The Health Benefits of Regular Sauna Use

Humidity and healing surround her

Dousing yourself in hot steam sounds wonderfully relaxing, but what are you actually getting outside of just some comfort? A sauna is something we often take when we want to unwind, but we usually have to visit a swimming pool or leisure center in order to get one. However, despite these limitations, saunas are incredibly popular all over the world and some would argue that there are even some mystical healing properties and health benefits of using one.

Humidity and healing surround her
Healing in the sauna. This woman is deep in relaxation mode. Pixabay image (Creative Commons).

What exactly is a sauna?

Since many people can get confused about what a sauna is, let’s go over the basics. A sauna is typically a room that is heated with various types of devices. The room reaches anywhere from 70 to 100 degrees centigrade (158 to 212 Fahrenheit) and there’s around 10 to 20 percent humidity. There are different styles of sauna, with some involving dryer heat and some that have even more humidity. Saunas typically raise the temperature of your skin, forcing you to sweat and increasing your heart rate.

What are saunas used for?

In most cases, a sauna is used after a stressful period such as work. It’s used to relax the muscles, unwind and reduce stress caused by our regular day of work. However, now that more research has been conducted, we’re starting to discover that a sauna actually has numerous health benefits that can be a great boon to our bodies. With saunas being more readily available, such as infrared saunas that offer the highest quality with a great price margin and can be used at home, it’s becoming more and more common to see people using saunas to their advantage. To give you a bit more of an idea, here are some additional benefits to using a sauna

  • Saunas can relieve stress which makes them perfect for unwinding after a long day at work in the office
  • Saunas can cleanse your skin thanks to the heat that you are exposed to. One of the most ancient methods of clearing your skin and improving your health is heat bathing, which is made to stimulate sweating and remove dead skin cells as well as clear impurities in your skin. This keeps your body in a healthy condition and rinses out any bacteria in the upper layers of your skin.
  • Saunas can help reduce pain due to its effects on your blood circulation. It can help to reduce muscle soreness, improve joint movement and even reduce arthritis pain. In addition to feeling relaxed and unstressed, the improved blood flow can give body-wide benefits.
  • Saunas can help you lose weight due to the sweating process. The body burns calories when your heart activity accelerates, and being in a sauna can help you improve that process. Since your heart pumps faster in a sauna, it forces your body to use up more energy and oxygen which converts those calories into energy. It’s not a miracle weight loss solution, but it does assist in addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Saunas are becoming more and more affordable thanks to alternatives like infrared saunas, making these health benefits more and more tempting for people at home.

24 thoughts on “The Health Benefits of Regular Sauna Use”

  1. I love the sauna. Whenever I’m in Finland I go as often as possible and of course there are lots and lots of benefits according to the Finnish, and plenty of sayings too. They say a woman is at her most beautiful one hour after the sauna and that if sauna and vodka don’t help it’s probably incurable 😄 For me it’s mostly cleansing and relaxing and I enjoy a cold beer afterwards 😉

    1. Ohhhh I want to join you for one of those outings as they sound delightful from start to finish ;) I’ll just substitute the beer for a glass of red wine, please. Sending love <3

    2. Oh Christy, you’d be more than welcome! Imagine being by the lake on a long summer evening. A wood burning sauna a refreshing swim in the lake after. Reflecting on life with a beer or a glass of wine.. Does life get any better? Sending hugs and happy thoughts 💕

    3. That sounds amazing. It’s the art of living a full life ~ and we’ll be there :) Thanks for the sweet words and I feel the love <3

  2. There are also infrared saunas which many naturopaths advocate for. I almost got one once, then we moved, now hot enough room for one. Infrared saunas are supposed to be very therapeutic for many ailments. :) xo

  3. Wow Christy, this sent me on a search for a sauna in my town. I’ve located a few with reasonable rates that look wonderful. Will be calling tomorrow. Thanks for this great post :) ♥

  4. Hi Christy!
    This is a great post. We recently bought a far infrared sauna and love it. I really enjoy coming across articles that talk about the benefits of indulging in some sauna time. Thanks again!

    <3 Alana

  5. Hi Christy. I know saunas are supposed to be healthy… but the ice cream melts so fast in there… Har-dee-har… (eye roll at my silliness). Back when I first lived in Albuquerque, the only parking (for work) that I could lease was on the top, uncovered floor of the garage. Imagine how hot my car was in the summer after a day of that in a desert climate. But the bright side was — I had my own sauna every day.
    Huge hugs, my friend.

  6. I’ve never had a sauna, Christy. I don’t know why, but I was under the impression that they were high humidity atmospheres. I enjoy a dry heat – I should try one. Thanks for the information!

Leave a Reply


%d bloggers like this: