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Sweat it Out

Dianne Villani, FNP-C • Jan 05, 2022

Relaxing in a sauna is a time-tested tradition in cold countries like Finland and Sweden, and Original Peoples have long used sweat lodges for spiritual ceremonies. In recent years, scientists have begun exploring sauna use for its potential health benefits. Evidence is mounting that sauna use — particularly of a high-quality infrared sauna —  can enhance wellness in several ways. Saunas may improve cardiovascular health, exercise recovery, immune function, detox capacity, diabetes, depression, skin and wound healing, and of course, stress management.

Cardiovascular Health

Infrared sauna sessions raise your heart rate and increase circulation similar to the way a cardio workout does. Blood flow during infrared sauna use may rise from a normal rate of 5-7 quarts/minute to up to 13 quarts/minute. This increase in blood flow makes the heart work harder which, in turn, makes it stronger. This kind of “passive cardio” workout is especially helpful for people with injuries or conditions like fibromyalgia, POTS, or chronic fatigue syndrome that preclude them from high intensity activities.

Muscular Health

Those who can and do work out also benefit from the increased circulation that comes with sauna use. Exercise causes muscle breakdown. During recovery, the body heals that damage and rebuilds muscles to become even stronger. Good circulation is critical for proper healing. The more blood cells that can get delivered to muscles, the quicker they rebuild, increasing strength and boosting metabolism. This reduces risk of injury, improves bone density and may even help with excess body fat.

Immunity and Detox

Fever is one of the body’s first lines of defense against infectious organisms, such as viruses and bacteria. It hinders temperature-sensitive organisms from reproducing in the body and increases the rates of some important immunological reactions. Saunas can mimic fevers, intentionally raising the body temperature for therapeutic effect. Infrared light penetrates to the cellular level. Infrared heating technology gives you the highest quality and quantity of infrared clinically proven to raise core body temperature by three degrees.

Stress Reduction

Unwinding in a sauna just feels good! The soothing heat is the perfect setting for practicing mindfulness. Using a sauna therapy session to slow down and meditate can help with mental stress reduction. Meditation has been proven to reduce inflammation, cortisol, and cytokine chemicals and increase a sense of calm. A University of Wisconsin-Madison study found raising the body temperature of depressed volunteers to the equivalent of a mild fever brought improvement in symptoms of major depression for as long as six weeks after a single treatment.

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We are happy to offer the myriad benefits of our Medical-Grade Far Infrared sauna therapy services right here at the Healing Collective in Niwot, CO. Call to schedule your Sauna Appointment today!

RESOURCES

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Beever et al. Do Far-infrared Saunas Have Cardiovascular Benefits in People with Type 2 Diabetes? Canadian Journal of Diabetes. 2010;34(2):113-118. Available online, here .

Clemens W. Janssen et al. Whole-Body Hyperthermia for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1031

Ernst E, Pecho E, Wirz P, Saradeth T. Regular sauna bathing and the incidence of common colds . Ann Med. 1990;22(4):225-227. doi:10.3109/07853899009148930

Evans SS, Repasky EA, Fisher DT. Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat. Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-349. doi:10.1038/nri3843

Harry T. Whelan, Robert L. SmitsJr., Ellen V. Buchman, Noel T. Whelan, Scott G. Turner, David A. Margolis, Vita Cevenini, Helen Stinson, Ron Ignatius, Todd Martin, Joan Cwiklinski, Alan F. Philippi, William R. Graf, Brian Hodgson, Lisa Gould, Mary Kane, Gina Chen, and James Caviness. Effect of NASA Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing . Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine & Surgery. Dec 2001; 305-314. http://doi.org/10.1089/104454701753342758

Imamura M, Biro S, Kihara T, et al. Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;38(4):1083-1088. doi:10.1016/s0735-1097(01)01467-x

Lee JH, Roh MR, Lee KH. Effects of infrared radiation on skin photo-aging and pigmentation. Yonsei Med J. 2006; 47(4):485-490. doi:10.3349/ymj.2006.47.4.485

Ketelhut S, Ketelhut RG. The blood pressure and heart rate during sauna bath correspond to cardiac responses during submaximal dynamic exercise. Complement Ther Med. 2019;44:218-222. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2019.05.002

Mero A, Tornberg J, Mäntykoski M, Puurtinen R. Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men. Springerplus. 2015;4:321. Published 2015 Jul 7. doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1093-5

Sears ME, Kerr KJ, Bray RI. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review. J Environ Public Health. 2012;2012:184745. doi:10.1155/2012/184745

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