Sitting in sweltering heat isn't something most people prefer to do with their free time, but many people have turned to saunas as a means of weight loss. Lured by the idea that, rather than exercising, they can simply sit and sweat off their fat, many people fail to realize that saunas are not an effective weight loss tool. In fact, saunas may actually do more harm than good in losing weight since dehydration can slow metabolic rates.
Expert Insight
Though saunas can have other health benefits, they are not recommended for weight loss. Because the intense heat causes profuse sweating, sauna users generally lose a significant amount of water from their bodies. This may appear as weight loss at first, but as soon as you drink fluids the water is replenished and the weight is regained, notes Military.com. E. Wayne Askew, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Utah College of Health, asserts that saunas may impair weight-loss efforts since the dehydration it causes could potentially slow down your metabolism temporarily.
Potential
Saunas have been linked to several health benefits unrelated to weight loss. Limited studies have pointed to the improved blood pressure, exercise tolerance and overall heart health that seems to stem from regular sauna use, according to AltMed. Furthermore, UAB Medicine reports that saunas may relieve pain from tired or aching muscles. The results of these studies, although promising, thus far are inconclusive by medical standards.
Considerations
Sauna use is safe for relatively health individuals. However, individuals who are pregnant, taking prescription medications regularly or have heart problems should consult a doctor before using a sauna. Adults over the age of 65 and children should also avoid sauna use in most cases.
Using a sauna for an extended period of time may result in rapid dehydration, heat stroke, cardiovascular emergencies or kidney damage related to electrolyte loss, warns Military.com. According to UAB Medicine, healthy adults should limit their use of saunas to 15 minutes at a time.
Function
Different types of saunas are heated in different ways. According to AltMed, traditional saunas are electric or wood burning. These saunas may also include water to throw on a pile of hot stones, which releases steam and increases the sauna temperature. Infrared saunas, on other other hand, use heat lamps which emit infrared energy and colored light to heat the area. Both types of saunas are typically constructed from wood.
History
The creation of saunas came from the idea of sweat lodges, which were used by the original inhabitants of Finland as they migrated to their country from an area near Tibet between 5000 and 3000 B.C. Wooden saunas first appeared between the fifth and eighth centuries. Although saunas are now found in many parts of the world, the tradition remains very strong in Finland, where there is one sauna for every two to three citizens, reports AltMed.
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