Sauna usage is a wellness trend that has been around for years and it is particularly popular in Nordic regions. The popularity of saunas is booming right now & for good reason as the potential health benefits are pretty impressive!
They include; improving your mood, reducing feelings of anxiety, helping you fall into a deeper sleep - what’s not to love!
Here are 6 benefits associated with regular sauna usage.
1. Stress Relief:
Many studies have shown that saunas can decrease cortisol in the body while & even improving feelings of anxiety. They are known to improve circulation and stimulate the release of endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkiller.
2. Soothes Muscles & Joints:
It is widely known that saunas can relieve and reduce muscle pain. They can also help with symptoms of arthritis. Saunas encourage relaxation by helping to reduce muscle tension and eliminate lactic acid or other toxins that may be present.
3. Improves Mood:
According to a study, using a sauna five to 15 times per month was directly associated with higher mental well-being compared to those who used the sauna less frequently.
Under the high heat provided by a sauna, the body releases endorphins which can minimise pain and are often associated with a “runner's high".
4. Skin benefits:
Similar to steaming your skin to cleanse pores, saunas cause us to sweat helping replace our dead skin cells. Sweating can rinse bacteria out of the epidermal layer and sweat ducts. Cleansing of the pores has been shown to improve capillary circulation while giving the skin a softer-looking quality.
5. Sleep:
Getting high-quality deep sleep is critical for optimal brain function and mental health. Saunas users often comment on having a deeper, more relaxed sleep. The decline in body temperature after a sauna triggers our body to go to sleep and can cause us to fall into a deeper sleep.
6. Heart Health
Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland tracked 2,300 middle-aged men for an average of 20 years. They categorized the men into three groups according to how often they used a sauna each week. The men spent an average of 14 minutes per visit baking in 175° F heat. Over the course of the study, 49% of men who went to a sauna once a week died, compared with 38% of those who went two to three times a week and just 31% of those who went four to seven times a week. Frequent visits to a sauna were also associated with lower death rates from cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Other studies have shown that regular sauna bathing may benefit people with risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Now you know just how much a sauna can benefit you. Why not find a sauna near you and see how regular sauna use can benefit you?
