So…why should you go in a hot, dark, kinda stinky, wooden room 2-3 days a week?! Great question, I’m glad you asked. The sauna has been a very interesting topic over the last few months, and so I did some research, and have some interesting info for you!
Background
I tend to use the sauna every now and then after a workout, mainly for a “cool down” (ironic sounding, huh?) and to force myself to sit still and relax. I’ve heard about many possible health benefits of doing this, like how it “mimics” and/or is a form of cardio, assists with recovery, and many other things along those lines. I realized that I actually didn’t know if any of those things were true, and decided to do some research and testing of my own. I also am assuming that if I don’t know the truth about possible sauna benefits, then there may be other people out there that don’t know either! So I’ll do my best to enlighten us all!
What I Found
While looking up peer reviewed research articles about the sauna, I ended up running across an article talking about the cardiometabolic benefits it has for individuals with high stress occupations. I wouldn’t necessarily say I have a high stress occupation, although there is a great deal of stress associated with my profession, and I am a very anxious person in general, but this information seemed useful anyway, for ANYONE who needs something a little extra to cope with stress. Cardiometabolic health and stress relief sound very intriguing (two very important things that can make your life WAY better, just by doing something as simple as chilling (ha ha) in a sauna?! Sign me up!).
Cardiometabolic health goes along with having a lower likelihood of diseases such as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke. It turns out stress can increase the likelihood of developing one or all of these diseases, so lowering stress can help to decrease that chance.
This article discusses how the body responds to both acute and chronic stressors. Acute stressors include stress from mild situations, like exercise, an ice bath, the sauna, etc., that last between 2 minutes and 3 days. This type of stressor gives us positive physiological responses, and allows our body and mind to be built and made stronger. Chronic stress includes feeling pressured and overwhelmed for more than 3 days at a time. This type of stress is detrimental to the body and can increase the likelihood of developing cardiometabolic diseases, sicknesses, and mental health issues. Going in the sauna counts as an acute stressor, and therefore has a positive physiological response on our body.
Benefits of the Sauna
The research shows that after a single session (less than 30 minutes) in the sauna blood pressure is lower compared to pre-sauna data. “Acute exposure to heat produces a state of mild hypothermia and an elevation in core body temperature” which distributes the blood towards the skin to enhance sweating, which releases metabolic wastes such as carbon dioxide and sodium (Henderson et. al. 2021). Endothelial function (blood flow and immune cell function and quality) and vasodilation (dilation of blood vessels; which decreases blood pressure) is also improved. These benefits are described as an “exercise mimetic, producing physiological changes similar to those of a moderate to vigorous intensity workout” (Henderson et. al. 2021) . To chime in here, that doesn’t mean the benefits you get from 15 minutes in the sauna are equal to the benefits you get from a 45-60 minute moderate to vigorous intensity workout; this just means that there are similarities.
A single session of the sauna also shows an enhancement of “several enzymes, proteins, and pathways” that work together to improve overall cardiometabolic function (Henderson et. al. 2021). In individuals with cardiometabolic diseases, there is usually a problem with damaged or dysfunctional proteins, so if the sauna helps to enhance the quality and function of proteins, that can be a very beneficial option to many people suffering from that disease.
All the benefits just talked about happen directly AFTER sauna exposure, and last about an hour or less. If the sauna is used for chronic and repeated heat exposure (more than 3 weeks) then there are more longer-lasting benefits. These benefits include the upregulation of “several beneficial enzymes and pathways, resulting in greater stress tolerance, a more robust cellular environment, and increased health” (Henderson et. al. 2021).
What Does This Mean?
Summarizing everything from above, this means that something as simple as using the sauna for 15 min. 2-3 times a week regularly can lower the likelihood of developing cardiometabolic diseases and lower stress levels, AND enhance cardiometabolic health overall. There are many potential health benefits for regular dry sauna use. Keep in mind regular sauna use is still being researched to find any possible negative effects for different populations (so far, there hasn’t been anything detrimental or irreversible, as long as guidelines were followed and anyone suffering from specific diseases or health issues talked to their physician prior to starting a sauna routine).
I have slowly started including going in the sauna after my workout for about 15 minutes a few times a week, and although it is too early for me to draw any conclusions, I do feel good about it. And I am enjoying it. To help lower stress levels more I have been listening to guided meditations, and have been enjoying that quite a bit as well!
Conclusion
This was fun to do some research on, and I hope some of the information I talked about was of interest! And that you found something you’d like to start including in your weekly routine to lower stress levels and enhance cardiometabolic health!
Have a wonderful rest of your day, and I will see you guys next week, where we’ll be talking about tips and tricks on how to get out of the inevitable “slump”!
Reference
Henderson, K. N., Killen, L. G., O’Neal, E. K., & Waldman, H. S. (2021). The Cardiometabolic Health Benefits of Sauna Exposure in Individuals with High-Stress Occupations. A Mechanistic Review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(3), 1105. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031105