Heat and body aches: why it's worse in summer and how to remedy it
Many athletes feel that muscle soreness comes on faster and lasts longer in the summer. You might wonder if you're less fit than in winter, or if it's simply normal. Several factors related to heat and summer lifestyle can explain this feeling. Summer creates very specific conditions that amplify muscle soreness.
Between the heat, increased physical activity (hikes, outdoor sports), and gradual dehydration, your body has to manage several stressors at once. Your muscles pay the price.
Fortunately, there are simple and effective solutions to better manage this pain and continue training without unnecessary suffering.
Why heat amplifies muscle soreness
Heat increases general fatigue
When it's hot, your body expends a lot of energy regulating its internal temperature. This is energy that could have been used for muscle recovery. The result: your muscles receive fewer resources to repair themselves after exercise.
Dehydration, the silent enemy
In summer, you lose much more water through sweating. With this water go essential minerals: sodium, potassium, magnesium. These are important for muscle contraction and recovery. An electrolyte imbalance can disrupt muscle function and exacerbate the feeling of fatigue and discomfort after exercise.
Increased physical activity
In summer, you move more: hiking, swimming, beach sports, outdoor workouts... This is wonderful for motivation, but it's a shock for muscles that are sometimes less accustomed to high volumes of activity because you go from moderate to intensive activity without always gradually increasing the training load.
How muscle recovery works
Micro-tears
When you exert yourself intensely, your muscles experience tiny tears in their fibers. This is the mechanism that creates pain (soreness), but it's also what allows the muscle to strengthen.
Heat increases the body's overall fatigue and can make recovery more difficult. Intense exertion in hot conditions increases the physiological load on the body, leading to much more severe soreness than in winter.
Blood circulation and dehydration
One might think that heat accelerates blood circulation. This is partly true. When you are dehydrated, it's the opposite: dehydration can reduce the effectiveness of recovery mechanisms, circulation slows down. Your blood needs to bring the oxygen and nutrients necessary for muscle repair.
Less circulation means slower recovery, which creates soreness that lingers for a week instead of three days.
The real culprits of summer
Progressive dehydration: you lose up to 1 liter of sweat per hour of intense activity. With every liter lost, essential minerals escape.
Additional thermal stress: your nervous system works hard to manage temperature. The body must simultaneously manage physical exertion and thermal regulation, which increases overall fatigue.
More intense training: in summer, motivation increases, goals become more ambitious. You train harder, longer. More intense workouts increase muscle strain and can accentuate soreness.
Lack of active recovery: summer often rhymes with holidays and a busy social life. You skip stretching, massages, rest. Soreness accumulates day after day.
Preparing your muscles before exercise
Enhanced warm-up
Take more time to warm up your muscles. Even in summer, a progressive warm-up remains essential before intense exertion. A good warm-up combined with the application of a warming balm is part of a muscle preparation routine before exercise.
The right timing: apply the warming balm 15-30 minutes before starting your workout, focusing on the areas that will be most solicited. Massage it in to help it penetrate.
Warning: the balm is not a substitute for physical warm-up. It is a complement that makes it more effective.
Pre-hydration
Don't start your day already dehydrated. Drink regularly (not all at once, little by little) from the morning. Aim for 2-3 liters of water the day before an intense workout.
Electrolytes beforehand
If you plan an intense effort, consume natural sources of electrolytes beforehand: a banana (potassium), nuts or almonds (magnesium), fresh coconut.
Recovery after training: the key step
Immediately after
Take a lukewarm or cold shower. Cold can help manage inflammation and aid recovery. This is a common practice to support the body after exertion.
30 minutes to 1 hour after
This is the time to use your warming balm. After exertion, your muscles cool down and begin to stiffen. The massage associated with the balm contributes to muscle comfort after exertion with a suitable progressive warming sensation. Apply the balm to the worked areas and massage with slow circular movements. Take 2-3 minutes per area.
The following days
If soreness is present on days 2-3 (normal peak), continue to apply the balm morning and evening to sensitive areas. Stay active (light walking, yoga, light stretching): this is more effective than complete immobility. Drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep.
Heat often disrupts sleep in summer. However, sleep plays an important role in muscle recovery mechanisms. Sleep in a cool room, use a fan, and wear light clothing.
Practical guide: how to use warming balm
Before exercise
Apply the balm 15-30 minutes before starting.
Dosage: with the stick format, 3-4 passes over the area are sufficient.
Massage: rub it in with energetic movements.