sauna Health benefits
"Give me the power to produce fever, and I will cure all disease." — Hippocrates
Improves circulation
Optimizes athletic performance
Improves muscle function and recovery
Boosts heart health
Lowers blood pressure
Cleans skin and pores
Eases pain and soreness
Relieves stress
Induces deeper sleep
Strengthens immune system
Reduces chronic inflammation
Can reduce dementia and cognitive decline
Improves emotional health and mood
“They found that those who used saunas regularly suffered dramatically fewer deaths from heart disease or stroke. In a follow-up study by the same group the following year, regular sauna sessions were found to substantially reduce the risk of dementia.”
https://theconversation.com/why-saunas-really-are-good-for-your-health-87055
“In the U.S., sauna time is often viewed as a private experience—even though studies suggest that chatting with others during sauna sessions amplifies the health benefits. Most Americans don’t think of the sauna as a place to socially interact in the way Europeans do.” — Dr. Minson, a University of Oregon physiologist
“Could the bathhouse become again a form of cultural and social space? A string of new projects suggest bathing culture is being reinvented for the 21st century. The powerful trend: sauna as the new social, community-creating “hangout” (and a healthy and hot alternative to bars and restaurants).”
http://kvadratinterwoven.com/soak-steam-dream
“High-design saunas aimed at becoming that communal ‘third place,’ right at the intersection of so many important, future trends in wellness and spa. The need for social and fun experiences in our Age of Loneliness — wellness experiences that are affordable for far more than the one-percent — the interweaving of spa experiences with art, culture, music and performance, and ingenious new wellness architecture.”
https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/wp-content/uploads/Industry-Research/8WellnessTrends_2017.pdf
“Millennials, who have grown up with all this technology, are looking for an authentic experience, with tradition. There is an explosive interest in bathing culture.”
https://elemental.medium.com/the-emerging-science-of-saunas-4767534ade3e
“This cross-sectional study documents that sauna-bathing participants, particularly those from Finland, Australia, and the United States, are motivated to use saunas predominantly for relaxation, reporting health benefits especially around mental well-being and sleep, with relatively few adverse effects.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31126560/
“Using a sauna in the summer will cool you down, reducing stress and re-balancing the body.”
When to avoid saunas
Certain health conditions are not compatible with saunas or steam rooms. If you have any of the following conditions, be sure to check with your doctor before using a sauna:
asthma or other breathing conditions
heart disease
those taking stimulants, tranquilizers, or other mind-altering drugs
epilepsy
very high or very low blood pressure
people under the influence of alcohol
are feeling ill
pregnancy (talk to your doctor, pregnant women have been using saunas in Finland for as long as they’ve existed)