12 Health Benefits of a Sauna
Did you know there are many respected sauna medical studies showing a myriad of health benefits you can get from regular sauna bathing? At Arvidson’s, we know and have experienced many of them.
In this article, we look at the 12 health benefits of sauna usage. It’s healthy to have a deep sweat every day. Our tension fades, our muscles hurt less, and we emerge from our bath relaxed and revived! We want you to have that experience, too!
In just a few minutes every day, you can enjoy the purifying benefits of regular sauna usage. Let’s look at those 12 health benefits now.
#1: You Improve Your Health and Wellness
You can feel less stress by spending time in your sauna. In fact, it’s the number one benefit!
So, when it comes to heart disease caused by stress, a regular sauna soak may help. Some studies have shown that sauna bathing can improve cardiovascular health as well as help your overall health and wellness.
#2: You Improve Heart Health
As we mentioned, a sauna can improve your heart health. Here’s how:
- Saunas heat up your skin and core body temperature.
- In response, the blood vessels near your skin dilate.
- Your circulation increases, and thus, your heart rate rises.
- Your heart rate then sinks after the cooling-off stage.
#3: You Recover Faster After Exercise
Another benefit has to do with exercise. Since saunas relax your muscles and joints, a sauna is perfect after a workout. You may know that your body releases endorphins from the high heat of a sauna. This endorphin-release can reduce pain. You may know this feeling as the “runner’s high.”
Since the heat of the sauna makes your blood vessels dilate, your blood circulation increases. This speeds up your body’s own natural healing process.
You can sit in your sauna and let the heat and steam promote the relaxation of your muscles. This helps reduce muscle tension by eliminiting lactic acid and other toxins.
#4: Your Body Flushes Toxins
Again, the heat of the sauna takes the win here. As your body temperature rises and you start to sweat, your body flushes toxins such as lead, copper, zinc, nickel, mercury, and other chemicals.
Our bodies are full of toxins as we go about our daily lives, and the sauna can help eliminate them.
#5: Your Brain Health Improves
An exciting 25-year study from the University of Eastern Finland by Dr. Jari Laukkanen and his colleagues revealed regular sauna use (4-7 times per week) at 176 degrees F for 19 minutes lowered the risk for both Alzheimer’s & Dementia. The study had more than 2,300 participants.
In addition, the Alzheimer’s Association includes sweating as an important way to improve your brain health!
#6: Your Stress Goes Away
We all lead busy, stressful lives, and often, we are looking for ways to relieve that stress.
The heat of a sauna can help with a hormone called cortisol. Our bodies release this hormone when we are stressed out. If your cortisol levels are too high, you end up with health issues. You might find you get sick more often, or you don’t get enough sleep.
When you soak in a sauna, you reduce the levels of cortisol in your blood. Instead, your body produces serotonin, which is your happy hormone!
#7: You Sleep Better
Like a hot tub soak, a sauna soak can help you sleep better and deeper.
The effect is virtually the same. When you soak in your sauna before bedtime, your body temperature rises. When you get out, your temperature falls. Your body experiences a drop in endorphins, which tells your body it’s time to sleep. You will also sleep deeper, waking up and feeling more rested!
#8: You Get Sick Less
Another study shows that sauna soaking can help ward off colds and flu. How?
As you expose your body to heat and steam, your body produces more white blood cells quickly. This helps fight and even kill viruses.
In addition, if you have a runny nose from illness or allergy, a sauna bath can help relieve the symptoms.
#9: You Burn More Calories
Saunas may be another tool for speeding up weight loss. How? As you sweat in the sauna, you use up a lot of energy. That may speed up the calorie burn.
However, soaking in a sauna is not going to make you lose a lot of weight or keep it off long-term. Please talk to your doctor about your weight loss concerns.
#10: Your Skin Glows
Have you ever lived with a teenager who held their face over a pot of hot water to cleanse their pores? Well, there’s an easier way, and that’s with sauna bathing.
Steam is one of the world’s oldest facial cleansing tricks, and you can do it in the sauna. As your body sweats, your skin is cleansed. This keeps your skin glowing and beautiful. Sauna bathing also cleans out your pores, giving you a smoother-looking face.
#11: You Enjoy Social Time
It’s been a long day, and you haven’t spent time with your spouse or your kids. You all decide to soak in the sauna together. Communication opens, and soon, you are laughing together.
A sauna is a great place to get in touch and relax with family and friends. In such an intimate space, you can reconnect and refresh relationships.
#12: You Just Love the Sauna
Now you know that a sauna has so many health benefits, but until you’ve sat in one, you may not know just how food it feels. You will love your sauna once you start to use it.
You’ll enjoy the calm and serenity, the time with family or the time in solitude, and you’ll appreciate how good it makes you feel! If you want to feel better, sleep better, and enjoy life more, contact us today to get a sauna of your very own!
