Saunas are in fact a heart healer for some people, according to recent evidence. Patients with heart disease are oftentimes met with medications, surgeries, and medical devices to compensate. Oftentimes, no one thinks about the impact infrared sauna therapy can have on the heart.
Infrared saunas use what’s essentially heat therapy to help strengthen several of the body’s systems as well as the heart. What scientists in Japan have discovered through more than 20 years of studying this is what patients using saunas and steam rooms regularly come out with healthy, strong hearts at a rate above the average population.
How a sauna heals the heart is through 15-minute sessions at at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re encouraged to drink water before, during, and after to keep yourself hydrated. By doing this repeatedly throughout the week, month, and year, scientists have found a number of heart healthy benefits.
Arteries.
The first of those sauna health benefits are an improvement to the strength of arteries. The lining of arteries is what acts as a barrier for blood cells. The cells themselves contain compounds protecting the arteries from developing plaque, clots, and constriction. Saunas increase these compounds in the blood which helps to keep arteries free and clear.
Inflammation.
Another way a sauna or steam room can help is by lowering inflammation in the body. Any time we eat junk food or anything processed, are stressed or overweight, or if we’re having to make due with a disease, this all triggers inflammation and destructive processes in the body. After as little as a few weeks in an infrared sauna, inflammation can decrease which helps patients with heart disease live a more normal life.
Ability to exercise.
Individuals with heart problems can read a lot of conflicting information online about whether to exercise or not, what sort of exercise is appropriate, and how to be careful. Once heart disease has set in, exercise ability is greatly reduced. After treatments with a sauna, some patients experience increased mobility, easier walking ability, and general improvement in overall health.
Lower rate of hospitalization.
As if all this wasn’t enough, get this, saunas can save your life. Over a five year period, 129 patients with bad heart problems were analyzed in a study. Some of these patients were treated with infrared sauna therapy twice a week.
The results of this study, albeit using a small sample size, were very surprising. Hospitalization and fatalities were reduced by 50% among the patients using infrared heat therapy compared to those who did not.
Doctors may not be familiar with saunas or willing to recommend them for patients with heart disease but what we can say is that there’s evidence to suggest that there’s something here. Nothing’s promised but if you’re at risk, something as simple as getting into a sauna twice per week can be a game-changer for long-term prognosis. Things like diet and lifestyle also play a role, no doubt. Regardless, if you do decide to jump into a sauna, be sure to speak with your doctor to advise them that you will so that they’re aware of what’s going on.
Are you looking to install an infrared sauna, Finnish sauna, or steam room in your home? Give us a call. Steam Sauna is one of North America’s top sauna and steam room manufacturers and suppliers.