7 Proven Sauna Health Benefits

Heat therapies are used for healing and wellness, the sauna is simply a room designed to make you sweat. There are proven health benefits that regular sauna use can provide. There are several different types of saunas to consider. Dry saunas are heated with fire, hot stones, gas, or electricity. Steam saunas generate steam by applying water to the heating element. Infrared saunas use infrared heaters that emit light delivering radiant heat that then gets absorbed by the surface of the skin. Regardless of which sauna you choose they all have proven health benefits, such as widening the blood vessels that improve blood flow. They also help slow down aging and aid in weight loss. Here are seven of the proven sauna health benefits.

Supercharge Cell Power

The heat in the sauna has been shown to have a positive impact on the mitochondria, what powers the cells. This helps the body naturally produce more energy and helps you stay in shape. It makes the blood vessels dilate, oxygenate the cells, and improves circulation. Studies show that sauna use helps stimulate the production of white blood cells and collagen by increasing cellular energy.

Slows Down Aging

Sauna use causes cell regeneration, which slows the aging process. There was a 20 year study that linked sauna sessions with a 23% decrease in risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The infrared light in saunas stimulates collagen and elastin production. It helps improve circulation, clears pores and prevents wrinkles.

Detoxify Heavy Metals and Chemicals

We are constantly exposed to daily toxins and heavy metals that linger in the body. Regular sauna use helps excrete toxins out of the body. Detoxification is important for the body as it strengthens the immune system and helps the body function efficiently so that it can digest all the nutrients it needs from food.

Reduces Blood Pressure

The heat from the sauna helps widen blood vessels, which improves circulation and reduces blood pressure. Saunas increase blood flow helping to improve heart health and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Less inflammation has been found in those who frequently use saunas.

Improves Muscle Function and Recovery

Sauna use helps improve the muscle recovery time and growth when it releases heat shock proteins and increases HGH. It dilates the blood vessels increasing blood flow, which helps your muscles get more nutrients. Weight lifting causes the muscle fibers to tear, causing inflammation and soreness after a workout. After a workout the muscles need growth hormones to rebuild, called muscle-protein synthesis that can take 24-48 hours. When you add in sauna sessions this can speed the repair and recovery time for muscles.

Improves Weight Loss

Sauna use has been shown to help regulate appetite, increase the metabolism, and improve oxygen utilization. These all help increase weight loss and body fat. Saunas also decrease cortisol levels and improve muscle definition. The increase in blood flow raises the metabolism helping the body rid itself of fat cells.

Boost Brain Function

Regular sauna use increases the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, activating new brain cells to grow and improves neuroplasticity, the brain forming new neural connections. New research shows regular sauna use may help prevent dementia. The heat may activate heat shock proteins, which controls protein formation. Abnormalities in protein degradation is common in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.