Dry saunas have a reputation for having all types of health benefits. Celebrities have made all sorts of claims about dry saunas, the accuracy of most can be heavily debated. But, are dry saunas actually healthy, unhealthy, or of no consequence at all on a person’s health – a recent article in the journal BMC Medicine has cleared some of this up.
Looking at dry sauna use over a 14-year period, it was found dry saunas to be a healthy choice – particularly for those who are looking for heart benefits. People who visit a sauna two or three times a week have a 25 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared to people who used the dry sauna once a week. This study also took into consideration physical activity levels, socioeconomic status, and other risk factors, prior to making the claim. Subsequently, the same study found people who use a sauna four to seven times every week experienced a 77 percent lower of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Saunas are big business in parts of northern Europe. ‘Sauna bathing’ – as they call it there – is believed to minimize the risks of high blood pressure, suffering a stroke, dementia, and the development of respiratory diseases. If one uses a dry sauna correctly, as it turns out, it can be the furthest thing from unhealthy. The recommended way to use a traditional sauna using dry air, at least according to the study shared above, is to set the humidity from 10-20 percent, heat to at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and to spend from five to 20 minutes bathing any time you go.
Although some may see saunas as just sitting in a hot room, how it works is mightily impressive. When one senses heat, it acts as a stressor of sorts on the cardiovascular system. While relaxing in a sauna, one can actually raise their heartbeat up to 150 beats per minute. To your heart and your circulatory system, it’s the same as low to moderate intensity physical exercise. And, you don’t need to engage your muscles at all! This helps to improve the function of blood vessels, improve blood flow, and regulate blood pressure. Anyone struggling with these things would be well recommended to give a sauna a try.
Those are far from the only conditions saunas have been studied for, either. A study has found attending the sauna two or three times a week can lower the likelihood of a person having dementia or Alzheimer’s disease by up to 22 percent. Attending the sauna three or more times per week are also less likely to develop a respiratory disease such as COPD, asthma, or pneumonia. Saunas also have the added benefit of stimulating endorphin release, which can be great for those suffering from a mild depression or who have anxiety. While a sauna can help someone relax, it also has all these benefits to weigh.
Now, there are specific demographics who are recommended to not be in a sauna. If you have skin condition such as a rash, if you’ve been drinking alcohol, if you have a heart condition such as angina or aortic stenosis, or if you’re pregnant, you don’t want to get into a sauna. Or, at the very least, contact your family doctor to get their input on whether it’s something to try.