It relaxes, soothes, improves mood, and at the same time has a beneficial effect on the condition of the heart. Finns have known about it for hundreds of years and often use saunas ( 1 in 3 people do it regularly). Sauna use has also become very popular in other parts of the world - for example, there are over a million saunas in the United States 1 . It is worth knowing what types of saunas there are and how to use them (wisely).
Dry saunas are usually small rooms lined with wood . The benches you sit on are arranged in a cascade , so you can choose the right temperature for yourself. The lowest is at the floor - the higher, the warmer. The stove heats the stones and the heat radiates throughout the room. The stones are poured with water from time to time to increase the humidity.
A steam room is usually a much larger room lined with ceramic tiles , which also covers the seating areas. The channels discharge hot steam, the humidity is close to 100% and the temperature reaches 40-60 degrees Celsius. Just like in a dry sauna, while staying in a steam bath, the body overheats in a controlled manner, but at a slightly lower temperature.
The third type of sauna is the infrared one, which works on a similar principle to a dry bath . Also lined with wood, it draws heat not from the stove, but from infrared heaters . The temperatures here are much lower and you can use it more often than other types of sauna.
Due to differences in temperature and humidity, different types of saunas have different effects. Steam baths improve circulation, relax muscles and tendons, improve skin condition by opening pores, and help with clogged sinuses. In this text, however, we will focus on the most popular dry saunas , where the humidity ranges between 10 and 20% and the temperature reaches up to 100 degrees . Using such a sauna increases the body temperature to approximately 40 degrees . When the temperature rises, the body sweats and the heart rate increases because the body wants to cool down.
Research from 2015 shows that regular use of a sauna helps maintain heart health and prolong life 2 . Visits to a dry sauna reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease and the risk of death from a heart attack.
Additionally proven 3 that using a dry sauna has a number of health benefits for people suffering from rheumatic diseases such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Reduces pain and fatigue , reduces symptoms caused by allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . Such visits also have a positive effect on the condition of the skin , including that of people suffering from psoriasis. "Harvard Health" reports that psoriasis patients experience less skin itching during sauna stays.
That's not all, because research from 2017 shows that regular use of the sauna is associated with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (the study concerned men) 4 . Researchers indicate that using a sauna is relaxing, calming and associated with improved well-being, because it is part of holistic health care . They emphasize that lifestyle is an important factor in diseases such as dementia.
Saunas are safe, but you need to remember a few rules:
It is best to do a few rounds in the sauna (the most often recommended number is 3). And the rest time between them should not be shorter than the time spent in the sauna. So we take a shower, go into the sauna, come out, take a shower, rest and start all over again.
There are also contraindications , including chronic and acute infectious diseases, feverish diseases and the beginning of colds, skin diseases, hyperthyroidism, circulatory system diseases, atherosclerosis and psychotic states. Pregnant people, people with blood pressure problems or heart diseases should consult a doctor before using the sauna.
Bibliography: MaryAnn De Pietro, “What are the benefits and risks of a sauna?”, June 17, 2019, medicalnewstoday.com. Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):542–548. Hussain J, Cohen M. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Apr 24;2018:1857413. Tanjaniina Laukkanen, Setor Kunutsor, Jussi Kauhanen, Jari Antero Laukkanen, Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged Finnish men, Age and Aging, Volume 46, Issue 2, March 2017, Pages 245–249.
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Napisała: Anna Stachowiak
Journalist, editor. Mainly interested in social and health issues. Publishes in the weekly " Przegląd ". A lover of active recreation, a healthy lifestyle, testing theories in practice and delving deeper into the topic. Privately, she is the mother of a rebellious 3-year-old and a yoga adept.
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