To say the sauna is a foundational element of Finnish society would be an understatement. Some even see it as a sacred space, behaving as they would in a church. It’s no wonder. Beyond being a place for relaxation, the intense heat of a sauna offers numerous health benefits, addressing issues such as hypertension, fatigue, discomfort, and even certain cravings.
Benefits of Using the Sauna
Many studies have explored the health benefits of saunas, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive.
Fibromyalgia Symptom Support
A study by the Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at Japan’s Kagoshima University involved 44 women with fibromyalgia. Participants engaged in daily sauna sessions three times a week, combined with water exercise sessions twice a week. The study found that this combination improved the participants’ quality of life and alleviated fibromyalgia symptoms.
Promotes Heart Health
Some critics claim that saunas can be too stressful on the heart. However, the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research in Finland asserts that responsible sauna use is unlikely to cause heart issues. In fact, research from the Cardiovascular and Prevention Centre at Université de Montréal in Quebec discovered that exercise and sauna bathing could provide a 24-hour window of symptom improvement for individuals with hypertension. However, caution is advised against the traditional practice of jumping from a sauna into a snowbank, as the sudden extreme cooling can increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias.
Improves Endurance
A study from New Zealand involving distance runners found that sauna bathing increased run time to exhaustion by 32 percent. Additionally, post-sauna plasma and red-cell volumes increased by 7.1 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. Researchers concluded that the increase in blood volume likely enhanced performance following exercise and sauna bathing.
Might Reduce Incidence of the Common Cold
Austria’s University of Vienna conducted an experiment to see if sauna use affected the incidence of the common cold. Over six months, 50 subjects were divided into two groups: 25 used the sauna, and 25 did not. By the end of the study, those who used the sauna experienced significantly fewer colds than the control group, suggesting that regular sauna bathing might reduce the incidence of common colds.
Assists Detoxification
Research has consistently shown that sweating in a sauna helps detoxify the body by eliminating toxic agents like lactic acid, sodium, and uric acid. Toxins stored in subcutaneous fat are released through perspiration. As these toxins are expelled, those stored in deeper tissues move up and are subsequently released through sweat. Increased circulation during a sauna session improves blood oxygenation, which can aid in dissolving hidden toxins in the blood. The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine states that sauna bathing is an effective component of purification and cleansing protocols, particularly for flushing out fat-soluble chemicals and toxins.
Law enforcement officers are often at risk of exposure to harmful substances such as methamphetamine and its toxic components. This exposure can lead to chronic, disabling symptoms. To address this issue, 69 officers participated in a study conducted by the Utah Meth Cops Project. The participants followed a multifaceted detoxification program that included exercise, nutrition, and sauna therapy. Significant health improvements were observed following the detox routine, leading researchers to conclude that sauna and nutritional therapy may alleviate some symptoms of methamphetamine-related exposure in affected officers.
