Sauna Health Benefits

Saunas can be very relaxing, but are they safe for your Health?

Sweating is an impulse that extends far back in human history. About 3,000 years ago, the Mayans of Central America used sweat houses for religious ceremonies and good health. Nearly every culture has its own way of using heat for relaxation, therapy, and ritual; ancient Roman baths, modern Turkish steam bath, and trendy hot tubs are but a few examples. One of the oldest – and hottest – of these techniques is the sauna. These have been used for thousands of years in Finland , where nearly a third of all adults take them regularly and are getting increasingly popular all over the world. Nearly every gym big and small boats a sauna and/or a steam bath.

Popularity is one thing, safety another. Are sauna good for your health, or can they be harmful?

Inside the box of sauna

The modern sauna is a simple unpainted room with wooden walls and benches. Heat is provided by rock-filled electric heater – and it gets plenty hot. The recommended temperature rises from about 32 degree C at floor level to about 45 degree C at the top. Unlike Turkish (steam) baths, Finnish saunas are very dry, maintaining humidity levels of just 10%-20%. Water drains through the floor to keep things dry. In good sauna, an efficient ventilation system exchanges the air three to eight times an hour.

Inside the body during sauna

Experienced sauna bathers usually stay inside for periods of 5-20 minutes; after a cooling-off period, some return for a second session. And people in the know always remember to drink plenty of fluids after their saunas.

The dry heat has profound effects on the body. Sweating begins almost immediately. The average person will pour out half a liter of sweat during his brief sauna, but it evaporates so quickly in the dry air that people may not realize how much they perspire. Skin temperature soars to about 40 degree C within minutes, but internal temperature rise more slowly and usually stay below 37 degree C.

Changes in body temperature are easy to understand, but the cardiovascular responses to heat are even more important. The pulse rate jumps by 30% or more, allowing the heart to nearly double the amount of blood it pumps each minutes. Most of the extra blood flow is directed to the skin; in fact, the circulation actually shunts blood away from the internal organs. The blood pressure is unpredictable, rising in some people but falling in others. All of these changes resolve quickly after people cool down.

Although a sauna may help you relax, your heart is working hard while you sit on your benches. Is that safe?

Sauna Safety

A few simple precautions are important for healthy people and heart patients alike. It is important to avoid alcohol before and after sauna. Avoid anti-cholinergics and other medicines tat may impair sweating and produce over-heating. Don't overdo it; 15-20 minutes of sauna is a reasonable limit for most folks. Cool down gradually afterwards; although some cultures advocate a cold plunge, it produces considerable circulatory stress and should be avoided. Drink two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna. Above all, listen to your body. Don't take a sauna when you are ill, and if you feel unwell during your sauna, head for the door. A cool head is the best way to keep your hot sauna safe and enjoyable.

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