Saunas and steam rooms are enclosed areas that provide users a controlled, dry or wet heat environment, respectively. Used for centuries, saunas and steam rooms provide a variety of health benefits, although Dr. Harvey Simon, writing for "Harvard Men's Health Watch," claims, "...there is little evidence that they have health benefits above and beyond relaxation and a feeling of well-being." Other health experts, including Dr. Andrew Weil, are proponents of saunas and steam rooms.
Circulation Improvement
According to Harvard Health Publications, saunas can quickly raise your pulse by as much as 30 percent or more, doubling the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute. The University of Columbia's Go Ask Alice website, however, claims saunas and steam baths lower your pulse. Long-term sauna use may help lower blood pressure and improve heart function, according to researchers at the Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter at the University of Oulu in Finland.
They caution that further research is needed to confirm the findings of the initial studies they cite, and both Dr. Simon and the Finnish researchers warn those with heart conditions that heat bathing may not be healthy.
Pain Relief
The Finnish researchers suggest that saunas may improve joint mobility and alleviate pain in people suffering from rheumatic diseases. Noted health expert Dr. Andrew Weil calls himself a "sauna enthusiast" and believes they can soothe sore muscles, decrease muscle stiffness and alleviate pain in patients with arthritis. The Finnish researchers also cited potential relief to patients with psoriasis as one benefit of saunas. Dr. Weil believes sauna bathing can help improve sleep, decrease stress and improve energy levels, echoing Dr. Simon's references to relaxation and feeling of well-being as potential health benefits of heat bathing.
Improved Respiratory Function
Steam rooms and saunas can help sufferers of asthma, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory infections, according to Dr. Weil and the University of Oulu report. This may be due to heat's effect on increasing removal of mucous, "unclogging" respiratory passages. Those with respiratory problems may react differently to wet and dry heat, having a negative reaction to one while finding relief from another. Another reason saunas and steam rooms may help with minor respiratory function is because stress can cause breathing problems, and heat bathing reduces stress.
Increased Sweating
While the average person may not think of sweating as a health benefit, it's a natural and necessary bodily function. The body removes unwanted substances, such as excess sodium and other items, from the skin, which is the largest organ in the human body. The University of Columbia's Go Ask Alice website states that sweating does not remove toxins from within the body, but confirms that sauna and steam room sweating does open pores, temporarily cleanses skin and removes excess sodium. The site cautions that research does not support the widely-held belief that heat rooms aid in weight loss, a popular reason for using them.
Improved Liver Function
Dr. Weil appears to contradict the University of Columbia's contention that sweating does not remove toxins from the body, saying they do remove toxins and drugs from the body, decreasing effort on the part of the liver and kidneys to do that work. Dr. Weil further states he recommends regular sauna bathing for his patients with kidney and liver problems.
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