Cultures around the globe have used some form of sauna bathing for thousands of years. For over 2000 years, the Finnish people have used sauna bathing as traditional heat therapy. A 20-minute sauna can extract 1 quart of water from your body and increase your metabolic rate. Saunas provide relaxation, respiratory relief, improve circulation, maintain healthy skin and ease colds.
Asthma Relief
Sauna bathing provides some relief from asthma and bronchitis, according to the February 2001 issue of "The American Journal of Medicine." The steam in the sauna is good for the respiratory tract. For years doctors have been using humidifiers to ease breathing symptoms for asthma and bronchitis sufferers by infusing the air with moisture.
Joint Relief
Arthritis sufferers and people with joint stiffness can benefit from sauna bathing. A study in the January 2009 issue of "Clinical Rheumatology" noted that sauna bathing alleviated pain and increased joint mobility for arthritis patients. In addition, infrared sauna heat helps rheumatoid arthritis sufferers reduce pain and stiffness with long-term improvements in their condition.
Relaxation
Saunas reduce stress and help relax away the daily tensions, notes the Finlandia Sauna website. The warm heat soothes and relieves muscle fatigue. One of the biggest benefits of the sauna is the feeling of well-being after a 20-minute session.
Cold Treatment
Cold sufferers can get some relief by having a sauna, according to the November 1989 issue of the "Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine." Researchers found that breathing humid, hot air is good for the respiratory tract and effective in treating the common cold.
Complexion Booster
The steam heat opens the pores and flushes impurities and toxins from the skin. Spas and salons use steam treatments for facials and other skin rejuvenating treatments.
Metabolism Booster
Sitting in a sauna for 20 minutes provides the same cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercise, according to the National Institutes of Health. Thermal therapy can be used as an alternative to exercise training in physically impaired patients.
In a 1991 study at the Institute National de la Recherche Scientifique at the University of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, researchers found that 20 minutes of sauna bathing increased the metabolism equivalent to 45 minutes of bicycling or swimming.
Sauna Precautions
Saunas have many health benefits, but are not for people with poorly controlled blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina or heart valve disease, according to "The American Journal of Medicine." If you are at risk for any of these diseases, consult a physician before sauna use.
Using alcohol is not advised and may cause sudden death. In 1988, clinical research by the Research Laboratories of the Finnish State Alcohol Company, Alko Ltd, Helsinki found 20 to 25 sauna deaths a year list alcohol as a contributing factor.
References
- American Journal of Medicine: Benefits and Risks of Sauna Bathing
- The Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine: Sauna-A Hobby or for Health?
- National Institutes of Health: Use of the Sauna in the Complex Health Resort Treatment of Patients with Nonspecific Bronchopulmonary Diseases
- Finlandia Sauna: The History of The Sauna
- Clinical Rheumatology: Infrafed Sauna in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis.
- National Institutes of Health: Contribution of hGH20k Variant to Blood hGH Response in Sauna and Exercise
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