Hot and Healthy: How Sauna Use Can Transform Your Body and Mind

When I first heard that sauna use could bring all sorts of positive effects to the body, I was instantly interested. I'm always looking for an easy way to improve my quality of life!

All I have to do is sit there and reap the benefits. For anyone like me who loves the heat, it's a no-brainer! Literally, you sit there, sweat, and boom you're improving your life.

I know for many people extreme heat can be a lot. That's why it's important to start slowly and build capacity. Start with 5-minute sessions, and slowly progress over the weeks.

I currently do a 20-30 minute protocol at 90+ degrees Celcius depending on how I feel that day or how much time I have. I always do it after my workouts! I also do it on rest days as a form of recovery.

It's awesome as offers many of the same positive stressors that working out brings, however, you don't stress your muscles, joints or any of the connective tissue (except your heart).

It's not uncommon that my heart rate gets up to 140 beats per minute close to the end of the session.

After my sauna sessions, I always have a sense of well-being and calmness that can only be described as peaceful existence.

The list below is from an article that can be found here https://headsuphealth.com/blog/features/benefits-of-saunas/

Supercharge your cell power. Heat has been proven to positively impact your mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ powering your cells, helping your body naturally produce more energy and stay fit.

Slow down Father Time (aka: aging!). Cell regeneration means you slow the aging process. And if you’re not quite convinced, check out the 20 year study of Finnish men that links two to three sauna sessions per week with a 23% decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Detoxify heavy metals and chemicals. Everyday exposure to potentially toxic heavy metals through a variety of sources means even the most health-conscious people still have toxins in the body. Regular sauna bathing helps excrete toxins such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

Make your heart happy and healthy. A 2018 study found that sauna bathing four to seven times per week reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by as much as 58%.

Reduce blood pressure. Sauna heat helps widen blood vessels and improve circulation, which reduces blood pressure.

Optimize athletic performance. Blood flow improvements from hyperthermic conditioning (heat conditioning) sends more blood to the heart, leading to an increase in plasma and red blood cell volume. That process delivers more oxygen throughout the body, fueling athletic performance.

Improve muscle function and recovery. As more blood flow and oxygen is delivered throughout the body, muscles increase in size and muscle breakdown is diminished. One study showed that two, one-hour sauna sessions for seven days straight increases production of the human growth hormone (HGH) by two to five times.

Fuel weight loss. Regular sauna use is shown to regulate the appetite, increase metabolism, and improve oxygen utilization, helping to fuel weight loss along with a reduction in body fat.

Boost brain function. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF increases with regular sauna use, activating the growth of new brain cells, better maintaining existing cells, and improving neuroplasticity, the brain’s process for forming new neural connections.

Ignite your immune system. Heat exposure from sauna use increases the heat shock protein, stimulating antigen-presenting cells, along with releasing cytokine, thus stimulating the body’s natural immune system.

BONUS BENEFIT: improve emotional health and mood. When your body and brain are healthy, detoxified, and destressed, and you’ve boosted endorphins, your overall mood and emotional health improves.

For additional consideration.

Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review

The Huberman Lab Podcast - THE SCIENCE & HEALTH BENEFITS OF DELIBERATE HEAT EXPOSURE