Olympians, World Champions and Endurance Legends

Why some of the world's greatest athletes have made heat therapy part of their performance, recovery and longevity strategy.

From Olympic gold medallists to world champions, elite athletes are constantly searching for safe, legal ways to recover faster, perform better and extend their careers.

Nutrition is carefully measured. Sleep is monitored. Recovery is planned with military precision.

One tool appears repeatedly across different sports, countries and generations: the sauna.

While sauna bathing has been part of Nordic sporting culture for centuries, today's athletes are embracing it not simply as a tradition, but as a scientifically supported recovery strategy that may improve circulation, aid heat acclimation, promote relaxation and support overall wellbeing.

Here are some of the world's most accomplished athletes who have publicly spoken about making sauna part of their routine.

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Gwen Jorgensen — Olympic Triathlon Champion

Olympic gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen has openly discussed using sauna sessions as part of both her training and recovery.

She has explained that regular sauna bathing helps support altitude preparation, mental resilience and overall health during intense training blocks. As a professional triathlete, every marginal gain matters, and sauna has become one of the consistent tools within her recovery routine.

Why it matters

Endurance athletes often use sauna to encourage heat adaptation, which may improve the body's ability to regulate temperature during competition.

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Scott McLaughlin — IndyCar Champion

Motor racing demands enormous physical endurance despite the sport's appearance from the outside.

IndyCar champion Scott McLaughlin has described sauna as an important part of maintaining his physical condition, particularly when preparing for races where cockpit temperatures regularly exceed 50°C. He incorporates sauna into his recovery routine as part of his broader approach to performance.

Why it matters

Heat acclimation can help athletes better tolerate physically demanding environments while supporting cardiovascular conditioning.

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Paavo Nurmi — The Original Sauna Advocate

Long before sports science laboratories existed, Finnish running legend Paavo Nurmi was already crediting sauna as part of his training.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest distance runners in history, Nurmi won nine Olympic gold medals and famously attributed part of his success during the hot 1924 Paris Olympics to Finland's long-standing traditions of massage and regular sauna bathing.

Nearly a century later, modern research continues investigating many of the physiological adaptations that Finnish athletes instinctively understood decades ago.

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Marcedes Lewis — Longevity in the NFL

Playing nearly two decades in the NFL demands exceptional recovery.

Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis has spoken about incorporating infrared sauna and cold therapy into his recovery routine as part of the practices that have helped him continue competing at the highest level well into his late thirties.

Why it matters

Elite athletes increasingly view recovery as training rather than simply resting between sessions.

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Why Elite Athletes Use Saunas

Although every athlete has different goals, sauna bathing is commonly used for four key reasons.

1. Recovery

Following intense exercise, increased circulation may assist recovery processes while the deep feeling of relaxation can help athletes prepare for their next training session.

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2. Heat Adaptation

Repeated exposure to high temperatures encourages the body to become more efficient at managing heat.

This is particularly valuable for endurance events and competitions held in warmer climates.

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3. Better Sleep

Sleep remains one of the most powerful recovery tools available.

Many athletes report sleeping more deeply after evening sauna sessions, allowing the body additional time to repair and recover.

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4. Mental Reset

Elite sport places enormous psychological demands on athletes.

Many describe the sauna as one of the few places where distractions disappear, providing uninterrupted time to decompress before returning to training.

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What Does the Science Say?

The growing popularity of sauna among professional athletes isn't based on tradition alone.

Research has linked regular sauna bathing with:

• Improved cardiovascular function
• Enhanced heat acclimation
• Better recovery from strenuous exercise
• Reduced perceived stress
• Improved sleep quality
• Positive effects on mood and wellbeing

While sauna should never replace structured training or medical care, it has become an increasingly valuable addition to modern sports recovery programmes.

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You Don't Have to Be an Olympian

The biggest takeaway from elite sport isn't that everyone needs to train like an Olympian.

It's that recovery deserves the same attention as exercise.

Whether you're preparing for a marathon, cycling at weekends, lifting weights or simply managing a demanding career, your body benefits from regular opportunities to recover.

That's one reason home saunas have become increasingly popular.

Instead of waiting for an occasional spa visit, many people now enjoy consistent access to heat therapy from the comfort of their own home—making it easier to build recovery into everyday life.

At Ice Cold Spice, we've carefully curated a collection of premium indoor and outdoor saunas designed for homeowners who want to experience the same style of heat therapy trusted by elite athletes around the world. Whether your goal is post-workout recovery, better sleep or simply taking time to unwind, investing in a quality sauna makes regular use both practical and enjoyable.

Because while not everyone can become an Olympic champion, everyone can benefit from recovering like one.