Get Your Sweat On: The Benefits of a Sauna
Reduces stress
There’s evidence around saunas being effective for those who have high stress work or personal situations. The sauna experience does seem to show improvement in anxiety.
Improves cardiovascular health
Research shows that the heat from a sauna can boost your heart health and help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
The heat causes an increase in heart rate and sweating. This results in a physiologic change that mimics exercise. This also causes the release of anti-inflammatory agents.
Offers pain relief
If you have rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, research shows that using a sauna may help improve pain and stiffness.
Some small studies show an improvement in chronic pain.” “Particularly dry sauna and infrared sauna use are thought to increase blood flow to muscles and decrease muscle spasms, have been shown to improve chronic back pain.
Soothes sore muscles
Sore muscles often respond to heat.
And sore muscles may be the main reason you head to the sauna after the gym. And that may be due to the substance known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that’s released by your body when it experiences heat.
Lowers risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
While a study shows that regular sauna use may help reduce the risk of neurocognitive diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, much more research is needed.
There may also be benefits that include improved cognition, however, the physiological reasons for these benefits are not yet known.
Improves immune system
Saunas may also help prevent the common cold and other viral infections, research shows.
Further research is needed to substantiate claims of improvement in the immune system.
As with all modality uses, all patients should consult their primary care physician or specialist before utilizing.
