Sauna therapy is a great way for the body’s muscles to relax (particularly for athletes), but sitting in these dedicated hot rooms on a regular basis also helps to calm the nervous system, as well as give your mind a quiet rest from the outside world, which can help to reduce feelings of anxiety.
However, there is lots of woo and myth about saunas, which can raise questions in some people about whether or not there is, even more, to benefit from than just the above. For example, there are theories about how saunas impact testosterone levels.
In this article, we take a closer look at sauna testosterone levels.
Sauna Testosterone Levels
So, is the theory of saunas raising testosterone levels true? Well, basically sitting in the heat of a sauna doesn’t directly cause an increase in testosterone levels.
However, testosterone can be boosted by a sauna session because the relaxation it causes in the body helps to reduce insulin and cortisol levels.
And it is the lower level of these hormones in the body that cause an improvement in testosterone levels.
In addition, having a sauna session two to three times a week has been scientifically proven to improve your mood, which also indirectly increases your libido. And to that a healthy diet and an adequate amount of sleep, and you can be a testosterone-making machine.
Therefore, although saunas in themselves don’t raise testosterone levels, the benefits of having regular sauna sessions allow you to eliminate feelings of stress, which in turn can help to boost levels of testosterone in the body.
Although saunas in themselves don’t raise testosterone levels, the benefits of having regular sauna sessions allow you to eliminate feelings of stress, which in turn can help to boost levels of testosterone in the body.
How To Boost Testosterone Outside Of The Sauna
Scientific research has proven many times over that high levels of cortisol in the blood have a negative impact on testosterone, especially if you’re resting. And too much cortisol in the blood will result in irregularity in menstrual cycles, as well as problems with fertility.
In men, it will cause a complete loss of libido and erectile dysfunction, as well as drastically inhibit the production of more testosterone.
A lack of functioning levels of testosterone in both sexes can manifest physically with fatigue, muscle atrophy, an increase in body fat, insomnia or sleeping too much, and feelings of irritability and depression.
A lack of functioning levels of testosterone in both sexes can manifest physically with fatigue, muscle atrophy, an increase in body fat, insomnia or sleeping too much, and feelings of irritability and depression.
Lack of testosterone can also be compounded if you already suffer from underlying health conditions, like apnea, diabetes, or obesity.
So, besides using a sauna on a regular basis to help relax your nervous system, and reduce inflammation levels what else can you do to increase your testosterone levels naturally?
Well, before you take a trip to the doctor for a prescription, we’re going to share three natural options with you to help you boost your testosterone.
1. You Are What You Eat
These days it’s all too easy to order your favorite takeout on Uber Eats after a hard day at work, rather than cook a healthy meal from scratch. However, eating a healthier diet is one of the easiest and best ways to naturally boost your testosterone.
Eating healthily also reduces spikes in blood sugar from eating too many refined carbohydrates, which are found in junk food, bread, and chips. And this is especially a problem if you are overweight or obese. Excess belly fat is a big trigger when it comes to low testosterone levels.
2. Move Your Body
Just like eating well, having a regular exercise routine is vital for keeping hormones like testosterone in check. Besides helping you to maintain your weight, exercising is a great way to burn calories even when you’re not doing it. It’s much better than trying to burn calories in the sauna!
Mixing both cardio and strength training is best, because building muscle also helps you to burn more fat throughout the day.
And you don’t even need to go to the gym, because walking will count as cardio, and you can use bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and sit-ups to build and maintain muscle.
So, no excuses about expensive gym memberships being accepted!
3. Sleep Like A Baby
The majority of testosterone is released into the blood while you’re sleeping, so a lack of sleep will have a direct impact on the levels of this vital hormone in your system.
If you get less than eight hours a night, this can reduce testosterone by up to 15% during the day for men.
A good way to make sure that you get a good night’s sleep is to turn off all of your devices for at least one hour before turning to bed. Too much blue light from your computer, tablet, or phone stimulates the brain and makes it difficult to disengage. Have a bath, read a book, or listen to some meditation sounds before drifting off instead.
Stressed Out
Incorporating all of the above suggestions into your life will go a long to help you reduce stress in your body, which is the main cause of lower testosterone levels. High stress equals high cortisol production, so you should take action immediately before the situation gets further out of control.
Having regular saunas will really help with this.
When you’re in the sauna, you could cultivate a meditation practice (see our article Sauna Meditation). Alternatively, you can also do some deep breathing or breathwork to train your nervous system to relax even more while you’re in the sauna.
It could also be a good idea to visit your doctor if you’ve tried all of the above, but are getting nowhere. There may be an underlying health condition that you don’t know about that may be affecting your testosterone levels.
Conclusion
So, can you boost testosterone levels in the sauna? Although the sauna in itself won’t do the job for you, helping your body to relax more will do. Combine your sauna with a workout and get some good food and sleep, and you’re on your way!
Enjoy your next sweat!
