Why this one wellness practice may be for you

health benefits of sauna

Regardless of how you approach health and well-being, sauna use, or steam bathing could be very beneficial to your vitality and well-being. Sauna use to us, is self-care. In doing so, we are physiologically caring for self and in turn the body cares for us by reducing the risk of developing chronic disease and at the same time, allowing the inner workings to do what they do best, restore and replenish.

Sauna use, which exist in a few forms is the short-term passive exposure to high heat temperatures to trigger mild hyperthermia in the core. A few of the different types of saunas are infrared, steam, and dry sauna.

If you don’t like one type, choose another. The goal is to use it consistently and weave it into your way of life.

What happens in the sauna?

When we use the sauna, we are exposing our bodies to heat stress. This high heat exposure to 40 °C and higher increases core body temperature, promotes redistribution of blood, and increases sweat production.

After we do this consistently, we’ve become accustomed to heat stress, and this is where the beauty begins. Heat acclimation:

  1. Reduces muscle loss and enhances athletic performance
  2. Offsets physiological strain
  3. Improves resting blood pressure and heart rate
  4. Improves vascular function
  5. Activates heat shock proteins

Why is this important?

When the body becomes used to or accustomed to heat stress, it begins and continues to improve the inner workings, the mechanics of the body. The body is strengthened and as a result, the body is better suited to ward off illnesses and premature decline. The more you incorporate the use of sauna or steam bathing into your life, you in turn improve your health span and possibly, your life span.

Healthspan is the period of one’s life spent in good health, free from chronic diseases or the period that one is healthy.

In America, healthspan isn’t so great. Individuals are diagnosed at much younger ages with chronic, life-threatening issues. It is not uncommon for 20 -30 years old to be diagnosed with a chronic condition. In some segments, 40 – 60 years old have more than one chronic disease. On the whole, we live with chronic diseases and illnesses for a very long time.

Those years are often filled with being admitted to the hospital, being released home, being readmitted to the hospital, isolation, a loss in strength and independence, lots of medications and doctor visits.

No one enjoys any of that! Not the person suffering with it and from it. Not their loved ones.

In the U.S., six out of 10 people have a chronic disease. Four out of 10 have two or more chronic conditions.

The top 7 diseases in the U.S. are:

  1. Heart disease
  2. Cancer
  3. Chronic lung disease
  4. Stroke
  5. Alzheimer’s
  6. Diabetes
  7. Chronic kidney disease

Benefits of Sauna use

  • Preserves muscle mass
  • Better blood pressure control, lowers resting blood pressure and heart rate
  • Decreases chronic inflammation in the body
  • Improved endurance and physical fitness
  • Improved sleep and reduced feelings of anxiety
  • Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia
  • Decrease in pulmonary congestion and promotes healthy lung function
  • Releases toxins and heavy metals from the body
  • Extends the period of one’s good health

In a study, it was shown sessions lasting 19 minutes or more had greater protective effect than shorter session on healthspan and reducing mortality rate linked to disease.

Next steps

To improve your well-being and as a means of decompression after a long day, a workout, or stressful situation, consider using the sauna. A portable one in your home is more affordable than you think and doesn’t require a lot of space. There are few options at various price points to fit anyone’s budget, for example the sauna blanket or sauna suit.

These are excellent if one, you don’t have a place in your community that offers sauna or two, you don’t feel like driving and are at heart a home body.

All love here. Do you and do it well!

Things to be mindful of with sauna use and contraindications

Although sauna use has been around for centuries, it is not without warning and some best practices. Heat exposure could be harmful, so be mindful and follow recommendations.

Individuals with the following conditions should avoid using the sauna

Consult your physician first

  • Unstable angina or chest pain
  • Elderly with low blood pressure
  • Unstable heart rhythms
  • Decompensated heart failure
  • Those with impaired sweat function, such as spinal cord injury

Key reminders

  1. Be sure to drink adequate amounts of water prior to and after your sauna session to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
  2. Start slow. Begin with 5-minute sessions for a few times, maybe a week and then increase it to 10 minutes. As your tolerance increases, you may increase your session time in five to 10 minutes increments.
  3. Listen to your body and respond accordingly. What one may be able to do, you may not. Don’t judge yourself.
  4. If you feel lightheaded, faint, or dizzy in the sauna, get out. Hydrate by drinking two to three cups of water.
  5. Eat electrolyte-rich food post session, such as tomatoes, avocados, and cooked spinach.
  6. Wear loose clothing, if you must. Avoid tight and restricting clothes.
  7. Avoid consuming alcohol before and immediately after sauna use. Alcohol is not hydrating and places you at greater risk for complications and dehydration.

Invest in you.

Action is the difference.