The relaxing, post-workout amenity may actually lead to a host of health benefits, research found

Don’t Skip the Sauna at the Gym—It Might Make You Feel Happier and Healthier, Study Finds Experts explain the findings and give their tips for regular sauna use

The relaxing, post-workout amenity may actually lead to a host of health benefits, research found

• In a new study, people who sauna regularly reported health benefits like increased energy and happiness, improved sleep, and fewer hypertension diagnoses.
• The heat from saunas and the social aspect of sauna bathing could be behind the positive health effects.
• When it comes to the ideal temperature, duration, and number of sauna sessions per week, experts said it largely depends on personal preference.

Indulging in a sauna session is a great way to unwind—now, new research suggests it might be connected to better health, too.

Building on anecdotal reports of the perks of sauna bathing—plus other research—a study published in December in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health found a host of wide-ranging benefits associated with the practice.

Participants who regularly sauna bathed reported less pain, lower levels of anxiety, elevated energy and happiness levels, improved sleep, and fewer high blood pressure diagnoses, the study found.

“Clearly time spent in the sauna is time well spent,” Rita Redberg, MD, professor of cardiology, core faculty at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, and director at the Inquiry Curriculum at the UCSF School of Medicine, told Health.

The study was conducted by researchers in Sweden, who surveyed 971 people between the ages of 25 and 74 about their sauna bathing habits. The 66% of participants who said they used the sauna had better “general and mental health.” And these mental health and improved energy benefits were seen in people who sauna bathed just one to four times monthly.

Here’s what experts had to say about the new research, why saunas could be associated with these positive health effects, and what to know before you add sauna bathing to your wellness routine.

Investigating Saunas’ Effect on the Body

This certainly isn’t the first study to look at the health benefits of sauna bathing, particularly among people in certain Nordic countries.

In Finland—where there are about 3.3 million saunas serving a population of 5.5 million people—researchers have found a link between frequent sauna bathing and a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease, fatal cardiovascular disease, and mortality from all causes.

Another Finnish review in 2018 concluded that sauna bathing is “linked to a remarkable array of health benefits” and can be helpful for people with cardiovascular disease.

This latest study out of Sweden adds to our understanding of how saunas impact health.

According to Thomas Heston, MD, clinical assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Washington, the most notable finding was the “9.1% absolute reduction in self-reported hypertension among sauna users,” which suggests that “regular sauna use might prevent one case of hypertension for every 11 users.”

This could potentially get close “to the effectiveness of some pharmaceutical therapies,” he told Health.

With mental health, too, sauna bathing seems to be associated with better outcomes. Just over 40% of study participants who used saunas reported feeling some anxiety or mild depression, as compared to nearly 47% of non-sauna bathers.

But even though the results seem promising, experts agreed more research needs to be done. This is especially true since the study “relied on participants’ recall,” explained Brent Bauer, MD, general internal medicine physician and former director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic.

Another potential limitation of the study is that it can’t prove whether saunas are actually causing these health benefits, Redberg explained.

The sauna could be responsible, she said, or it could be that people who sauna bathe more frequently tend to have more leisure time or a higher socioeconomic status. Even more simply, “it could be that healthier people are more likely to take saunas,” said Redberg.

These kinds of outside factors may have had an effect on this latest study’s results. Notably, the participants who reported using saunas were more likely to be younger and more active.

On the other hand, differences in reported stress levels may have been greater between the two groups had there not been a higher number of retirees in the study’s non-sauna group.

“I think we have to take the results with a grain of salt,” Bauer told Health. “Having said that, the fact that this study’s results are very similar and in line with many prior studies on sauna is a bit reassuring.”

Why Are Saunas Good for Your Health?

Though the study can’t prove causation, researchers do have theories about how sauna bathing could lead to better health, said study author Åsa Engström, PhD, RN, professor of nursing at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden.

For one, the key feature of saunas—their “heat exposure”—could be behind some of these positive health effects, Engström told Health. A 2024 review found various types of heat therapy have benefits ranging from a lower risk of dementia to reducing the severity of headache.

This could be because the physiological effects of sauna bathing are akin to what happens with moderate exercise, Heston explained. Exercise similarly has a wide range of positive effects, including better sleep, better cognitive health, lower risk of cancer and chronic conditions, and improved mental health.

Heat exposure “causes blood vessels to dilate, while cooling causes them to constrict,” said Heston. This offers a form of “vascular exercise,” which might help with blood vessel elasticity and blood pressure regulation, he said.

Similarly, this heat from saunas could explain its positive effects on sleep, mood, and pain, too.

The “post-sauna cooling process triggers thermoregulatory responses similar to natural sleep onset,” said Heston, which could help people relax. Heat can also trigger the release of endorphins, “which can reduce pain perception and improve mood,” he explained.

Beyond simply the physical effects of being in a sauna, Engström said she and her fellow researchers “think that the social part might be important in this” as well. Most of the sauna bathers in the study reported doing so with other people—these health benefits could be in part related to spending time with friends.

“There has been a lot of speculation. Some researchers suggest that it may be related to the effect of the high temperatures on the autonomic nervous system. Others have suggested it is more related to a profound relaxation response,” Bauer said. “I suspect there are multiple factors at play.”

Adding Sauna Bathing to Your Routine

Experts agreed sauna bathing more frequently could be good for your health. But when it comes to logistics, research doesn’t yet have a firm answer on what an ideal sauna routine looks like.

Some studies suggest that going to the sauna more frequently and for longer durations is linked to greater benefits, Bauer said. “So to some degree, having a sauna as often as practical may make sense for many of us,” he explained.

A 2017 study found that four to seven sauna sessions per week could bring greater blood pressure benefits specifically.

However, Hetson pointed out, the new study suggested that sauna benefits “plateaued” at the one to four sessions-per-month marker.

“Most participants used electric saunas at 60-80°C [or 140-176°F] for 15-20 minutes per session with one to two bouts, which they found to be sufficient for health benefits,” he explained.

When it comes to the specific type of sauna you should choose, Bauer and Hetson also agreed more research needs to be done.

Most studies have been done with traditional, or electric, saunas, Bauer explained. Infrared saunas are starting to grow in popularity, and though it’s likely safe to assume they have similar benefits, there isn’t much evidence just yet, he said.

“While this research used mainly electric saunas, no evidence suggests any particular sauna type is superior for health outcomes,” said Hetson.

It’s also important to note that sauna bathing should be done in tandem with other health interventions, Engström said. Sauna bathing should be complemented by nutritious eating, physical activity, and other healthy choices to boost your overall well-being.

Julia is a news reporter and editor for Health, where she covers breaking and trending news on health and wellness topics. Her work has been featured in The Heights, an independent student newspaper at Boston College, and Minnesota Monthly.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Brian Mastroianni