5 Health Benefits of Using a Sauna

Did you know that Finland is home to a staggering 3.3 million saunas? That means there are enough saunas for its 5.5 million residents to share.

What’s even better is that the Finnish have shared this culture worldwide. The US alone has about one million saunas installed. An additional 15,000 units get sold each year.

So, what exactly is the hype behind these hot rooms? Why should you even consider using a sauna or investing in your own sauna installation?

We’ll answer all these questions in this guide to sauna benefits, so be sure to read on!

1. Improved Circulation

Sauna bathing, as a form of heat therapy, allows the blood vessels to expand. This widening then allows more blood to flow through the vessels. It’s in this way that using a sauna can help improve circulation.

2. Healthier, Glowing Skin

It’s also due to the increased blood flow that using a home sauna can help make your skin healthier. After all, much of the increased blow flow caused by sauna bathing occurs at the skin level. More blood to the skin, in turn, means more nutrients get supplied to your dermal layers.

3. May Aid in Lowering Risks of High Blood Pressure

Low temperatures (such as during winter) can cause the blood vessels to constrict. This leads to the vessels receiving more pressure since the blood has to “force” its way through. This then results in an increase in blood pressure.

Now, according to Thatcherpools.com, most sauna rooms have a heat range of 150 to 195 °Fahrenheit. That’s enough heat to make the blood vessels relax and expand. Since blood can flow more freely, it places less force and stress on the vessels.

Scientists say this is one way sauna bathing can help lower the risks of hypertension.

4. May Help Your Heart Keep Beating Happily

Inside your heart and blood vessels is a thin membrane called “cardiac endothelium.” This lining contains many endothelial cells that release enzymes. These enzymes, in turn, regulate blood clotting, immune functions, and blood vessel activities.

As such, an impaired cardiac endothelium won’t let the arteries widen properly. If this happens, the arteries lose their elasticity and may develop atherosclerosis.

Regular safe sauna bathing practices appear to help reduce such heart disease risks. It can do so by lowering total cholesterol and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels, in turn, are some of the chief contributors to atherosclerosis.

5. Helps Provide Relief from Soreness and Pain

One of the purported benefits of using a sauna is that it can help ease musculoskeletal pain. This suggests that sauna bathing may help treat joint pain and muscle sores. Some people even find relief from chronic migraines by sitting in the controlled heat of a sauna.

Start Using a Sauna for a Happier, Healthier You

At the very least, using a sauna can feel amazing, as the heat can help relax tense muscles. From there, taking regular sauna baths can help boost your cardiovascular health. Don’t forget that it can help make your skin glow, even after just one session.

All that should be enough reason to consider getting your own home sauna.

Interested in more health, lifestyle, and home improvement ideas like this? Feel free to stick around to check out our other educational resources then!