Are saunas bad for you? They could be, if you fall into one of the unfortunate demographics of people who aren’t recommended to use a sauna.
Saunas have nearly two dozen benefits to its name that have been scientifically proven – improving mitochondrial health and energy levels, slowing aging, improving heart health and blood pressure, removing toxins from the body, speeding up weight loss, improving athletic performance, increasing muscle growth, speeding up muscle recovery, promoting the growth of new brain cells and the repair of neurons, improving skin health, increasing red blood cell count delivering more oxygen to cells, decreasing pain and fibromyalgia symptoms, lowering inflammation, fighting infection, minimizing the risk of certain cancers, fighting Alzheimer’s and dementia, acts as an anti-depressant, improves symptoms in some autoimmune conditions, improves chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, and fights diabetes and insulin resistance.
Did you see that paragraph! That’s a lot of positives. Despite all these reasons to try it, for some people, it can be very dangerous to do a sauna. If you fall into one of the following categories, don’t use a sauna without speaking to a doctor first. There are increased risk factors for these people that could mean fatal consequences in some rare cases.
• If you have unstable angina-related chest pain, have experienced a recent heart attack, and/or have severe aortic stenosis which is the narrowing of the major artery of the heart, putting yourself through the experience of a sauna can be too much for your system to take.
• If you have severe orthostatic hypotension – this is when you have extremely low blood pressure when standing – a sauna isn’t recommended. Because of the issues with circulation, with what a sauna does to increase circulation, it can put the body through unexpected intensity that it may struggle to handle.
• If you have a severe infectious disease with or without a fever, or if you have a fever for unrelated reasons, consult with a physician prior to using a sauna. You may still be able to enjoy a sauna as for some infections, infrared heat therapy does help. For some, there are risks however so it is best to touch base with a doctor and get their input.
• If you have had alcohol, do not use a sauna. Alcohol increases risk of low blood pressure, fainting, cardiac arrhythmia, and even sudden death. In fact, relating to hyperthermia deaths in Finland, alcohol was found in one study to be a factor in 84% of them.
• If you are pregnant, a sauna isn’t recommended and here’s why. If your body’s already acclimated to the effects of a sauna, you may be able to get away with it. That said, if you’re not used to a sauna or if you have a high-risk pregnancy, it could lead to complications. No doctor is ever going to approve a pregnant woman taking in a sauna. Best be on the safe side and avoid using a sauna while pregnant.
• To this last point, it’s also recommended to avoid using a sauna if you’re trying to get pregnant particularly if you’re a male. Why this is the case is because a sauna can temporarily lower sperm count due to the heat.
Steam Sauna is the top sauna supplier in North America, selling to gyms, hotels, fitness facilities, and residential homes. If you don’t fall into one of these demographics, a sauna can make for an excellent addition to your day to day. Contact a representative today.