Many of us invest a lot of time in planning our exercise routine, and not just the exercises – we think about what equipment we use, we eat before, what we drink after, how we stretch, taking a hot bath or shower, and of course what we wear. But there is one detail that tends to be overlooked – the temperature in the room!
Ideally you want to vary the temperature of your exercise space during the course of your workout; while this is not practical in a public space like a health club, you can do it at home. At the beginning of the workout, keep the room warm, and you will have an easier time stretching to loosen your muscles and getting your blood flowing. As you progress through the routine, you will build up body heat and find the room to be uncomfortable, that is the time to cool it off a bit so you don’t overheat. Some people believe that it is actually good to maintain the heat throughout, in order to increase weight loss due to prespiration. While doing this occasionally may help cleanse the pores of impurities and shed excess water, doing it on a regular basis can lead to dehydration and headaches. If you do opt for the hot exercise room, be sure to consume plenty of cold drinks before and after your workout to be sure your body is not deprived of the fluids it needs.
If you’re running or playing outdoor sports, of course, you don’t have control over the surrounding temperature. But you can still control the temperature of your muscles with clothing, and of the air you breathe with a baclava, which will make exercise more comfortable during the colder season, especially for those with respiratory issues.
