Sauna rooms, frequently seen at spas and health clubs, come in various shapes and sizes, from large spaces with multi-level benches to tiny and intimate sweat huts. Though these high-heat rooms provide relaxation, not everyone can safely use a sauna room. To make sure it's safe for you, talk with a health care provider before spending time in a sauna room.
Sauna Basics
Columbia University Health Services defines a sauna room as a wood-paneled enclosed room that provides dry heat from either a wood stove or an electric stove. The stove heats rocks that radiate heat throughout the sauna room. Temperatures inside a sauna room generally range from 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low humidity in the 5 to 30 percent range. Sometimes sauna rooms feature a small amount of steam, created by pouring water over the hot sauna rocks, though the majority of heat in sauna rooms comes from dry heat. People typically spend time inside sauna rooms to relax and feel the effects of the soothing heat.
Effects
Inside a sauna room, your skin temperature rises to approximately 104 degrees Fahrenheit within minutes, explains Harvard Men's Health Watch. Your pulse also jumps up 30 percent or more, and your heart pumps almost twice the normal amount of blood per minute. Blood flow moves away from organs, and the extra blood flow caused by the rising temperature targets the skin. For some, a sauna may cause blood pressure to rise, while others may experience a drop in blood pressure. Harvard Men's Health Watch further notes that during the duration of a short sauna session, an average person will produce about one pint of sweat.
Sauna Tips
Because of the risk of dehydration, Columbia University Health Services recommends drinking plenty of water both before and after spending time in a sauna room. Start gradually with 15 to 20 minute sauna sessions, and don't stay inside if you're not comfortable. Don't eat directly before going into a sauna room and avoid alcohol before, during and after a sauna. Wear flip flops or shower shoes and a towel inside the sauna room to protect yourself against fungal infections such as athletes' foot.
Benefits
"All in all, saunas appear safe for the body, but there is little evidence that they have health benefits above and beyond relaxation and a feeling of well-being," says Harvard Men's Health Watch editor-in-chief Harvey Simon. While some claim saunas can remove toxins, cure colds and aid in weight loss, science doesn't back up these claims. Sweat from saunas can help open pores, notes Columbia University Health Services, and saunas may also help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety by soothing and energizing the body and mind.
Warning
Columbia University Health Services warns that pregnant women should stay out of sauna rooms due to the extreme heat inside. Similarly, people with heart disease, epilepsy, high or low blood pressure, or people currently taking antibiotics, blood pressure medication or mind-altering drugs should avoid saunas. Older people should also exercise caution by avoiding or limiting sauna use.
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