Take a seat in a 200℉ room and you’ll notice your heart rate start to increase, just like it does during a workout. Dr. Nair explains that exercise creates a temporary stressful period of activity, followed by recovery. Being in a sauna is similar: Stress hormones are increased, but when you leave the sauna, the body recovers from this brief period of stress. (Cold plunges work similarly, by the way.) Scientific research shows that eight weeks of sitting in a sauna for 15 minutes after exercising three times a week improves V02 max more than just exercising alone.
3. Regular sauna sessions could help with ED
This one is a bit of a stretch, but hear us out: By now you know that one of the sauna benefits is increased blood circulation. This includes increased blood flow to the penis, which could help with erectile dysfunction. While scientists haven’t studied using a sauna specifically for this purpose, there is vast scientific research showing that good blood flow means good erections.
4. It’s good for your skin
Whether your idea of skincare is splashing your face with water or you have a whole seven-step routine, using a sauna can make your skin look even better. “The heat from the sauna increases blood flow and circulation, which can help nourish the skin and give it a healthy glow. Sweating in the sauna also helps to flush out toxins from the skin, unclogging pores, and potentially reducing the incidence of acne,” says dermatologist Hannah Kopelman, DO.
Infrared saunas have skin benefits too. “An infrared sauna uses infrared light to generate heat, which penetrates deeper into the skin and tissues. This can lead to more intense detoxification,” Dr. Kopelman says. Scientific research shows that infrared saunas can also help with hyperpigmentation and slow the appearance of wrinkles.
Dr. Kopelman emphasizes that all three types of saunas are great for skin health, so no matter which one you use, your skin will look better than ever.
5. You might get sick less often if you use a sauna
One single sauna session isn’t going to cure COVID or anything, but scientific research does show that using a sauna regularly improves immune health. Dr. Nair explains that this comes back to temporarily putting stress on the body causing short-term inflammation. It “trains” the body to recover from this short-term stress, which carries over into recovering from other types of bodily stress, like getting sick.
6. It could make you a better athlete
There’s a reason why so many gyms have a sauna; incorporating it into your workout routine can help you up your game. In one scientific study, people who regularly hit the sauna for three weeks after working out could run 32% further than the control group that didn’t use it. Better cardiovascular health (including improved V02 max) will upgrade your athletic performance—period.
While sauna sessions can help athletic performance, Dr. Branch says it isn’t likely to help with burning fat or weight loss. She says the impact would be minimal, if any.
7. Using a sauna is good for brain health
You may feel a little hazy immediately after using a sauna, but in the long run, Dr. Nair says there are neurological benefits to using one regularly. He points to scientific research connecting sauna use to a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. In one study, men who used a sauna four to seven times a week had a 65% reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s than men who used a sauna once a week. Why? Dr. Nair says it, yet again, comes back to the benefits of increased blood flow. Good blood flow to the brain gets brain cells the nutrients they need while removing harmful toxins.
8. Relaxation
The simple fact that sitting in a sauna (or wrapping yourself up in an infrared blanket) is relaxing shouldn’t be overlooked. All three experts emphasize that prolonged high-levels of stress are bad for the entire body—heart, brain, skin, gut, all of it.
Tips for getting the most out of your sauna sessions
There are clearly a lot of sauna benefits, but going once or twice isn’t going to do much. Dr. Nair emphasizes that in order to get the maximum health benefits, it’s important to use a sauna regularly—just like many people living in Finland, Iceland, or Japan do. He recommends doing it a few times a week for 15 to 20 minutes. You can tack it on to the end of your workouts as a way to reward tired muscles, since many gyms have saunas. (All the experts say you don’t have to wait until after a workout to use a sauna; your body will benefit no matter when you do it.)
If you’ve never used a sauna before, Dr. Nair says to start slowly. You may want to do it for just five minutes the first time and slowly work your way up to 15 or 20 minutes. He adds that it’s also important to hydrate before and after using a sauna, since you’re going to be sweating a lot. If you feel light-headed or faint, that’s a sign to step out of the sauna or steam room and take a break.
Don’t invite anyone you know is pregnant to go to the sauna with you. Dr. Branch says people who are pregnant should avoid saunas because it can raise body temperature, which could harm the fetus.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that frequenting a sauna does a body good. After all, most things that make you sweat are beneficial. And in general, Americans can learn from other cultures and do a better job of prioritizing relaxing activities, like sauna bathing. Heating the body up might just be one of the healthiest ways to chill.
