The Water Trifecta: Rain, Steam, and Fresh Water

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I wanted to share some ways you can incorporate sauna into your regular wellness routine to maximize your mental health capacity.

I never pass up an opportunity to run in the rain.  A few summers back, I unintentionally discovered that running in the rain is one of my favorite ways to exercise. I got caught in heavy rain 2-3 times in one month and realized that I felt even more alive after a run in the rain compared to my usual fair-weather outings. After some reflection, I believe it helps us build mental toughness, provides some much needed stress relief, it is an excellent mindfulness exercise, and with the addition of sauna and cold water immersion is a trifecta of awesomeness that will have you feeling good for days! 

Build Mental Toughness
Your body is only as strong as your mind. For some of us, the challenge of doing something that seems hard is actually fun. Beyond that, however, subjecting yourself to the elements is an excellent way to build your mental strength to push through when the going gets tough. You will be better prepared for your next big race or your next big project.

Stress Relief
The water washes away the trials and tribulations of the day. The welcome distraction of raindrops kissing your face helps bring your focus in on the sensation, rather than the thoughts from the day. Depending on how hard it is raining or how windy it is, running in the inclement weather can be empowering - it gives you an opportunity to "win" over mother nature and prove to your self that you can overcome factors that you cannot control.

Exercise in Mindfulness
Many of us tend to take the same routes - you know the distance and time it will take you to wrap up your workout and get back to making dinner for the kids, washing clothes, or whatever other regular chore that needs to get done. You likely know every dip in the road, incline of the hill, and stretches with the most wind. Your route will feel like a new adventure in the wet weather. There may be new puddles to jump around (or “in” if you feel like letting your inner child out), or you may notice a new element of your environment that looks or sounds different in the rain.

Mobile Sauna
I do have to admit that the best part about a run in the rain is the mobile sauna and cold water dip after. The heat from the sauna warmed up my chilled body from the wetness and offered another relaxing and mindful exercise. When my body begins to sweat in the mobile sauna, I like to close my eyes, clear my mind, and "feel" every drop running down my skin. As a form of meditation, similar to a body scan, keying into one sensation can help you maintain a healthy state of mind. You can take it to the next level by pouring water on the stones for a mobile steam sauna that, depending on your humidity tolerance, is another exercise in building your metal toughness. The best part about the mobile sauna; I can take it with me to enjoy anywhere!

Cold Fresh Water Immersion
The last part of the water trifecta is the full body cold fresh water immersion. I prefer to take the Baywatch approach and do the run and dive, but there are many other ways to approach this. Whatever your entry of choice, enjoy the exhilarating shock of the cold water and stay in for a few seconds longer than you think you can. You will be amazed to find how good you feel after doing something you didn't think you could do, and that you actually enjoyed it!

You may not think the rain, steam, fresh water trifecta is your thing, but I encourage you to give this healthy adventure a try sometime - it should challenge your mind and body, and it will absolutely feel incredible for your soul.