Summarized review of conclusion:

Saunas have been used for thousands of years across the world, and there is growing evidence that there is more to them than just pure relaxation.  This research review, which investigated 7 different studies, with thousands of participants, concluded that there are many health benefits to regular sauna use ranging from decreased cardiovascular disease risk to improvement in symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  This shows us that regular sauna use, in addition to a balanced diet and sufficient exercise, could significantly reduce our risk of some of the major causes of death in our country which are cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Below I have referenced key quotes from this research to help summarize the results.

Quotes from the Article:

“The physiological responses produced by an ordinary sauna bath correspond to those produced by moderate- or high-intensity physical activity such as walking.”

“The beneficial effects of sauna baths on CVD and mortality may be mediated via reduction in blood pressure, improvement in endothelial function, reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation, beneficial modulation of the autonomic nervous system, improved lipid profile and arterial compliance, and improvement in the cardiorespiratory system.”

“Evidence suggests that sauna bathing improves lung function by improving vital capacity and volume, ventilation, and forced expiratory volume”

“Sauna bathing has been linked to an improvement in pain and symptoms associated with musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. 25,26 having sauna baths also improves headache disorders”

Introduction to the Research

This review summarizes the available epidemiological, experimental, and interventional evidence linking sauna bathing, cardiovascular outcomes, and other health benefits, the postulated biological mechanisms underlying these associations; areas of outstanding uncertainty; and implications for clinical practice.

Research Methodology

After various exclusions, the research review investigated seven different research articles which sought to find links between regular sauna use and increased health benefits including the reduction of cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia symptoms, hypertension, and more. The seven articles include over 10,000 total participants.

Research Findings

Beyond pleasure and relaxation, emerging evidence suggests that sauna bathing has several health benefits, which include reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and neuro-cognitive diseases; nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases including common flu; mortality; treatment of specific
skin conditions; as well as pain in conditions such as rheumatic diseases and headache.

Research References

As always with these reviews, these are my takeaways from the article and I encourage you to read the article in its entirety.  The references used in this article by the authors of this article are listed here.

Our Message

When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our St. Louis Park Chiropractors located in the West End, near the corner of MN-100 S & Lake Rd./Westside Dr., will teach you what the research says about how and why we should eat a better diet, move more and have more positive thoughts. By improving these areas of our lives we can become healthier, stay out of pain and reduce risk of diabetes and other diseases!