Top Five Benefits of Having a Sauna Bath

Benefits of Sauna Bath

Sauna is commonly used for relaxation or a recreational activity during winter. Ever since then many health benefits of sauna bathing emerged. It uses the concept of gentle and persistent heat to promote overall wellbeing. People use sauna for different reasons, and most probably those reasons are for a good cause. Learn the different benefits of sauna and have more reasons why you should have a sauna bath.

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Why you should have a sauna bath once in a while

1. Relieves stress

Stressors in life harm both mental and physical health resulting to anxiety, depression, or disease. This is why most people use sauna as a relaxation technique to relieve stress. It is the most common and immediate benefit of using sauna. The quiet and warm space clears the mind from any distraction and gives you more time to focus on yourself. It promotes mental health effectively that it even promotes quality of sleep.

2. Detoxification

Detoxification is one of the benefits of sauna because it produces sweat by opening the pores and promoting vasodilation. Sweating is a natural process where the body releases heat and accumulated toxins. You actually sweat out what you don’t need like fat and harmful chemicals.

3. Relaxes the muscles

This is one popular reason why people use sauna after a workout. Heat promotes vasodilation and blood circulation. As the body temperature increase, blood circulation gets even better. More oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the muscles causing relaxation. Heat also stimulates the release of endorphins which produces a natural tranquilizing effect to the muscles.

4. Relieves almost all body pain

Heat is a natural remedy to diffuse any kind of pain because of vasodilation. When blood vessels are dilated the body becomes less sensitive to painful stimuli. Heat also enhances the healing process of the body. This is the reason why health professionals recommend hot compress for wounds.

5. Promotes weight loss

Weight loss is another benefit of sauna. The persistent heat generated from sauna increases the body’s core temperature. The principle of metabolism is based on thermogenesis. Increased body temperature also increases metabolic processes in the body.

Some would not believe that sauna promotes weight loss, but they cannot explain why the heart rate increases. Perspiration and increased heart rate are actually signs of increased metabolic processes. The effect of sauna is like a mild exercise where you burn 350-500 calories in one session.

Tips to maximize the benefits of your sauna bath:

• During a sauna bath, brush the skin on your belly, thigh, and arms using upward strokes. This stimulates the pores to open more and further improves blood circulation.
• Drink plenty of water before and after your sauna bath. Also, don’t go into the sauna after a heavy meal.
• The best time for sauna is late in the evening. It is also better to use sauna after exercise or playing sports.
• Clothes decrease the effectiveness of the sauna bath, so don’t hesitate to go with less – it’s more effective.
• Shower after 10-15 minutes or as necessary to help you cool down. Have a cool shower after to close your pores. Don’t use soap initially because it may clog the pores.
• Rest after your sauna session and let your body adjust with the change in temperature.

Safety Precautions:

There are benefits of a sauna bath but there are also precautions needed. Spend less time in the sauna if you have a medical condition. People with hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic health problems are allowed to use the sauna for a maximum of 15 minutes only. It is safe to use sauna for 15-20 minutes but don’t go more than 30 minutes because it will make you lose more water and electrolytes. People are also advised to avoid drinking alcohol before entering the sauna. Most sauna adverse events are associated with alcohol consumption.