Sauna Health Benefits

Regular sauna use for better health

Going to the sauna is a special experience for many. Sauna is not only fun, but can also be really healthy – especially in winter as a measure to strengthen the immune system you get great sauna health benefits. Nevertheless, some people ask themselves whether sauna can become unhealthy and whether a visit to the sauna can also have negative consequences. Therefore, it is important that you inform yourself sufficiently before going to the sauna and avoid possible consequences and risks. What you have to pay attention to and how regular sauna use affects your health is explained in this article.

When is sauna healthy – You should pay attention to these points

Before the sauna

Before your first sauna session, it makes sense to shower and dry off thoroughly, because dry skin sweats faster than wet skin. In addition, you should not fill your stomach before going to the sauna. This can have a negative effect on your circulation. It is even worse to go to the sauna with a completely empty stomach. This can even lead to a collapse. However, a small meal before the sweat cure is sufficient to enjoy the sauna in a healthy way in order to get all the sauna health benefits. Between sauna sessions, however, you should not eat or drink anything. This inhibits the purification effect. After the last sauna session, however, it is important to ensure sufficient hydration. We recommend drinking at least one liter of water after a sauna session to rebalance your fluid balance after sweating.

Different sauna options

There are many ways to take a sauna. For example, there are different types of sauna, the classic sauna type that provide different temperature and humidity levels. In a classic, Finnish sauna, the temperature is usually 80 to 100 degrees. However, if this is too hot for you, there are also sauna types with lower temperatures. A steam bath, for example, is cooler with temperatures of 45 to 60° C, but has the highest humidity. Basically, however, the same guideline values apply for the stay. To avoid overtaxing your heart, you should not sweat in a classic sauna for more than eight to fifteen minutes per session. In an infrared sauna, on the other hand, you can stay up to thirty minutes at a time.

The different benches in a sauna

In general, the higher the bench in the sauna, the higher the temperature. Basically, it is healthier to sweat briefly but at a high temperature on the upper benches. However, you should only do this if you feel comfortable doing so. It is also recommended to sit on the lower bench for the last one or two minutes to prepare your circulation for the change to the cold or the cold shower. Two minutes before the end of the sweat bath, you can prepare your body for getting up by assuming an upright sitting position.

How much sauna is healthy? When do sauna health benefits decrease?

Basically, a multiple visit to a sauna is healthy and can have a positive effect on your body and mind. For example, you will usually benefit from an intensive sauna session for about a week. If you use a Finnish sauna, it is therefore advisable to sauna regularly once a week. More frequent sauna visits are also possible. However, you should then reduce the number of individual sauna sessions. In order not to overtax your body as a whole, each session should not last longer than fifteen minutes. With an infrared cabin this looks somewhat different. Here you can sweat up to thirty minutes a day.

Cooling down after the sauna

In addition, the classic sauna has a healthy effect if you finish the sauna session with a cool-down. Because of the cooler air, your blood vessels contract abruptly, your blood pressure rises and your body becomes alarmed. Therefore, adrenaline and hormones are also released. During the subsequent resting phase, your heart beats evenly again, full of power and comparatively slowly. This allows your body to relax optimally. During the relaxation phase, however, you should make sure that your body does not cool down. A bathrobe or blanket is therefore recommended.

Consider safety aspects for your own sauna at home

When operating a home sauna, it is important to pay attention to important safety aspects and precautions for use when using sauna products. For example, hygiene regulations must be observed when using the sauna. This is because a sauna session can become unhealthy if harmful bacteria and pollutants can spread too much through sweating. Thus, it is advisable to always use the sauna only with a sauna to wel and also to plan for regular cleaning of the sauna cabin. If possible, cleaning should be done with a damp cloth, as cleaning agents can lead to unwanted stains. Especially with the infrared cabin, cleaning is important because bacteria can spread faster due to the lower ambient temperature.

Why is sauna healthy?

Detoxification of the body

In general, sauna is healthy, especially because of the natural sweating of your body. This is because it removes many toxins from your body. Thus, under the influence of heat, many harmful substances, such as cellular toxins, heavy metals, toxins and cholesterol, are eliminated from your body.

Strengthening the immune system

By taking regular saunas in a sauna cabin, you can naturally strengthen your immune system. The heat effect activates your immune system and thus your body’s self-healing powers. In this way, you can also permanently improve your immune system. Thus, you get your sauna health benefits and strengthens your body even during the cold season.

