How Can I Reduce Muscle Soreness and Speed Up Recovery?
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The Science Behind Saunas and Ice Baths for Athletes
Feeling sore after pushing your limits? Whether you're chasing a personal best or just finished an intense training session, muscle recovery is just as important as the workout itself. Two time-tested, research-backed tools – saunas and ice baths – can help you bounce back faster, reduce muscle soreness and even improve your sports performance the next day. Here's how.
🔥 The Power of Heat: How Sauna Sessions Help with Muscle Recovery
Saunas aren’t just for relaxing—they’re powerful tools for reducing soreness and improving recovery after training.
Using a sauna after your workout may reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) if the heat exposure happens within the first hour. This effect is likely due to improved blood flow, which flushes out waste and lowers inflammation. Plus, heat may trigger the release of endorphins—your body’s natural painkillers.
But there’s more to it than just feeling good.
Regular sauna use has been shown to improve athletic performance.
This is linked to a 7.1% increase in plasma volume and a 3.5% rise in red blood cell count; together they enhance blood flow and oxygen delivery.
Regular heat exposure may also stimulate the release of growth hormones. This improves neuromuscular adaptations when combined with strength training.
If you’re looking for ways to reduce soreness after a workout, heat is your friend—especially when used right after you train.
❄️ Why Professional Athletes Swear by Ice Baths for Muscle Recovery
Cold Water Immersion (CWI) is a classic strategy to reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery – and for good reason.
It helps lower inflammation, reduce fatigue, and decrease Creatine Kinase (CK), a biomarker of muscle damage.
CWI reduces Creatine Kinase (CK) more effectively than passive recovery (passive recovery means doing nothing at all – just resting without any active support like stretching, movement, or contrast therapy).
Improbved perceived recovery: Many athletes also report feeling better after an ice bath – less soreness, reduced fatigue, and a quicker return to training.
Ice baths help maintain muscular power performance post-HIIT (muscular power performance is your ability to generate force quickly – think sprinting, jumping or fast lifts).
If you're wondering what to do when your muscles are sore, cold exposure can be a highly effective strategy.
⚠️ Note
If you're training hypertrophy (increasing the volume of your muscles), take a break of about 4 hours after training before doing CWI.
Why? Because in that case you want the inflammation to go up, so that your body really does increase your muscle volume. If the inflammation is—literally—cooled down too early, the increase in muscle volume might be reduced.
🔄 Contrast Therapy: Combining Sauna and Ice Baths for the Ultimate Muscle Recovery Boost
Alternating between heat and cold – also known as contrast therapy – can further enhance blood circulation.
This increased circulation supports muscle recovery, reduces inflammation, and builds mental resilience.
And let’s be honest – in tough training sessions or during competition, mental resilience can be the edge that sets you apart. 💪
For an extra boost, try doing contrast sessions in a semi-fasted state – meaning a light snack (like a banana or a few almonds) beforehand to keep your blood sugar stable, but keep it minimal. Morning sessions tend to work best for this.
Contrast therapy is a great option if you're wondering what to do when my muscles are sore or how to recover quickly without skipping training days.
🧠 Summary: Your Recovery Toolkit at a Glance
✅ Saunas increase blood flow, reduce muscle soreness and improve long-term performance and endurance.
✅ Ice baths reduce inflammation, fatigue and muscle damage – especially after high-intensity workouts.
✅ Try contrast therapy for the best combined results.
⚠️ For muscle growth, delay cold exposure by about 4 hours after training to avoid interfering with hypertrophic signals.
Whether you're dealing with sore legs after a tough leg day, post-run stiffness, or full-body fatigue, adding heat and cold exposure into your weekly routine can make a huge difference in how you feel – and how you perform. Try it out yourself in a WeBorn contrast therapy class.
