Saunas have been around for a long time, in-fact the first discovered remains of saunas were found 2000 years ago, built underground and lined with rocks. Saunas are still in use today, where nowadays we have more modern technologies and structures, but the main idea of them still persists - Heat and steam.

I have become increasingly interested in what ways saunas can help with our health and wellbeing. Below you will find details on the different types of saunas you can commonly find today, their respected health benefits and also the potential risks you have to be aware about.

I hope to inspire you to try out saunas some time if you have not yet and experience the acclaimed advantages yourself.

Enjoy the heat :)

TYPES OF SAUNAS

Finish sauna (80-100 ºC)

These have originated in Finland, and are both an integral part of finish and Estonian culture. These saunas can either be warmed through burning real wood or though means of electricity.
The heat produced from burning or electricity is used to heat up special rocks inside the sauna, onto which you pour some water to create hot stream.
These saunas are very hot, but low humidity, designed for you to spend no longer than 20 minutes otherwise you could risk becoming dehydrated or dizzy.

Infrared sauna (45 - 55 ºC)

Infrared saunas work differently to finish saunas in the sense that they are warmed through infrared panels that radiate electromagnetic radiation. which in turn warm your body.
These saunas operate at a lower temperature, but it is estimated that about 80% of the emitted radiation goes directly into your body which means that you actually experience more heat and sweating at a lower temperature. This also enables you to last longer in this type of sauna and tolerate the heat more.

Turkish steam sauna (30 to 55 ºC)

A Turkish saunas also traditionally known as a hamman is a steam based sauna that has its roots in the islamic world and was actually developed from roman bath houses.
These saunas are decorated with tiles, unlike dry heat saunas that use wooden components. Turkish saunas may have added oils and smells into the air which are designed to deepen your breathing and open up your airways.

BENEFITS OF SAUNAS

Relieving Muscle and Joint Pain

When being in such a hot environment as a sauna, your heart rate rises due to blood capillaries at the surface of your skin dilating to help with controlling your core body temperature by heat loss. This increase in circulation means that your muscles are able to get a greater blood supply and the lactic acid that makes muscle sore is able to be broken down faster.
In this way, better circulation helps with smoother joint movement and may also ease arthritis while simultaneously relaxing your muscle tissue.

Relaxation and Stress Reduction

Sitting in a sauna is commonly done as a way to relax your body and mind. The way this works is that saunas decrease the levels of the hormone cortisol in our blood which is responsible for making us feel stressed and rising our heart rate. Instead saunas promote the production of serotonin, which uplifts our mood. Feel free to read more about stress management here.
On another note, by reducing stress, saunas can also potentially strengthen our immune system, as being chronically stressed weakens our immure system. You can find out more about how to take care of your immune system here.

Improvement of Cardiovascular Health

Regular and consistent use of saunas has been shown by studies to over time lower your resting heart rate which is beneficial for your heart as this way the heart muscle is not over worked.
In this way, sauna use has been shown to lower cases of fatal cardiac incidents, strokes and lowering blood pressure, which are some of the most common health problems the world is currently facing.

Promotes Good Healthy Skin

Frequent use of saunas, depending on your skin type, could help with improving the appearance and health of your skin. The heat in saunas improves blood circulation which in turn causes you to sweat which makes it easier to remove and replace the top layer of dead skin cells while simultaneously boosting collagen production in you skin which gives it a more elastic and plump feeling.
Additionally, sweating in saunas cleanses your skin by rinsing bacteria out of the epidermal (top) layer of your skin as well as your sweat ducts, which keeps your skin in good working condition.

Helps with Muscle Recovery and Soreness

Some studies have indicated a link between using saunas and preserving muscle mass and athletic performance. Regular sauna use helps with muscle relaxation and in turn helps with muscle soreness, which can be very beneficial for people who are very athletic.
Additionally the increased circulation from saunas allows for better blood circulation around your lower back area which can help alleviate lower back pain while simultaneously making your muscles less tense.

Useful Treatment for Asthma

Saunas in particular high steam Turkish saunas may be helpful for people who suffer from asthma as the heat and humidity helps open your airways and in this way improve your breathing, removal of phlegm and easing coughing.

Better and Deeper Sleep

Interestingly, saunas have also been shown to improve your sleep quality after using them, as after using a sauna our body temperature and level of endorphins falls, especially around bed time, which helps our body fall asleep.
Find out more about how to depend and improve your sleeping here.

Detoxification

Although our liver is the primary detoxification organ in our body, through extensive sweating we are able to remove small quantities of toxins in our body such as any traces of heavy metals that we come into contact in our daily environment (copper, lead, zinc, mercury and nickel).

POTENTIAL RISKS

Going into a sauna and spending too much time in there can definitely lead to some negative side effects. It is also recommended that if you are a beginner with going to saunas, start with 5 -10 minutes and gradually increase your time spent in there as you feel comfortable.

If yo spend too long in a saunas you can risk the following:

Dehydration
Dizziness
Temporarily lower fertility for men

PRECAUTIONS

There is however a couple of things to keep in mind when going into saunas:

Amount of time spent in a saunas
Drinking plenty of water before and after a sauna
No drinking alcohol before entering

It is not suitable to enter a saunas if you:

Have elevated blood pressure
Have experienced serious heart issues in the past
Are pregnant
Are ill (although saunas can help with blocked sinuses)

I hope you found this guide on saunas and their respected health benefits useful and will potentially look into trying saunas for yourself to see the acclaimed benefits.

As stated above, start with lower time spans and lower temperature saunas and over time build up your heat tolerance.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate it a lot.