Top 11 Health Benefits of Sauna

Different sources have indicated that spa treatments and sauna bathing have numerous health benefits. The processes reinvigorate the individual, release pent up tension in the body, loosen up any tightened muscles, and cleanse pores. Individuals come out of it, mentally relaxed and revived.

It doesn’t even take that long. A few minutes are all one needs to feel the effects of a great sauna session. The key to the reinvigorating sauna experience is the temperature. Gentle and consistent heat has been proven to be beneficial time and time again. The heat purifies and heals quite consistently.

Here are only some of the many benefits of undergoing a sauna treatment.

1. Improved Cardiovascular Health

The most common reason that people have for using saunas is stress relief. Studies have proven that higher than normal stress levels have various negative effects on a person’s health. Several major chronic diseases, such as heart disease, are aggravated if not caused by stress-related reasons. The heat treatment that saunas can provide is proven to relieve stress and relax the mind. The warmth of the space and the quietness of the activity have a way of carrying off all the worries that users have away. Muscles loosened, circulation is improved, and endorphins are released.

As such, saunas reduce the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases and hypertension as well as improves arterial compliance and regulates the heart rate to acceptable levels.

2. Exercise Recovery and Ache Relief

Due to the endorphins released by the high temperatures of a sauna treatment, arthritis pains, joint pains, and muscle soreness are relieved. The tranquilizing effect of sauna treatment is, therefore, one of the best ways to treat muscle pain from intense physical workout sessions. The heat of a sauna also raises the body temperature of those undergoing treatment; their blood vessels then tend to dilate, increasing blood circulation. This increase in blood flow helps promote the natural recuperative processes of the body and hasten the healing of aches and pains.

3. Detoxification

The high temperatures of a sauna cause deep sweating in the users. This has been proven to have several notable health benefits.  The sweat produced from regular day-to-day sweating is composed mainly of water. However, with intense temperatures such as those in a sauna, the deep sweat produced also contains traces of lead, copper, mercury, zinc, and many more toxins that tend to accumulate in the human body. Most doctors and health practitioners will agree that this type of sweat detoxification has a plethora of substantially good health effects on the human body.

4. Alzheimer’s Risk Reduction

Dr. Jari Laukkanen from the University of Eastern Finland had taken more than 2,000 participants and conducted a two-decade-long study involving the benefits of regular sauna use (from 4 times a week to daily). The team had found out that using saunas on a regular basis actually lowered the risk of the patients developing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

5. Mental Health

Saunas are often used to provide relief to stress. As such, those with mental health issues and disorders have found to benefit from regular sauna usage greatly. The stress-relieving properties of a sauna help users manage mental fatigue and reduce the risk and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Additionally, the already proven cardiovascular and respiratory benefits of sauna use also contribute to the reduction of risk for depression and other mental health problems.

6. More Regular Sleeping Patterns

Insomnia has been a rising problem for a most modern-day professional. With the continually fast-paced environment of most offices, turning your brain off for a night of restful sleep can be hard. Research has proven that a more regular and deep sleep can be one of the many benefits of using a sauna regularly. The calming heat of the sauna and the relaxing and rejuvenating effects of a slow, gently heat treatment are key in regulating offbeat sleeping patterns. Former insomniacs turned sauna users all around the world recount how great the sleep they would have was after using the sauna.

7. Stave off Illness

Studies and research done in Germany regarding saunas have shown that saunas can play a significant role in reducing the occurrences of the common cold and influenza among those that participated in the study. The heat and steam of the sauna, when exposed to the human body, stimulates the production of white blood cells, key elements in a healthy immune system. The upped production of these cells can greatly improve your body’s resistance to illnesses and viruses. Additionally, using the sauna when one has a cold or stuffy nose can help alleviate the symptoms. The steam and heat open up the sinuses and help with nasal congestion.

8. Skin Cleansing

Traditionally, it has been known that bathing in the steam and heat of a sauna can help clear problematic skin problems. Deep sweating due to the sauna treatment can clog out pores and open them up wide enough for sweat to sweep away dead cells on the surface of your skin. Sweating also rinses away, along with with the dead cells, any bacteria or irritants that have made a home on the surface of your epidermis. Furthermore, the improved circulation that results from sauna treatments also improves the capillary circulation, which is key to making skin look soft and supple.

9. Weight Loss

Although not as effective as most exaggerated claims make saunas out to be, sauna treatments can still be used to shed off some lbs effectively. Some research done by the United States Army has shown that the process of sweating out over 500 grams in a single sauna session can also consume nearly 300 calories. This comes from the increased cardiovascular activity that the sauna treatment promotes.

10. Social Activities

Other than the numerous health benefits, being in a sauna with friends, loved ones, and family can actually be an effective bonding experience for everyone. Although some may prefer a more quiet, private session in a sauna, for those of us who tend to be more social, we can always opt for a more open and social session with other people in the sauna.

11. A Feel-Good Experience

Bottom line, saunas are just great for having a nice, relaxing, and feel-good experience. Not even counting the many physical, mental, and social health benefits that a sauna can provide, we can simply just say that saunas are great because being in one feels great. It’s a wonderful experience that everyone should be able to go through regularly.