A sauna produces a dry heat that can reach as high as 185 degrees F. According to Harvard Health Publications, spending 15 to 20 minutes in a sauna can promote a state of relaxation and stimulate feelings of well-being. Commonly reported benefits of using saunas include detoxification, stress relief and weight control, but more research is needed to support these claims. Evidence does indicate that saunas can benefit patients with congestive heart failure, mild depression and chronic pain.
Improves Cardiovascular Symptoms
In 2000, a study conducted at Kagoshima University in Japan tested the effects of sauna treatment on patients with chronic heart failure. Twenty patients were treated in a sauna at 140 degrees F for 15 minutes every day for two weeks. Researchers used ultrasound to measure the diameter of the patients' brachial arteries and also measured concentrations of plasma brain natriuretic peptide, a hormone that can be an indicator of heart failure. After two weeks, symptoms were improved in 17 of the patients, and concentrations of BNP decreased significantly. No such changes were noticed in the control group, who did not participate in the sauna treatment. Researchers concluded that repeated sauna treatment improves cardiac function and clinical symptoms of chronic heart failure.
Treats Mild Depression
A 2005 study conducted by the Respiratory and Stress Care Center at Kagoshima University Hospital examined 28 patients with mild depression who suffered from general fatigue and loss of appetite. Half the patients underwent dry sauna therapy for 15 minutes once a day, five days a week. After four weeks, the treatment group demonstrated significantly improved hunger and relaxation scores compared to the control group. Researchers also measured concentrations of plasma ghrelin, a hormone related to appetite and energy. Ghrelin levels and caloric intake increased significantly in the treatment group. Researchers determined that repeated sauna treatment may be beneficial to patients suffering from mild depression and loss of appetite.
Alleviates Chronic Pain
A study published in 2005 in "Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics" tested the effects of dry sauna therapy on patients with chronic pain. Twenty-two patients received treatment that included rehabilitation and exercise therapy in addition to a sauna session once a day. A control group of 24 patients underwent the same program minus the sauna treatment. Researchers examined pain scores and pain-related anger scores after four weeks and discovered that pain behavior was slightly improved in the sauna treatment group, and pain-related anger scores were significantly decreased. Two years after treatment, 17 of the sauna treatment patients had returned to work, compared to 12 patients in the control group. When used as part of a multidisciplinary treatment program, regular sauna sessions may help patients cope with and recover from chronic pain.
References
- Harvard Health Publications: Sauna Health Benefits: Are Saunas Healthy or Harmful?
- Science Direct: Repeated Sauna Treatment Improves Vascular Endothelial and Cardiac Function in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
- Psychosomatic Medicine: Repeated Thermal Therapy Diminishes Appetite Loss and Subjective Complaints in Mildly Depressed Patients
- Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics: The Effects of Repeated Thermal Therapy for Patients with Chronic Pain
Member Comments