Sauna refers to
a room or device designed to help the user experience dry heat or steam.
Recently, infrared saunas that use infrared rays to heat up the body have also
been introduced. Saunas
have been used in various cultures for many years. Although there is
limited scientific research focusing on how sauna benefits the health, these
devices have been reported to have profound impact on the users.
Many sauna
enthusiasts cite stress reduction as the foremost of sauna benefits. Stress is medically associated with poor health. In
fact, most heart conditions are somehow related to stress. The sauna
environment, that shuts the user from the hustle and bustle of the world,
provides the quietness that the mind needs especially after a stressful day.
The heat in the sauna improves blood circulation, relaxes the body muscles and
also stimulates the release of the feel good chemical: endorphin. When
endorphin is released into the blood stream, it provides a wonderful sense of
wellness. When the elevated temperatures experienced during the sauna bath fall
at bedtime, the endorphin levels decline gradually thereby inducing deep sleep
in the night.
A person
suffering from muscle or joint pains like arthritis can find relief in the
saunas. The heat of the sauna causes a rise in body temperature leading to
vasodilatation. Vasodilatation increases blood circulation speeding up the
natural healing of the body by soothing the pains and aches in the joints and
muscles. The improved circulation also speeds up the healing of cuts and
bruises in the body. The heat from the sauna benefits the body by eliminating
lactic acid which accumulates in the muscles especially after participating in
a physical activity.
Many, if not all
people rarely experience active sweating on a daily basis during the winter.
Visiting the sauna could be a great way of improving sweating. The heat from
the sauna increases the body temperature and this rise in the amount of heat in
the body induces sweating. While sweating, the body is able to expel many toxins
from the blood acquired through the interaction with the environment. This
could be a great way of improving the health of the body since most illnesses
result from the accumulation of impurities in the body. Apart from removing
toxins, sweating cleanses the skin and unblocks the pores greatly improving the
health of the skin. Also, sweating requires vast amounts of energy from the
body making it an excellent way of dealing with excess calories stored in the
system.
Moreover, sauna
benefits the body by improving its cardiovascular performance. As the skin
heats up and the body temperature increases the blood vessels adjacent to the
skin dilate resulting in increased cardiac output. The cardiac output causes a
rise in heart rate followed by a deepening of the heart rate below the normal
during the cooling off period. This trains the heart muscles resulting in
improved heart rate.
Although there are many
sauna benefits, care should be taken to avoid any injuries or negative
effects on the body. A person experiencing dizziness, heart palpitations,
hypertension, menses or any other kind of sickness should avoid the sauna. In
fact, before deciding to go for a sauna bath, seek the advice of a physician.
