Saunas have been in use for hundreds of years under the belief that they improve health, but scientific evidence for the benefits of saunas has only recently been discovered. The term "sauna" generally refers to the Finnish-style sauna bathing. A Finnish sauna involves high temperatures of around 160 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit and relatively low humidity of around 10 to 20 percent. A common practice is to remain in the sauna for two or three bouts of 10 to 20 minutes, followed by a period of rapid cooling, either via cold water immersion or rolling in the snow.
Although sauna bathing is safe for most people, it is contraindicated for those with unstable angina (unpredictable chest pain), a recent myocardial infarction (heart attack), or severe aortic stenosis. Alcohol consumption should be avoided when sauna bathing, as it increases your risk of hypotension and arrhythmia. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to use a sauna if you have a heart condition or you are pregnant.
Lower Blood Pressure
According to the Canadian Hypertension Society, some studies report a 20/10 mmHg drop in blood pressure after regular sauna bathing. Since a desirable blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg, this drop could be significant enough to allow some mild hypertensives to discontinue their blood pressure medications.
Improved Congestive Heart Failure
Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have shown improved left ventricular ejection fractions--a measure of the effectiveness of your heart pump--even just from one session of sauna bathing. During a sauna, your heart pumps faster to deliver more blood to the skin to help with cooling. Your arteries relax and open further to allow more blood flow to the skin, and this "practice" at relaxing allows your arteries to open up more easily in the future. Relaxed arteries mean less pressure for the heart to pump against, which is extremely beneficial for a heart failure patient. If you have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, talk to your doctor before engaging in sauna bathing, as you may require clinical supervision.
Better Lung Function
The University of Nymegen in The Netherlands studied the effect of sauna bathing on lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It was found that the patients tolerated sauna bathing well and that their forced vital capacity (FVC)--or the maximum amount of air they could expire--was improved significantly post-sauna.
Decreased Joint Pain
A study at the University of Tampere in Finland examined the effects of regular sauna bathing on patients with rheumatic disease, which includes any disease affecting the joints or connective tissues. Decreased joint pain and increased joint mobility were experienced by most patients after regular sauna bathing.
Better skin
A 2008 study at Friedrich Schiller University in Germany found that regular sauna use improved skin function in subjects. Regular sauna bathing resulted in a "training effect" that caused subjects' skin to become better at retaining water and maintaining a normal skin surface pH than control subjects who did not engage in sauna bathing.
Improved Endurance
The University of Otago in New Zealand studied the effects of post-exercise sauna bathing on male endurance runners. After three weeks of sauna treatment, the runners increased their red blood cell counts and plasma (blood) volumes, and also increased their run time to exhaustion by 32 percent on a treadmill test. The control group that did not receive sauna treatment did not exhibit this improvement. Thus, sauna bathing may improve endurance, probably by increasing plasma volume.
References
- Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport; "Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners"
- Experimental and Clinical Cardiology; "Beneficial effects of sauna bathing for heart failure patients"
- Annals of Clinical Research; "The Sauna and Rheumatic Diseases"
- Dermatology; "Effect of Regular Sauna on Epidermal Barrier Function"
- The American Journal of Medicine; "Benefits and Risks of Sauna Bathing"
Member Comments