Stimulation of your circulation

The repeated temperature change in the sauna can also stimulate your circulation. Therefore, regular visits to the sauna are healthy and can become an effective cardiovascular workout. Furthermore, this improves the supply of oxygen to your body. Regular saunas can also lower your resting pulse and breathing rate, as well as your high blood pressure.

Clear airways

Sauna is also healthy for your respiratory system. Breathing through a sauna becomes easier over time because the capacity of your lungs increases due to the muscle-relaxing effect of the sauna. You will also benefit from the hot, humid air, which improves the blood supply to your mucous membranes, especially if you have problems with your bronchial tubes. Asthma patients can also alleviate their symptoms by taking regular saunas. The hot sauna air heats up and relaxes the bronchial muscles of the respiratory tract, which consequently has a positive effect on your mucous membranes.

Activation of blood circulation and relaxation of muscles

In addition, the deep heat of the sauna is healthy for the blood circulation of your body. This is because it is stimulated by the heat. Therefore, regular sauna sessions can also have a positive effect on your joint pain. Furthermore, the heat dilates your blood vessels. So you can also loosen your muscles. This can have a particularly relaxing effect on sore muscles.

Beautiful skin through the sauna

Furthermore, a regular visit to a sauna is healthy for a beautiful skin. For people who suffer from skin problems such as acne, a sauna at home could be an optimal solution. The heat of the sauna causes your blood vessels to dilate, so your skin gets more blood flow and is better supplied with oxygen. Thanks to the cooling down after sweating, your blood vessels constrict again. This exercises your blood vessels and ensures healthy and fresh skin. Saunas can also remove dead skin cells and thus create a pore-deep cleanliness of your skin. Furthermore, dry skin absorbs moisture well in the sauna and becomes smoother. The radiation in an infrared sauna also strengthens the connective tissue of the skin. This, therefore, can counteract symptoms such as cellulite.

Activation of the metabolism

Regularly taking a sauna will also stimulate your metabolism. This can be especially helpful if you would like to lose some weight. Nevertheless, a sauna is of course not a miracle cure for weight loss. Overall, however, sauna is healthy for the metabolism and has a very supportive effect due to the heat.

Increase of the well-being

Using a sauna is also a great way to improve your health and relax even after long days at work. Especially in winter, sauna is healthy and it is a very tempting way to switch off. Thus, the heat in the sauna can also be very relaxing, reduce nervousness as well as stress sensitivity and be conducive to healthy sleep. All in all, a sauna at home offers you an improved sense of well-being and a positive attitude towards life.

When is sauna unhealthy?

Sauna for health problems

In general, there a lot of sauna health benefits, because sauna can be healthy for you and your body. But in case of health problems a sauna session can be counterproductive or even dangerous. For example, if you have high blood pressure or a weak heart, circulation or kidney problems, or acute asthma, you should be careful and talk to your doctor first. In these cases, the high temperatures and rapid cooling can have a negative effect. If you suffer from rheumatism, it is also advisable to sauna only during non-inflammatory intervals.

Strengthening the immune system

By taking regular saunas in a sauna cabin, you can of course also strengthen your immune system. The heat effect activates your immune system and thus your body’s self-healing powers. In this way, you can also permanently improve your immune system. Thus, sauna makes you healthy and strengthens your body even during the cold season.

Sauna for a cold

If you have a flu or a cold, you should not go to the sauna. If you regularly sweat in a sauna, you strengthen your immune system and get sick less often. However, if you do catch a cold, the little sauna at home will not help and may even have a negative effect on your body. If you have a cold, you should take a little sauna break.

Infrared sauna as an alternative

An infrared sauna usually works with temperatures between 30°C and 60°C and is available in a wide variety of sizes, such as the 1-person infrared cabin. Accordingly, the stay in an infrared sauna is quite more pleasant than in a classic sauna with temperatures of about 80-95°C. Therefore, taking a sauna in an infrared sauna for home is not so tiring and exhausting. Thus, the infrared sauna is a great alternative for people with high blood pressure or circulatory problems.

Is it healthy for pregnant women to go to the sauna?

There are many different answers and views on this question on the web. We therefore recommend that, in general, if you are pregnant, it is essential to clarify this with your attending physician. In general, however, it is advised to refrain from visiting the sauna during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In addition, you should not test the effects of the sauna for the first time during pregnancy. For regular and healthy sauna users, however, there is usually no risk from the 2nd trimester and you can get all the sauna health benefits back again.