The Health Benefits Of Saunas

Saunas are often used for relaxation. However, it has many other interesting benefits for cardiovascular and neurological health. Check them out!

Saunas are a popular relaxation option and have many other health benefits as well. It is safe for most people, according to an article in Harvard Health Publications , although it is always wise to take some precautions.

People usually go into a sauna after swimming or after a spa treatment. The positive cardiovascular and muscular effect is indisputable, but it is not suitable for everyone. OK, but what does the evidence show? When should you go avoid it?

Types of sauna

The traditional sauna consists of a room, usually with wooden walls and seats, where there is a stove or hot stones that emit heat. This heat is usually dry and leaves a humidity level between 10 and 20%.

However, the humidity varies depending on the country. For example, Turkish saunas have a higher level compared to traditional Finnish saunas. In addition, there is another difference in the heat supply.

Wood can heat the room and produce high temperatures and low humidity levels
An electric heater, usually connected to the floor, has the same effect as a sauna heated with wood
An infrared sauna does not heat the whole room, only the person’s body through infrared waves (this is because it reaches lower temperatures than the other two rooms, but produces the same amount of sweat)
Steam baths are different from saunas, as the heat is not dry, but humid, so you sweat due to high humidity

There are several types of saunas today, but the effects on the body are similar in most of them.

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What is a sauna for?

Humans are homeotherms. This means that external temperature variations usually do not affect us. Mainly because the body’s mechanisms allow us to maintain a stable internal temperature.

These mechanisms are evident when we are inside a sauna as there is an increase in the outdoor temperature. The body responds as follows:

There is an increase in the diameter of the skin veins that allows more blood flow in the skin and the blood can be more in contact with the outside. As a result, we can get rid of the heat.

Small amounts of water and salts are released through the pores of the skin to cool the body – sweat. In addition, heat is removed by evaporation.
The heart expels blood faster and the skin’s blood flow increases.
The level of steam increases and moisturizes the airways; thus it dissipates heat.

As you can see, the main function of the sauna is to increase body heat to activate all these regulatory processes, but what is the purpose?

Health benefits of the sauna

Activating all the mechanisms explained above is relaxing and calms us. This improves blood circulation and provides relief for tense muscles, especially in the neck and head.

You can relax even more by meditating in the sauna. In addition , this condition induces calm and helps you sleep better.

Do saunas improve cardiovascular health?

Studies show that the sauna can have a certain benefit in people with hypertension. This is due to vasodilation produced in the body by the increased heat. In addition, they also show that it can improve the power that the left ventricle expels blood in patients with chronic heart failure.

A study published in 2014 evaluated the relationship between saunas and their effect on the incidence of cardiovascular disease. However, we need further research to be able to clearly determine a relationship.

The study, published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine, studied 2315 middle-aged men from Eastern Finland for almost 20 years. They categorized the participants according to how often they went to the sauna and then evaluated whether they experienced any cardiovascular disorders during this period.

The study revealed that saunas are a protective factor against cardiovascular disease of all types in the male population. However, the study emphasizes the need for further research on this topic. Also, it should not be the first way, despite the benefits.

Saunas are not the main treatment for cardiovascular disease, but studies indicate that they have positive effects.

Can saunas reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

The same study from Finland looked not only at cardiovascular disease, but also at the incidence of dementia in the 2315 male volunteers.

Men who went to the sauna two or three times a week reduced the risk of dementia by 22% and the risk of Alzheimer’s by 20%. However, those who went to sessions four to seven times a week had an almost 65% lower risk of both neurodegenerative diseases.

Despite these conclusions, the reduction found by the study is not as significant as it may seem. This is because there may be other related elements. Patients with dementia do not usually use saunas.

Other possible benefits of saunas

A report in the American Journal of Medicine describes the various benefits associated with saunas. However, it concludes that more research and experimentation is needed before we can take any of these claims to heart.

Finally, saunas can lead to dehydration, but not dehydrate the skin. They can also be good for people with psoriasis, but sweating can aggravate the itching in people with atopic dermatitis.

Saunas promote relaxation and the brain perceives less pain. Thus, they are an aid in soothing pain and joint mobility in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition, saunas relieve the symptoms of patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis because they moisten the airways.

The risk of going to saunas

Saunas offer more benefits than risk in healthy people. However, those with a history of cardiovascular disease should first consult their physician. OK, so what is the potential risk?

Dehydration

Excretion of fluids can dehydrate you. In fact, you can lose up to two glasses of water in a sauna. This can be bad for people with kidney problems who can not control water loss. It is therefore important to drink water before and after you have been in the sauna.

Drinking water before and after a sauna session reduces for dehydration.

Changes in pressure

Vasodilation reduces blood pressure, so a sauna can aggravate the condition of a person with uncontrolled hypotension.

Your body can also increase blood pressure to stabilize if you go from the warm environment of the room to the cooler water in the pool. Thus, it can lead to transient hypertension which can lead to fainting.

Things to keep in mind about saunas

As you can see, there is ample evidence to support some of the health benefits of saunas. Nevertheless , you must be careful to prevent accidents or unwanted reactions. Get out of the sauna immediately if you feel dizzy or have a headache.

Finally, people with a pre-existing condition or those who are pregnant should consult a doctor before going to the sauna. This professional should be able to determine if saunas are safe for them.