Sauna & Warm Showers: How Heat Improves Your Sleep | Biohack

00:00:00: If you're going through a phase where you really need good sleep or just want to do something nice for your sleep quality.

00:00:08: Ideally, if not up until two hours before going to bed and then of course the hardcore sauna people who say okay... You have to go in the sauna for twenty minutes otherwise won't get any positive effect at all.

00:00:25: For whole week!

00:00:26: A new biohack every day.

00:00:28: today is number five sauna or a warm shower as a sleep hack.

00:00:34: Max, warming up to fall asleep faster sounds a bit paradoxical but it's actually pretty good idea right?

00:00:41: Yeah I mean at least when you look at the data and mechanistically It makes sense.

00:00:46: what is the idea behind that?

00:00:48: You want to manage get really heated before going into bed so your blood vessels especially the peripheral ones like feet hands arms legs open And then heat dissipation and temperature regulation work better.

00:01:04: That's definitely a very well-studied process, also exciting but it is somehow extremely uncomfortable because when do you need most?

00:01:14: You want to use especially in the summer as its already warm anyway.

00:01:19: taking a shower in evening of course is paradoxical.

00:01:23: that isn't much fun!

00:01:24: Physiologically, the most important point is that at some point we need a drop in core body temperature.

00:01:31: So that's a sleep trigger in itself.

00:01:34: I think we all know melatonin.

00:01:36: then there's adenosine and A warm shower, a short sauna session or an infrared cabin can simply help because as you already said the blood vessels dilate in very peripheral regions including the skin and that's how the body tries to get rid of as much heat as possible.

00:01:59: And a warm shower ensures these vessels open up which means they get rid off heat or temperature faster And that facilitates this drop in core body temperature.

00:02:10: It works just as well and summer, As in winter... In Winter it's not necessary because you can also turn the heating down a bit.

00:02:18: It is already a bit colder than the room anyway but of course use it for yourself in the same way.

00:02:24: However You have to pay attention to few things.

00:02:28: So what do we need?

00:02:29: We must make sure its actually not too close to bedtime.

00:02:33: That s main problem Because if you do this, let's say take a very hot shower ten minutes before going to bed.

00:02:40: Then you also have kind of an activating effect and then it takes awhile until the drop in body temperature actually kicks-in.

00:02:48: It doesn't happen from one moment till next.

00:02:51: Above all you've just acutely heated up your body To certain extent And get under covers You don' t have this heat dissipation effect as strongly.

00:02:59: That means ideally at least for two hours before going to bed.

00:03:06: That's definitely very relevant, but what's good is that you don't actually have to do it for that long and that where the sauna comes into play because we don't have to with a shower also with the sauna.

00:03:16: now of course there are hardcore sauna people who say okay You have go in to the sauna or twenty minutes otherwise won get any positive effect at all.

00:03:23: no if its just about sleep then ten minute enough

00:03:27: exactly.

00:03:27: becuase only this vasodilating effect.

00:03:30: If someone already has modern shower I'm not one them then you can sometimes set what the water temperature should be on those dials.

00:03:40: Whether that's always accurate is another question?

00:03:42: That is, of course a question that certainly an issue like this mixer that mixes cold warm and hot water together when it comes out in the end.

00:03:50: but if you have a dial like that seems to be ideal range for the water temperatures somewhere between forty and forty-three degrees.

00:04:04: you can at least get a feeling for how hot the water actually needs to be because it doesn't have to so hot.

00:04:10: that already feels uncomfortable on skin.

00:04:13: It's much cooler, we're talking about shower just slightly more than lukewarm.

00:04:19: if its comfortable with body then your are roughly at body temperature anyway somewhere in range of around thirty five to forty degrees and a little warmer five to ten minutes, it should probably be closer to ten so that the body actually deems this adjustment in peripheral vessel with necessary.

00:04:42: If its only thirty seconds then thats not enough no?

00:04:45: Then the stimulus isn't there for the body.

00:04:48: say now lets try and release as much heat possible here.

00:04:51: And I think everyone knows if you were to lie down immediately after a very warm shower You'd still sweat little bit afterwards.

00:04:59: That's same after sauna.

00:05:03: Would that be comfortable for sleeping?

00:05:05: That's why you should do it in a way, but still keep enough of the gap.

00:05:09: And if the sauna is too long then its again way to strong of stimulus from body means like little endurance workout or cardiovascular stress at end of day and can also lead not being able fall asleep.

00:05:25: all give yourself full twenty minutes very hot sauna because the body so keyed up.

00:05:32: So this relaxation effect, so to speak is kind of missing.

00:05:36: Have you ever tried it yourself?

00:05:38: Yeah but I actually do it incredibly rarely because whenever i think of it... ...I'm already basically about to go to bed

00:05:47: Then its too late

00:05:48: then It's too late anyway and then also find very unpleasant That why I have to be honest practically never do that!

00:05:58: I wish had a sauna at home.. ..I would probably use that more actively But it would also be very expensive, especially in upkeep because you have to heat-up this sauna every single evening.

00:06:08: And so um... It's not really integrated into my daily routine.

00:06:12: I mean i could imagine that an infrared cabin is certainly a bit more affordable and I recently saw on ad for a sauna That can build your apartment which then pull out So several people fit there.

00:06:26: You can retrofit the second bench somehow Because that wouldn't work in my apartment anyway, but uh... That's also available.

00:06:35: That's your classic Finnish sauna too.

00:06:37: so not just infrared.

00:06:39: Otherwise there are sauna blankets.

00:06:41: those exist to of course right?

00:06:42: So you really have more of a sleeping bag Right?

00:06:44: did you lie down?

00:06:44: and But yeah it somehow that's not the real deal.

00:06:47: I'd say right.

00:06:48: that means Yeah.

00:06:49: for me It doesn't fit into my daily routine.

00:06:51: i don't know if you think sometimes You take baths Sometimes.

00:06:55: Yeah, so I bathe very often sometimes much more than showering.

00:06:59: Also do that often in the evening when it was a really full day?

00:07:02: i find That's super Pleasant.

00:07:04: to wind down A bit you can listen To a podcast on The side or look at something On your phone.

00:07:10: Sometimes You get sucked into social media a Bit.

00:07:12: i won't deny that but yeah i definitely Find It Very pleasant.

00:07:16: But i don't Do it consciously and especially not with the purpose of somehow falling asleep better.

00:07:24: I know some people who really swear by it and say that something i've actually had very good experiences with.

00:07:31: That's why we mentioned here because you can integrate relatively easily since most people have a shower or bath at home they can use for this purpose, especially if u have time where your dependent on sleep want to do something good quality You can try it out for a few weeks or days to see if you benefit from yourself.

00:07:54: It doesn't necessarily have something every day, right?

00:07:58: When on vacation and otherwise having much more relaxed daily routine might not even be necessary!

00:08:07: We've put another poll on Spotify about how it looks when the topic of warmth comes in evening.

00:08:14: so feel free check-out that poll.

00:08:17: we're very excited.

00:08:20: Otherwise, the comment section is always open.

00:08:24: Also feel free to write in there if you're interested or have any questions about The Last Biohacks and these biohacks for our future community spotlight as we also call it a podcast.

00:08:38: We'd be very happy otherwise.

00:08:40: Thanks Max!

00:08:41: Thank You all for listening.

00:08:43: See you at the next biohack tomorrow.

00:08:45: That's already the sixth and last biohacker.

00:08:47: Until then, bye

00:08:49: of my life's going to end.

00:08:51: Two doctors on Germany and by a hand.