That night — after the heat, the cold plunge, the breathwork with Brian McKenzie — I remember lying down and just going under. Deep, clean sleep. The kind where you wake up and actually feel like a person.
A little over two years ago, I went to a breathwork retreat and did my first real sauna session. I walked in skeptical. I walked out sleeping better than I had in months.
I came home and thought: I have to find a way to bring this to my gym.
Why I Brought the Sauna to Destination CrossFit
Two years later, our traditional sauna is one of my favorite things about DCF — not just as a recovery tool for our members, but honestly? For me personally.
I try to get in three times a week. I grab my sauna hat, sit down, and give myself 15–20 minutes where I’m not coaching, not answering messages, not running through everything on my plate. I’m just present. And somewhere in that heat, something shifts. I come out clearer, less scattered, more ready for the day.
The sleep thing is still real, two years later.
What’s Actually Happening in Your Body
This isn’t just getting hot. When you sit in a traditional sauna after a workout, your heart rate climbs to 120–150 bpm — similar to moderate cardio, with zero impact on your joints. Blood flow increases significantly to your muscle tissue. Heat shock proteins activate — your body’s cellular repair crew. Growth hormone spikes to help rebuild what you just broke down in class.
And when you get out and your body cools down, that temperature drop mimics your natural sleep signal. You fall asleep faster. You recover better. You show up to your next session less wrecked.
Research backs this up. A long-term study tracking over 2,000 adults found that people who used a sauna 4–7 times per week had dramatically lower rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even dementia compared to those who used it once a week. The more consistent you are, the bigger the return.
The Sweat Equity Protocol
Here’s what I recommend to our members:
Go after your workout, not before. Sauna is the finisher, not the warm-up. You’ve already stressed the system — now you amplify the adaptation.
Stay 15–20 minutes. That’s the sweet spot. Enough to get the benefits, not enough to wreck yourself.
Aim for 3–4 sessions per week. This is where benefits start stacking. Consistency beats ambition for me.
Hydrate before and after. Add electrolytes if it was a hard session. Grab an LMNT or use some of that cool salt that Alazar brings in.
Bonus: try an evening session 60–90 minutes before bed. The cool-down after mimics your body’s natural sleep signal. It works.
A note: check with your doctor first if you have uncontrolled blood pressure, recent cardiac issues, or are pregnant.
One More Thing
The cold plunge is right next to the sauna at DCF. There’s a reason they sit side by side.
Next week we’re getting into contrast therapy — heat and cold together — and why that combination might be the most underrated recovery tool in the building. Just make sure you rinse between.
For now, come try the sauna after class. Pay attention to your sleep, your soreness, your energy. Then come tell us what you notice.
That’s the whole point — not just to train hard, but to recover well enough to keep showing up.
See you on the floor.
Ready to experience it yourself? Schedule your free No Sweat Intro and come see what Destination CrossFit is built on.
