A sauna is an enclosed, heated room that raises your skin temperature and makes you sweat. People, especially in the Scandinavian regions, have used saunas for centuries, and today saunas are well regarded for their cleansing and relaxation results as well as for their medical benefits. Consult your doctor if you are considering using a sauna, especially if you have any health conditions or are taking any medications.
Effects
Sauna rooms provide a dry heat with temperatures that can rise up to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. This high heat causes your skin temperature to rise to 104 degrees and your core body temperature to rise to 100.4 degrees. This increase in body temperature causes your heart rate to rise and your blood vessels to dilate, allowing greater blood flow without a major increase in blood pressure.
Features
There is not much involved in using a sauna, except that you wear the proper attire--usually a bathing suit or towel will suffice--and sit in place to absorb the sauna's effects. Doctors recommend that you remain in a sauna no longer than 10 to 20 minutes, that you drink two to four glasses of cool--not cold--water after each session and that you head for the door if you start to feel lightheaded or dizzy.
General Benefits
The two main benefits of sauna rooms are cleansing and relaxation. The increased temperature leaves you sweating, which cleanses your skin and pushes toxins from food and drink out of your body. The increased heat helps to soothe muscles all over your body, and your body's increased blood flow brings more oxygen to sore and tense muscles.
Medical Benefits
Sauna rooms can provide temporary relief from problems associated with arthritis, asthma, and respiratory problems. Time in a sauna, while not a cure, can also help the healing process for sinusitis, bronchitis, chest congestion and laryngitis.
Warning
You should always consult a doctor before using a sauna room, but there are some people who should avoid sauna use completely. If you have heart disease or high or low blood pressure, then a sauna room is not for you. Pregnant women should also avoid using saunas. If you are under the influence of alcohol, stimulants, breathing medications, or other drugs, you should wait until they have passed out of your system.
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