The health benefits of regular sauna use have been recognized for thousands of years by the Finnish people, where one in three people relax in a sauna regularly. In the United States, saunas are thought of as a luxury, rarely used by most people unless it’s at a spa or after a gym workout. That’s a shame because there are multiple benefits to using a sauna that can have a lasting, positive impact on your overall health.
Detox
When you sweat, your body releases toxins, washing them out of your system. If you’ve over-indulged or are feeling bloated, detoxing in a dry heat sauna is an excellent way to get rid of that sluggish feeling. As you sweat, your pores open and release dirt and grime build-up as well, deep cleansing your pores for healthier, clearer skin. Many people with psoriasis find that the sauna clears up their skin rash.
Cardiovascular Benefits
When your body warms up, your heart rate increases, your blood vessels dilate, and your circulation improves. All of this is good for the heart and increases oxygen levels in the brain. Heart function improves, and blood pressure may go down. With regular use, the chance of a severe cardiac event can drop by as much as 40% versus someone in similar health who doesn’t use a sauna.
Breathing
The warm, dry heat of a sauna helps asthma sufferers, opening bronchial tubes and loosening phlegm. It can also relieve the congestion of a cold or upper respiratory infection.
Pain Relief
Aching joints and sore, stiff muscles respond well to the warmth of a sauna. Muscles relax, and the gentle heat soothes pain in your joints. Increased blood circulation speeds healing as well.
Weight Loss
Although diet and exercise should always be key components of weight loss, using a sauna can augment your efforts. The dry heat increases your core body temperature, and heart rate in much the same way exercise does. This helps burn calories. Some studies have shown that 30 minutes in an infrared sauna can burn up to 600 calories.
Relaxation
Lounging in a sauna not only soothes away the kinks and feels luxurious, but it also helps regulate your body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol. Heat decreases tightness in your muscles and allows you to truly relax, soothing away tension trapped in your body.
Types of Sauna
Most saunas use dry heat to warm the body. Wood burning and electrically heated saunas provide their benefits by heating up the air in the sauna, increasing your body temperature. A more recent and efficient sauna style is the infrared sauna, which uses far-infrared light waves to heat the body rather than the air surrounding you.
If relaxing and unwinding while improving your health sounds good to you, consider regular visits to a medical spa like inhstl.com, where infrared sauna use is one of the many healthy offerings for an improved lifestyle.
