Are you one of those who prefer to shower, bathe and make your sauna session par of your evening routine? A recent japanese study suggests that this is a habit you might want to consider changing.
Researchers at the Chiba University in Kashiwa in Japan has performed a study aiming to evaluate the physiological effects of steam and sauna baths in the morning. The results where clear: those who took their bath in the morning had a lower resting pulse, solved problems quicker and found it easier to focus throughout the whole workday that followed, compared to those who took their bath in the evening.
– Comparing the effects of three different alternatives; shower, sauna and neither, we were interested in seeing the different effects that different habits have on the minds and bodies of people, the researchers explain on the medical research site PubMed.
The study lasted for three day, where the ten participants where closely monitored. Their heart rate, body temperature, brain activity and cognitive skills were measured and compared. The result showes clearly that those who started their day with a sauna bath or shower stayed more relaxed, more efficient and performed better on cognitive tests all through the day that followed.
– We conclude that sauna baths are not only good for the heart, but that sauna bathing in the morning also has a positive effect on performance during the day, the team states in their report.
