People throughout the world maintain a broad range of methods to cleanse a person’s body and mind. They are rooted very deeply in human culture worldwide. In modern America particularly, these practices are far too neglected. We need them as much or even more than other people.
Sauna is one example of this tradition. Some of them are focused more on physical health, whereas others, like Native American sweat lodges are core elements of a spiritual practice You are probably familiar with another cleansing tradition, nose rinses, a practice growing out of Ayurvedic medicine.
In Finland, sauna is so deeply engrained in the culture that there are as many saunas in Finland as there are households. To the Finns sauna has its own folk spiritual elementals, such as its own elf, the saunatonttu. The word Finns use for the steam in the sauna is also used for soul, spirit and breath.
Misguided Medical Advice
Medical doctors, in this country at least, have been warning people about the dangers of saunas. In particular, heart patients have been warned to stay out of saunas. It turns out that advice was 180 degrees wrong. Taking saunas is good for us, especially those with heart disease. For example, we know that sauna improves the performance of the heart itself as well as the health of heart muscle. Sauna use reduces serious heart irregularities in patients who have heart failure. Saunas also lower blood pressure and speed up recovery from heart attacks.
As far as sauna’s benefit and safety for people with heart disease, there is a single exception. People with one specific heart valve problem – narrowing of the aortic valve, should be very cautious or maybe even avoid saunas.
An Important New Study
We know much more from a brand new study coming out of, where else, Finland. Investigators followed over 2,300 middle aged Finnish males for two decades to learn how sauna use impacted death rates, especially those due to heart disease. Because Finns sauna so much, the control group only saunaed once a week. The midrange group saunaed two or three times weekly and the high range group used the sauna at least four times a week. Each sauna bath ranged from 2 minutes to 90 minutes, averaging just over 14 minutes. Average sauna temperature was 175 degrees.
First, they looked at sudden cardiac death (SCD) and found that, compared to once a week, those who saunaed 2-3/week had a 22% lower chance of sudden cardiac death. The four or more times a week group, were a whopping 63% less likely to die from SCD. They also found that longer was better. An average sauna time of 19 minutes or more lowered SCD risk compared to 11 minutes or less by 52%.
Second, they looked at coronary heart disease (CHD) and found that, compared to once a week, those who saunaed 2-3/week had a 23% lower chance of death. The four or more times a week group, were 48% less likely to die. Again, they found that longer was better. An average sauna time of 19 minutes or more lowered CHD death risk compared to 11 minutes or less by 36%.
Next, they looked at coronary vascular disease (CVD) and found that, compared to once a week, those who saunaed 2-3/week had a 27% lower chance of death. The four or more times a week group, were 50% less likely to die. Yet again, they found that longer was better. An average sauna time of 19 minutes or more lowered CVD death risk compared to 11 minutes or less by 24%.
Next, they looked at death for any reason and saw the same things. They found that, compared to once a week, those who saunaed 2-3/week had a 24% lower chance of death. The four or more times a week group, were 40% less likely to die. Still again, they found that longer was better. An average sauna time of 19 minutes or more lowered CVD death risk compared to 11 minutes or less by 53%.
They observed that certain groups experienced the strongest impact of sauna. These groups were, nonsmokers, type 2 diabetes and those whose fitness was poor.
This study leads to several very clear conclusions. First, saunas are generally good for the heart. Second, the more a middle aged man saunas (more often and longer saunas) the better off he will be.
Other Sauna Benefits
Saunas provide many other health benefits. In various studies, saunas have been shown to help patients with chronic lung disease and chronic pain patients. They improve fibromyalgia symptoms. Saunas relieve anxiety symptoms. Regular sauna use also appears to improve psoriasis. Studies of patients with upper respiratory viral illnesses indicate that sauna reduces symptoms, speeds up recovery and helps people use less medication.
The effects are not only evident among the sick. Saunas improve physical performance in youth soccer players and adult endurance runners.
Another ill-informed but persistent warning about sauna has been that pregnant women should stay out. Ironically, the sauna is where Finnish women traditionally birthed their babies. The only pregnant women who need to avoid saunas are those with toxemia (ask your health care provider).
Combining sauna w alcohol isn’t a good idea. Women with lymphedema (arm swelling following breast cancer surgery) probably should avoid saunas. It may seen counterintuitive, but Scandinavian women with the disease scleroderma, which causes serious circulation problems in their extremities, have told me that sauna’s make their condition worse. Some of them suggested that a cooler sauna might be fine.
Infrared Saunas
How about infrared saunas? There hasn’t been much research on infrared saunas so far as nearly all the studies have come out of Scandinavia, where there isn’t much interest in abandoning the traditional sauna.There is a very small amount of evidence that infrared sauna might have similar benefits for patients with heart disease or diabetes. One study provided evidence suggesting that regular lifelong infrared sauna use might reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
How to Sauna
How should you sauna? The tradition I experienced taught me this method:
- Heat the sauna to 175
- Shower
- Enter the sauna and get comfortable
- Throw a ladle of water on the coals when you want
- Stay there until you get really warm (say 10 – 15 minutes)
- Leave the sauna for a short, cool shower or bath (nearby lake!)
- Repeat the cycle twice more
- Relax with a cool drink
Remember to go slow when you get out, and leave the sauna if you don’t feel well.
Tack sa myket!