What are the health benefits of sitting in a sauna?
The effects of heat are the same whether it's dry or moist, says Dr. Parikh. This means you'll still get the same benefits whether you sweat it out in a sauna or steam room.
There is, however, one extra benefit to steam rooms for anyone who has respiratory problems like asthma or allergies. “Medications for these kinds of respiratory problems might dry out your breathing passages,” says Dr. Parikh. “Steam will moisturize and open the lungs a little more and hydrate the respiratory tract.” If you struggle with congestion, the steam can also act as a humidifier and help clear your nasal passages for easier breathing.
Research on the use of dry saunas has shown that they can provide these benefits.
1. Improved Circulation
Anything that raises your body temperature will increase your heart rate, which in turn increases your circulation, says Denise Millstine, MD, an internist at Mayo Clinic’s family medicine office in Scottsdale, Arizona.
And sitting in a sauna is almost like walking on a treadmill at a regular pace, says Dr. Parikh. Because of the heat, your heart has to pump harder to circulate your blood, which means you’re getting some cardio benefits even though all you’re doing is sitting in the heat. (Keep in mind, though, it's still no replacement for exercise, which has tons of other body-benefits.)
2. Lowered Blood Pressure
Spending time in a sauna can lower your blood pressure, says Dr. Millstine, but you wouldn’t want to go into a sauna if you have uncontrolled blood pressure.
Traditional Finnish sauna bathing is associated with overall lower blood pressure when people are using it regularly, research shows. “So physiologically, much like exercise, your blood pressure would go up initially and then long-term, it would likely result in better management of your blood pressure and a lowering of your blood pressure,” says Dr. Millstine.
In fact, people can see improved cardiovascular health from sauna use. Research shows that people who regularly use a sauna (at least four times a week for 20 minutes) have a significantly lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia, notes Dr. Parikh.
3. Stress Relief
Sauna bathing is a regular part of Scandinavian culture, says Dr. Millstine, and is viewed as a way to destress and relax. Saunas reduce the stress hormone cortisol by as much as 10 to 40 percent, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Medical Principles and Practice.
“If using a sauna becomes a regular practice for you and it's something that you can do fairly easily, such as on your way from home from work for a brief session, or if you’re able to socialize while doing it, it likely will reduce your stress levels,” she says.
4. Glowy Skin
Using a sauna can benefit your overall skin health because it helps bring blood flow to the surface of your skin before you start sweating.
“Regular sauna use makes the skin more robust, meaning it sort of firms it up and makes it more elastic, which is good for aesthetic reasons, but also because the skin acts like a general health barrier,” says Dr. Millstine.
5. Reduced Joint Stiffness And Muscle Soreness
Sauna also makes for a great workout recovery tool, as it can help loosen up any tense muscles after a workout. “The heat can make your muscles more pliable and elastic, so it would probably help with workout recovery soreness,” says Dr. Milstine. Anecdotally, people with stiff joints and body aches swear by saunas for easing pain. Sauna use can also help with tension-type headaches, likely because it alleviates the muscle soreness that contributes to them, she adds.
6. Stronger Immune System
Using a sauna isn’t directly tied to better immunity, but sauna bathing can bring on relaxation and reduce stress, which dampens your immune system function. Sauna usage has also been shown to decrease circulating levels of inflammatory markers, which mess with your immune system response too.
7. Better Mood
Sauna sessions can lift your mood, which could, again, be tied to the relaxation factor, some studies show. However, men in Finland who regularly used a sauna had a decreased risk of psychosis, according to one study, and sauna usage can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, another study showed.