What To Drink With Your Sauna Sessions

The Green Tea and Aloe Vera is refreshing, brimming with antioxidants, and our absolute post-sauna favorite, but you have plenty of healthy, hydrating and revitalizing drinks to choose from. Before we dive in, remember the key take-away: Drink enough before and during your sauna session as well!

Equally important is that you replenish your body with electrolytes which include sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Electrolytes are essential for hydration as they help maintain fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signalling in the body.

As you sweat in the sauna, you're not just losing water but vital minerals too. Restore them to prevent dehydration, muscle cramps, and fatigue [1]. More info on this topic in our article about sauna hydration.

Here is a breakdown of beneficial and tasty drinks before, during, and after:

Tuning your body - pre-sauna

Before you step into the sauna, wrap yourself in your sauna blanket or lay down on your PEMF mat, it is good both for body and mind, to prepare your body for the session. Start with a good foundation.

Hydration is a big part of that preparation, and while drinking water is one of the easiest and best things you can do, for delicious tastes, refreshment and health, consider one of the following:

Coconut water

If you choose to drink coconut water, you can buy or make it yourself. The latter ensures freshness and control over its contents. Fresh coconut water is rich in natural electrolytes [2]. It is easy to make fresh coconut water yourself.

Golden Turmeric Tonic

Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and warms the body. See recipe.

Green Tea & Aloe Vera Sipper

 This drink is full of antioxidants and helps prepare your stomach for heat exposure. See recipe.

Light Herbal Teas

Choose one of the following teas to start your self-care session. Each offers a special blend of hydration and health benefits:

Lemongrass tea: For fluid retention and balance. Next to that, Lemongrass supports healthy digestion and soothes the stomach. Like the Green tea and Aloe Vera Sipper, this tea provides cell-protecting antioxidants.

Fennel tea: Supplies vital electrocytes for hydration balance. It also eases digestive discomfort and promotes gut health and reduces bloating.

Chamomile tea: Reduces stress and improves relaxation and sleep quality. Plus, it offers anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for overall health.

Mint tea: Adds a natural cooling sensation and refreshment. The tea relieves digestive issues and discomfort. Mint serves as a natural breath freshener, leaving you with a refreshed and clean taste.

Ginger tea: Stimulates circulation and warms the body. It's effective in reducing feelings of nausea and digestive unease. As a bonus, ginger contains compounds that reduce inflammation.

Rooibos tea: Provides hydrating effects without caffeine. It's packed with antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and contains minerals important for bone health.

Rose Hip tea: Optimizes immune function with its high Vitamin C content. It contributes to skin health with its vitamins and antioxidants. This tea also adds a unique tart and floral flavor to the tea experience.

Peppermint tea: Offers cooling and invigorating effects through menthol. Peppermint promotes healthy digestion and relieves gas. The aroma is also known for uplifting the spirits and enhancing mood.

Green Tea: Assists metabolism with its unique compounds. It's high in antioxidants for cellular health and provides a gentle energy lift with a small amount of caffeine.

White Tea: Gives a subtle energy boost without the jitters. This tea contains compounds beneficial for cardiovascular health and assists in detoxifying the body with its antioxidants.

Harmony in heat – In the sauna

While in the sauna, water is optimal, but for a short stay with a desire for flavor, try fruit-infused water. It hydrates you refreshingly without the sugars in juices or sodas.

Fruits like citrus or cucumber release natural electrolytes into the water and rehydrate the body during electrolyte loss in the sauna. Sodium from fruits maintains hydration and electrolyte balance, which makes citrus or cucumber water great to quench your thirst.

Tasty and healthy is fruit-infused water. This brings a burst of natural flavors, which encourages more fluid intake. Proper hydration renders many benefits, including glowing skin— a plus as the sauna cleanses the pores and boosts blood circulation. Fruit infusions detoxify, energize, and soften your skin, complementing the sauna's relaxing effects.

So, sit back and while you embrace the glow of your sauna, sip from a refreshing glass of fruit-infused water, and let the whichever tasty drink you choose, add to your hydration, rejuvenation, and relaxation.

Should you be interested in adding a variety of tastes to your sauna enjoyment, please take a look at our collection of refreshing infused water recipes.

Cooling Coda- Post-sauna

After your sauna session it is crucial to repair your body because you've lost vital electrolytes through sweat. Some options below.

Above all, nothing beats good old water for pure hydration. Ensure you drink plenty of water alongside your chosen beverage to effectively rehydrate after a sauna. 

Coconut Water: An excellent choice because like earlier explained, it's naturally rich in electrolytes.

Herbal Teas: Chamomile or peppermint can be soothing and rehydrating after the intense heat.

Fruit Juices: Opt for 100% juice with no added sugars for a hydration and vitamin boost. Natural fruit juices, especially those from fruits like oranges and tomatoes, are good sources of potassium.

Sports Drinks or Milk: Many sports drinks are formulated specifically to replenish electrolytes like sodium and potassium lost through sweat. Milk, particularly chocolate milk, is known for its balance of electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein, making it a popular post-workout drink. Sport drinks and milk are good alternatives, but opt for those low in sugar to avoid spikes in your blood sugar levels.

Coconut & Pineapple Blend: A tropical drink that replenishes electrolytes and soothes the body with its enzymes. See recipe.

Protein-Packed Chocolate Almond Shake: A shake that helps rebuild muscles. See recipe.

Cherry Berry Antioxidant Blast: A sweet, antioxidant-rich drink to combat oxidative stress post-sauna. See recipe.

Smoothie Solutions: Consider a nutrient-rich smoothie for rehydration and recovery. Especially a combo of vegetables and fruits will do nicely. You can mix leafy greens like spinach or kale with fruits like bananas or berries for a vitamin-packed smoothie. Spinach, kale and bananas are good sources of potassium. Add cucumbers and celery for extra hydration.

Adding ingredients like yogurt, milk, or nut butters can introduce additional electrolytes like calcium and magnesium. Check out our smoothie recipes.

Your body is sensitive after an infrared sauna session, so avoid high-sugar drinks that might spike your sugar levels. Instead, eat a small, balanced snack with proteins and carbohydrates to replenish nutrients lost through sweating.

So, there you go, the best hydration drinks listed, great flavors packing a healthy punch.

Diane Sargent

References:

1. Susan M Shirreffs & Michael N Sawka, Fluid and Electrolyte Needs for Rraining, Competition, and Recovery, PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22150427/

2. WebMD, Health Benefits of Coconut Water, https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-coconut-water

Seeking further sauna insights? Continue your journey with these posts