Sauna Benefits: The Health Benefits Of Using A Sauna
Saunas are an affordable alternative for healing many common ailments that plague a majority of the population.
If you suffer from:
Stress
Aching muscles
Dry skin
Then a sauna could be a great solution for you.
Keep reading to learn all about the numerous health benefits of using a sauna.
What Is A Sauna For?
A sauna is an enclosed room, usually containing benches, that provides either wet or dry heat.
Each sauna session can be anywhere from five to twenty minutes, but depends on the individual, their health, and risk factors.
The wet heat forms when water is placed on heated, usually volcanic, rocks. This water quickly turns into steam, making the sauna not only hot but also filled with steam.
The dry heat is created with heated rocks only.
A dry sauna has many health benefits:
First, it helps you to begin sweating almost immediately.
Next, the increased body temperature causes the heart to pump more blood that goes to the skin.
Third, the dry heat also helps skin conditions such as psoriasis or itching.
Lastly, those with asthma have less wheezing after using a dry sauna.
Saunas are used for many different reasons. If you’re looking to...
Improve health
Lower stress
Relax
Moisten dry or chapped skin
...a sauna could help you achieve these goals.
Types Of Saunas
Saunas originated in Northern Europe and have evolved over time with technology.
Today, there are four types of saunas:
Infrared
Wood Burning
Electrically
Heated Steam
Infrared
Infrared saunas, also referred to as Infrared therapy or Waon therapy, create heat from light.
These saunas are especially helpful to those who cannot stand the heat of more traditional saunas that have heat in the air around them.
Infrared saunas heat your body instead of the entire room.
Does your school have a community garden? Does your church offer volunteer opportunities?
To date, no adverse effects have been reported from this type of sauna. The health benefits of infrared saunas are reportedly the same as other types of saunas.
Wood Burning
The wood burning sauna creates heat from a stove that uses firewood.
Once the wood burns long enough, the rocks on top of the stove are heated, and the room reaches the appropriate temperature.
Electrically Heated
This is one of the most popular saunas because it is the easiest way to heat the room.
Electrically heated saunas use an electric type of stove that also has stones on top of it to be used for the dry or wet heat.
Steam
Steam saunas are exactly that; a room full of steam or wet heat with very high humidity.
This is the best option for people with:
Dry skin
Lung Problems
Congestion
Sinus Issues
Sore throat
What Are The Health Benefits Of Using A Sauna?
There are many reasons why using a sauna can impact your health in a positive way.
Some of the health benefits of a sauna are:
Improves vascular performance
Eases pain
Soothes aches and pains
Eases pain in muscles and joints
Reduces stress
Flushes toxins
Improves cardiovascular health
Reduces Alzheimer incidences
Reduces skin problems
Improves sleep
Relieves asthma symptoms
Burns calories
Benefit #1: Improves Vascular Performance
Saunas have been proven to have added benefits for vascular health.
Due to the way a sauna relaxes the body, your blood pressure is lowered.
Science To Prove This
A sauna session has an effect on the cardiovascular system similar to that of vigorous exercise.
The benefits of using a sauna after a workout are like having a double dose of exercise.
Benefit #2: Eases Pain
Saunas can help ease chronic pain and infrared saunas are the best option to treat many chronic conditions such as:
Alzheimer's Disease
Headaches
Diabetes
Arthritis
There are many more painful conditions that could be added to this list.
The great thing is that saunas, especially infrared, can be utilized as an alternative for pain management.
Science To Prove This
In addition to numerous health benefits, frequent sauna usage can help manage pain, especially those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Exposure to the heat in saunas can also help you tolerate hot climates.
Utilizing a sauna to manage pain will not only make you feel good internally, but it can also help you feel good on the outside too, as your skin becomes more hydrated.
Benefit #3: Soothes Aches And Pains In Muscles And Joints
Heat has always been part of the solution to ease pain and soothe sore muscles and joints.
How many times has someone’s advice to minimize pain included the phrase, “Put a heating pad on it.”
Heat therapy is often recommended to ease aches and pains, and a sauna is a great example of heat therapy.
Another way to ease aches and pains opposite of heat is with an ice bath. To learn more about this method and its benefits, click here
Science To Prove This
Because life is so busy, our bodies don’t always have time to relax and recover from injuries, aches, and pains.
This is why a sauna is so important.
It gives your body heat, then the heat causes the muscles to relax.
When muscles relax, collagen tissue extends, allowing for more blood flow and less pain.
Heat therapy is a non-pharmaceutical way of soothing stubborn aches and pains.
Heat can assist the body with recovery, essentially helping to finally soothe aches and pains.
