How to Use the Sauna For General Health

Benefits of the Sauna:

Overall Benefits

• Improves stress response

  • Decreases cortisol levels

  • Increases heat shock protein activation

• Removes toxins through sweating

• Reduces muscle soreness

• Reduces inflammation

Cardiovascular Benefits

• Increases heart rate

• Increases blood flow

• Reduces blood pressure

• Reduces risk of stroke

Brain Benefits

• Increases blood flow to the brain

• Reduces risk of dementia

How to Get these Benefits:

• Ensure sauna is between 80-100° C or 176-212° F

• Stay in the sauna for 5-20 minutes per session

• Aim for a minimum of 2-3 sessions per week

  • The more the merrier: Increased sauna frequency is shown to increase benefits

• Stay hydrated during sauna sessions

  • Ideally, consume 16 oz of water for every 10 minutes of sauna exposure

References:

https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-018-1198-0

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7560162/