In this post, I’ll consider whether you should be using infrared saunas before or after massages. Many people ask this question as they enter a spa and are then confronted with many different options. Should they take a cold plunge first, or a lukewarm shower, or a massage, or a regular sauna, or an infrared sauna?
Today, I’ll only consider whether you should use a massage before or after an infrared sauna or regular sauna. I can tell you right now that there’s no right or wrong here – both approaches have their benefits and downsides. So let’s explore further:
Infrared Sauna Before Massage Benefit: Pre-Treating Your Muscles
If you use a sauna before a massage, your muscles will naturally be much more relaxed. This benefit is especially true for infrared saunas, as that light penetrates much deeper into your body and makes many people extremely comfortable.
Then, after your massage therapist meets you, he or she can treat the tissues of your body that are still tight. And, with your muscles more relaxed, it’s perhaps easier to focus on relaxation than if your massage therapist needs to do lots of deep tissue work.
Next up, there’s a downside to this approach:
Infrared Sauna Before Massage Downside: Showering
You don’t need to spend much time inside an infrared sauna until you’re soaking wet from sweat. Of course, you’ll be using a towel during your sauna session to pick up most of the sweat and you’ll be showering soon as well.
And, that’s precisely the point: using an infrared sauna before your sauna sessions is a bit trickier to combine. If you’re getting the massage first, and then entering the infrared sauna, you’ll never break your moment of relaxation. I’m aware that this downside is more important to some people than others, but still, it’s important to mention.
Infrared Sauna After Massage Benefit: Stimulating The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is an important part of your immune system, circulation, and detoxification system. And, movement is the traditional way to stimulate the lymphatic system. But, physical therapists have intentionally used massages for centuries now to target the lymphatic system. And, unintentionally as well probably, in many other ancient traditions.
The lymphatic system doesn’t know the difference between whether your muscles stimulate it or whether an external person achieves the same. And, when your lymphatic system is moved, it subsequently allows you to detox better during your infrared sauna session.
With an infrared sauna, some toxins are removed from your body through your skin. Others are removed through your digestive and urinary system. Nevertheless, stimulating your lymphatic system for this job before you use the main detoxifier (saunas) is a very smart move. Although no direct studies have been published on this topic, the biological mechanism of using a massage before a sauna is very plausible in light of the currently published literature.
Infrared Sauna After Massage Downside: Optimal Relaxation Pattern
Many people love to fall asleep during a massage. In such a case, it might be better to get your infrared sauna session in first, and become really relaxed. Then you shower and finally you can remove all your thoughts from the equation and just enjoy the gift of your massage therapist.
You might be thinking: “that’s not quite correct for me”
Of course, for other people the opposite is true. And, I’ll admit, you might have a personal preference to receive a massage before your infrared sauna session. And, you’d be 100% correct, there’s no hard science on this topic – personal preference trumps all. And with that thought, let’s conclude:
Conclusion: Personal Preference Rules All – There Is No Right Or Wrong
Hopefully, in the next few years or decades, medical studies appear testing whether you should use an infrared sauna first or a massage. Up until then, there are arguments to be made for both strategies.
If you’re interested in learning more, then check our home infrared sauna page and continue reading our blogs. We offer many blogs on similar topics, such as on aromatherapy, how to use an infrared sauna, how to relieve stress and increase relaxation, and much more.