Benefit #4: Reduces Stress
Saunas are a great way to lower stress.
Ask yourself this:
How many times are you so caught up in your to-do lists that you do not take time for yourself?
A little self-care can go a long way to reducing stress and spending time in a sauna is a great way to take care of yourself.
Focusing on your breathing, while enjoying the sauna can also help manage stress.
In addition to saunas, finding a like-minded group of people dedicated to well-being can also help you.
Do you have health-conscious friends?
Tackling self-care with a friend or a group of friends is another way to make lowering stress a priority.
Click here to learn more about the Clarity Council and find out how you can become a member.
Science To Prove This
Stress can cause an array of health problems if left untreated.
Headaches
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Obesity
Muscle tension
Luckily, there is a non-medical treatment for stress—sauna usage.
Saunas reduce stress by:
Offering relaxation
Providing distance from technology
Allowing for quiet time to find zen
Soothing muscles
Releasing endorphins
Benefit #5: Flushes Toxins
Due to the extreme sweating that occurs in a sauna, your body flushes out more than just water.
This may be the reason why your skin feels more radiant.
Science To Prove This
Toxins collect in the fat cells of your body.
Perspiration helps to flush out toxins that build up and a sauna helps to expedite that.
Your kidneys also flush out toxins during the sweat released in a sauna.
Benefit #6: Improves Cardiovascular Health
Because saunas can lower blood pressure and increase circulation, they can also improve cardiovascular health.
How is this all possible?
Science To Prove This
When a person is exposed to heat, the body must begin working hard to pump blood and regulate the body’s temperature so it does not overheat.
The same thing happens with moderate exercise.
Sweat is the natural way that the body tries to cool itself down.
Something magical happens internally during that cool down process.
While the body is working hard to make sure you do not overheat, it is also:
Lowering your blood pressure
Pumping more blood which increases circulation
Positively impacting your heart health
Benefit #7: Reduces Alzheimer Incidents
Studies show that regular use of a sauna can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease.
This may be due in part to all of the mental and physical benefits related to regular sauna usage.
Science To Prove This
As people age, their physical and mental capacity can be affected.
However, regular usage of a sauna can:
lower blood pressure
reduce stress
help people to relax
reduce inflammation
In addition to the many positive health benefits of using a sauna, the combination of these things can lead to a lower risk of developing Alzeimer’s Disease.
Benefit #8: Reduces Skin Problems
Sauna usage benefits the skin in several ways.
The heat, whether dry or wet, can increase circulation and open your pores, which aids in making your skin feel softer and appear more radiant.
Other ways a sauna reduces skin problems:
Hydrates dry skin
Helps with itchy skin or psoriasis
Cleans your skin by opening your pores
Science To Prove This
Don’t we all wish we could find that fountain of youth?
A sauna could be the answer to making your skin appear and feel healthier from the inside out.
Saunas help your skin in so many wonderful ways.
The main reason why this is possible is that the heat of saunas open up your pores and increase your circulation, resulting in cleaner, softer, and more hydrated skin.
Benefit #9: Improves Sleep
We can all use more sleep these days and saunas can make that possible.
But how?
Through the relaxation you recieve from sauna usage, the end result could lead to better sleep.
Science To Prove This
Research states that adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night
Not getting enough sleep can have major effects on health. Just ask a set of new parents who haven't had much sleep in over 6 months.
Lack of sleep can result in memory issues, lowered sex drive, relationship issues, moodiness, and impaired response time in activities like driving.
If you aren’t getting enough sleep, it’s time to evaluate why and what you can do about it.
Using a sauna could help and here is why:
The heat from a sauna relaxes your muscles, which reduces stress
Your circulatory system is improved and your skin will feel amazing too
Benefit #10: Relieves Asthma Symptoms
Contrary to what most believe, a sauna can actually help people with asthma.
While heat can usually induce asthma, the warmth and steam in a sauna can lower the risk of asthma attacks.
Science To Prove This
When a person has an asthma attack, the respiratory tract can become tense.
The heat from a sauna can help those muscles relax, which results in lowered risk of having an asthma attack.
Benefit #11: Burns Calories
Can you actually burn calories by using a sauna regularly?
Because saunas cause the body to sweat, the answer is yes.
But just how many calories are you actually burning?
Science To Prove This
Sweat is produced when your body is trying to cool itself down.
When you are using a sauna, you will begin to perspire from the heat
When you sweat, you are losing:
Water weight
Salt
Sugar
and some waste products too
This doesn’t necessarily make you lose weight or burn major calories, but you will feel healthier, more relaxed, and see your skin appear more radiant.
