket and home cold plunge tub setups so improve your heath by using our Infrared Saunas.
Reach out today and connect with our sauna experts to bring the full benefits of sauna therapy into your daily life.
FAQs
1. What does a cold plunge tub do for marathon recovery?
Cold plunge therapy constricts blood vessels to reduce inflammation, numbs nerve endings for pain relief, and triggers repair hormones for faster muscle recovery.
2. How does a home sauna benefit post-marathon recovery?
Sauna therapy activates shock proteins for muscle repair, improves blood circulation, and provides a meditative environment for mental and physical relaxation.
3. Will alternating cold plunge and sauna speed up marathon recovery?
Yes, alternating both routines offers comprehensive benefits, targeting inflammation, sore muscles, hormonal balance, and mental wellness.
4. Is it safe to use a commercial cold plunge tub right after a marathon?
Yes, when used as directed, a cold plunge is safe for most athletes and helps prevent and manage post-race muscle damage and soreness.
5. How can marathoners maximize recovery using cold plunge and sauna therapy?
Combine cold plunge tubs and the best home sauna in a recovery routine, stay hydrated, and listen to your body’s signals for optimal results.
