Saunas have existed in some form or another for thousands of years. Reduced stress and pain, improved asthma symptoms, and possibly reduced Alzheimer's risk are just a few of the advantages. Find out more information here.

Saunas in a Nutshell

Here are a few key points to remember about saunas. The main article has more information.

A sauna is a dry-heated room where people go to relax.

It may have cardiovascular health benefits similar to those derived from exercise.

It's risky to drink alcohol before or during a sauna session.

Before using a sauna, anyone with a cardiovascular problem or who is pregnant should seek medical advice.

Sauna Types

Saunas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on how the room is heated.

These are some of them:

Steam Room:

These are not the same as saunas. A steam room uses high humidity and moist heat instead of dry heat.

The effects on the body are similar regardless of how a sauna is heated or the humidity level.

In a sauna, a person's heart rate rises and their blood vessels dilate. This improves circulation in the same way that low- to moderate-intensity exercise does, depending on the length of time spent in the sauna.

When using a sauna, your heart rate may rise to 100-150 beats per minute. This could be beneficial to your health.

Wood Burning:

Sauna rocks and the sauna room are heated with wood. Saunas that use wood have low humidity and a high temperature.

Heated by Electricity:

Electrically heated saunas have high temperatures and low humidity, similar to wood-burning saunas. The sauna room is heated by an electrical heater attached to the floor.

Infrared Room:

Wood-burning and electrically heated saunas are not the same as far-infrared saunas (FIRS). Light waves are used in special lamps to heat a person's body rather than the entire room. Although the temperatures are usually lower than in other saunas, the person sweats in the same way. Infrared saunas are usually around 60 degrees Celsius.

Are Saunas Beneficial to Your Health?

You may have heard that stepping into a hot sauna after a workout is beneficial to your body's relaxation and detoxification.

Saunas have been used by Scandinavians for hundreds of years for their purported cleansing, relaxation, and weight loss benefits. For example, there are approximately 2 million saunas in Finland, which has a population of 5.2 million people. Sauna use begins as early as childhood in Scandinavian countries.

The current research on the benefits of saunas is contradictory. If you're thinking about incorporating a sauna into your health and wellness regimen, make sure to assess your specific health requirements first.

What's the difference between a sauna and a steam room, you might wonder? Both types of rooms are designed to encourage sweating, but they do so with different types of heat. Saunas use dry heat from a stove or hot rocks to raise the temperature of the room to 195 degrees Fahrenheit (90.5 degrees Celsius) with very low humidity.

Steam rooms, on the other hand, use moist heat. They operate at lower temperatures, usually between 110 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit (43 and 49 degrees Celsius) and 100% relative humidity.

Your skin temperature rises, your pulse rate rises, and your blood vessels dilate when you enter a sauna. As your heart begins to pump more blood, this happens. Naturally, you begin to perspire. There are a few advantages to participating in this activity.

Relaxation

Saunas have long been used to induce a feeling of relaxation. Blood flow to the skin increases as your heart rate increases and your blood vessels dilate. Saunas may also aid in the circulation of blood.

In order to maintain a temperature balance in your body, your sympathetic nervous system becomes more active. This response causes your endocrine glands to become involved. Your body's response to heat can make you less sensitive to pain, more alert, and make you feel elated. Your muscles, including those in your face and neck, relax as a result of the heat. After a long day, these muscles are frequently tense.

One of the most significant advantages of using a sauna is the ability to relax. While in the room, practice meditation to add to the relaxing effect. When you physically soothe your body, your mind and emotions often follow suit. The effect is long-lasting, and it may even help you sleep better.

Pain Alleviation

People who use a dry sauna report feeling energized. Blood flow increases in a sauna because the blood vessels relax and dilate, and the experience can help relieve joint tension and sore muscles.

Saunas may also be beneficial to people who suffer from chronic pain or arthritis. Sauna sessions improved pain, stiffness, and fatigue in people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis over the course of four weeks, according to a study.

Despite the fact that all patients reported some benefits, the gains were not statistically significant. Patients with these conditions should try a couple of trial sessions to see if sauna use improves their symptoms before incorporating it into their treatment plan, according to the authors.

Dehydration

Drink plenty of water before and after using a sauna because the average person loses about a pint of sweat in a short period of time. Don't stay in the sauna for long periods of time, as this increases your risk of dehydration.

Dehydration of this severity is a medical emergency. If you become dizzy/lightheaded, have a headache, or become extremely thirsty, you should leave the sauna immediately.

Severe dehydration can lead to the following complications:

• blood pressure that is too low
• heat exhaustion or heat stroke are two terms for the same thing.
• kidney disease
• the shock caused by a lack of blood
• seizures
• unconsciousness
• coma

Drink plenty of water after your sauna session to rehydrate your body.

Toxins

There is no evidence that sweating releases toxins from the body or skin during a sauna session. Sweating's sole purpose is to keep your body from overheating. Your liver and kidneys are in charge of detoxification.

Your liver and kidneys require adequate hydration to function properly. After using the sauna, make sure to drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids. Allow your liver and kidneys to do the heavy lifting.

Weight Loss

Saunas are ineffective for weight loss because the only weight lost is fluid weight, which is quickly replenished by eating or drinking. You'll gain the weight back as soon as you drink water. Stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan if you want to lose weight.