Many traditional cultures used thermotherapy to cure diseases for thousands of years. It dates back to the Mayans (2000 BC) and the ancient Greeks and Romans (300 BC). Today, saunas are ingrained in many cultures, from saunas in Finland to bastu in Sweden, banyas in Russia, jjimjilbangs in Korea, and sento in Japan.
The term sauna may refer to any small or large room or device designed to help users experience dry or humid heat (steam). There are also infrared (far and near) saunas that emit infrared light and can heat the body more efficiently.
How dry sauna benefits you?
Traditional saunas warm-up the human body by heating the air around it. In contrast, infrared saunas use invisible light below the red light frequency to directly penetrate and heat the tissue until it goes 1.5 inches deep in the skin. Although it is not visible, we can feel that it is mild radiant heat.
The working mechanism of infrared saunas is called photobiomodulation which means therapy using light.
Which sauna is best?
Over history, the primary benefit of the traditional sauna is healing through heating. However, currently, further research is done to find what is the best sauna, and how to use it in an optimal way.
At the same time, although we are still awaiting research to prove this, many companies claim that infrared saunas have other dry sauna benefits. They are usually much cheaper and easier to install in a home environment, which makes them a more reasonable choice for most of us.
Sauna Health Benefits
So why would a sultry person go to the sauna? I find this pleasant, but not everyone has the same level of heat resistance. It turns out that calories and sweat alone have many positive health benefits, including:
1. Heart health and blood pressure
Coronary heart disease has a significant trend, especially in terms of its ability to help normalize blood pressure and reduce congestive heart failure.
Research shows that the longer a person uses a sauna, the higher the sauna health benefits. On average, a person who uses a sauna lives longer than others.
Performing thermal conditioning or using a sauna is similar in many ways to cardiovascular exercises, as the cardiovascular system must work harder to eliminate the heat.
2. Sweat detox
Increased circulation and sweating can help in detoxification. In this way, sauna therapy can help the body detoxify naturally through sweating.
Studies found that mercury levels returned to normal after repeated sauna sessions.
3. Pain Relief and Muscle Recovery
Saunas help our cells function like new cells by increasing heat shock proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and stimulating cell clearance (autophagy). In aging mice, the increase in heat shock proteins helps delay aging and improve cognitive function.
The sauna can also stimulate some anti-aging hormones, including human growth hormone and insulin growth factor-1. In particular, IGF-1 can indeed help wounds heal.
4. Emotional and cognitive functions
Just like when running, using a sauna increases endorphins (happiness hormones) and opioids (the body’s natural painkillers), as well as molecules in the brain called brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF).
Infrared dry sauna benefits you by reducing stress by rebalancing the pressure response axis. It can help reduce cortisol, which can help address stress-related health problems. The sauna also improves a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, which can help improve cognitive performance.
5. Weight loss and metabolic health
Sauna therapy can prevent obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, in overweight people, the use of far-infrared saunas and low-calorie diets can lead to significant weight and body fat loss.
6. Help inflammation
As mentioned above, the use of saunas may increase the content of anti-inflammatory heat shock proteins. Therefore, saunas can help reduce chronic inflammation. This is important because inflammation is associated with almost every primary disease!
7. Sleep
Because a sauna usually heats the body, it can take several hours to cool down and sleep. To improve your sleep quality, consider using a sauna in the afternoon or before dinner so your body can cool down before bedtime.
A Japanese study also found that far-infrared radiation improves sleep quality in rats and human subjects with insomnia.
8. Skin health
To eliminate the heat caused by the sauna, your body increases blood flow to the skin. A German study found that the skin of ordinary sauna users can better retain moisture and maintain healthy skin pH. Also, these sauna users have less forehead sebum, which indicates that they are less likely to develop acne.
Is it safe during pregnancy?
Despite concerns that heat exposure may harm babies in the womb, research shows that saunas are usually not a problem in a healthy pregnancy. Of course, I have seen many pregnant moms in the Finnish sauna, but since each pregnancy is different, it is best to consult a doctor or midwife first.
Focus on the heat
Since the main dry sauna benefit is the heating itself, we spend up to half an hour at a time. The sauna is super relaxing and good for my skin! I jokingly call the sauna a “quiet box” and often listen to podcasts there.
If you prefer a traditional Finnish barrel sauna, you can buy several different options here.
How often should you sauna (& how long)?
Many Finns use saunas every day, so it is usually safe for healthy people to use saunas daily.
Most studies agree that as long as a person is healthy and can tolerate the sauna, regular use is beneficial. In the survey, saunas performed 4-7 times a week (for at least 20 minutes) showed the best results in all of the above categories.
