As you get older, it’s not uncommon to feel like your body needs longer to recover after a long walk or bike ride or a tough strength-training workout. That’s why we asked fitness experts for their number-one workout recovery tip for women over 50 to help you stick with the fitness regimen making you feel stronger and more mobile as you age.
Meet the experts: Molly Ruecker, P.T., D.P.T., a physical therapist at the walking app WalkFit; Tina Tang, C.P.T., a personal trainer in Jersey City, NJ.
Both of the experts we spoke to agree that spending time in a sauna after exercise is the best way for people over 50 to boost their recovery (while generally safe, you should still check with your physician before adding the practice to your routine). “It’s gentle on the cardiovascular system and can help with joint stiffness, circulation, and relaxation,” said Molly Ruecker, P.T., D.P.T., a physical therapist at the walking app WalkFit. “The heat can also support connective tissue health, which is really important as we age.”
Relaxing in a sauna may also help keep common symptoms of perimenopause at bay. “Heat tolerance naturally changes during and after menopause (related to the decline in estrogen, which has a role in regulating internal temperature), and sauna sessions can help retrain the body to handle temperature shifts,” said Tina Tang, C.P.T., a personal trainer in Jersey City, NJ, who specializes in helping women over 45 get stronger. According to an animal study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, daily heat exposure may even help combat age-related weight gain and insulin resistance, both of which become greater concerns for women over 50.
Then, of course, there are the ways that saunas support exercise recovery more generally. “The heat increases circulation, raises the heart rate slightly, and helps tight muscles relax,” Tang previously explained. This results in more oxygen and nutrients being delivered to sore and tired muscles, which may reduce soreness after a tough workout, Ruecker said. “The heat also encourages sweating, which may help flush out metabolic byproducts that accumulate after exercise.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, spending time in a sauna may also improve sleep, curb stress, and reduce chronic pain—all of which are common issues that women deal with during and after the menopausal transition. Plus, you don’t even need to sit in a traditional sauna or steam room to get the benefits. “A warm bath or heated environment can offer some of the same relaxation and circulation benefits,” Tang told Prevention. “It’s not identical, but it can still help the body unwind and ease muscle tension after exercise.”
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