18 sauna benefits, risks, and safety

Sauna use | Types of saunas | Sauna benefits | Who should avoid saunas | Safety and etiquette 

As part of managing an injury, recovering from a vigorous workout, or just relaxing, saunas are a holistic option for rejuvenation. The benefits of saunas are many, but some specific populations should use saunas with caution—or avoid them altogether. Here we will discuss how a sauna can improve one’s quality of life while reviewing the caution that should be practiced. 

Why do people use saunas?

There are many potential benefits to using saunas, including: 

• Muscle recovery
• Improved exercise performance
• Relaxation and stress management
• Improved sleep
• Detoxification
• Skin health
• Antiaging
• Stress management
• Increased metabolism 
• Weight loss
• Mental health support
• Immune function support
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Reduced asthma symptoms
• Central nervous system (CNS) support
• Immune-mediated disease management
• Reduction of symptoms in chronic pain conditions

With so many benefits, it’s easy to think saunas are the colloquial “fountain of youth.” However, excess use of saunas comes with some danger. Saunas may cause some side effects in individuals sensitive to them, including dizziness and hypotension. Therefore, the safest way to enjoy the benefits of a sauna is to sit with your back supported; don’t lay down. In addition, the time spent in the sauna should be tracked, especially if sensitive to a hot environment or when extra exhausted. When used safely, saunas can be used daily—but users should abide by the safety measures addressed above. 

Types of saunas

Saunas are anything but one-size-fits-all. There are three major categories of saunas, and each may help support the various benefits to varying degrees. It’s important to research which type of sauna will provide the sought health advantage. 

Dry saunas 

Dry saunas provide just what they sound like—dry heat—in the air around you in the cabin and is the mechanism by which the body is warmed. These saunas are very popular in Scandinavian countries. The heat is generated by burning wood or by using an electric heater. The body begins heating from the outside, slowly warming up toward muscles and organs. Dry saunas are usually very hot, with temperatures ranging from 150̊F to 195̊F. It may be difficult to tolerate this type of sauna due to the high temperatures. Dry saunas can produce some steam when water is thrown on hot rocks, but in general, steam saunas are their own category.

Steam saunas (steam room) 

Steam saunas use a generator filled with boiling water to heat the sauna to an average temperature of 110̊F. The boiling water creates a humid, or wet, environment. The benefits of a steam sauna focus on improving blood circulation, which may serve to manage the recovery of stiff muscles from exercise and reduce inflammation in joints in arthritis patients. The increased circulation in the skin, allowing for improved oxygen blood flow, may promote collagen and elastin production. Elastin fibers help to maintain skin resiliency and elasticity, so regular steam saunas may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, among other skin benefits. 

Infrared saunas 

Infrared saunas represent a newer technology in the sauna world and use infrared light and heat waves, transmitted by carbon heaters. This technology essentially heats you from the inside out and can penetrate heat deeper into the skin and neuromuscular system than warmed air alone. Unlike dry saunas, the air in the structure itself is not heated, and therefore the benefits can be enjoyed at lower temperatures—somewhere around 120̊F and 140̊F. This is a much more comfortable and tolerable temperature for most people but still causes the benefits of intense sweat.

What are the benefits of a sauna?

1. Muscle Recovery

Perhaps one of the most well-known benefits of sauna bathing is the impact on muscle recovery. Infrared sauna use as recovery from both strength and endurance training sessions revealed that 30-minute sessions both decrease post-workout muscle soreness and boosted recovery. The heat boosts the circulation of oxygen- and nutrient-dense blood throughout the body, assisting muscles damaged by exercise to repair. 

2. Improved exercise performance

While regular use of a sauna will not improve one’s fitness on its own, endurance performance is improved for runners who recover in a sauna after training. In addition, the body may adapt to heat stress through regular use of a sauna, allowing athletes to exercise more efficiently and possibly perform better in warm temperatures. 

3. Relaxation and stress management

Saunas, especially infrared saunas, have been observed to help lower cortisol to below-average levels following their use. Cortisol, sometimes called the stress hormone, plays an important role throughout many organs. It helps to control metabolism, inflammation, blood pressure, blood sugars, and stress levels. Therefore, a reduction in cortisol can positively impact the body from many perspectives, including feelings of stress and anxiety. 

4. Improved sleep

Our body keeps the cortisol level in check throughout the day. As it relates to establishing a 24-hour circadian rhythm, it pairs off with melatonin (a sleep hormone) to establish our traditional sleep-wake cycles. Reducing cortisol through regular use of sauna bathing may improve sleep. If you’re struggling with sleep or waking up in the middle of the night, try incorporating sauna bathing into your routine to help support a normal circadian rhythm with decreased circulating cortisol. 

5. Detoxification

Sauna bathing has been associated with detoxing the body from heavy metals and toxic chemicals stored in fat cells. Sweating can also release toxins stored in fat since sauna use can increase fat turnover. A third mechanism by which sauna bathing allows for detoxification is that the temperature rise mimics that seen with fevers. This environment can trigger the immune system by activating cells that release Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs), whose protective function is to activate cells that eliminate ineffective, mutated, and dead cells.  

6. Skin health

There are many realized benefits that saunas, specifically steam saunas, offer to skin health. The heat promotes circulation, while the steam opens pores. The improved circulation delivers oxygen to the skin, producing a natural, healthy glow. The effect on pores is cleansing and can release acne-causing bacteria and sebum. The steam also hydrates the skin and acts as a natural moisturizer. 

7. Antiaging

In addition to overall skin health benefits, the heat and increased blood circulation experienced in sauna bathing promote collagen and elastin production, which can result in firmer skin. 

8. Weight loss

Weight loss related to regular sauna use is nominal and probably due to a combination of a few factors. The immediate weight loss observed upon leaving a sauna is loss of water weight. Harvard Health reports people can lose up to a pint of sweat in a single session of sauna use. Being dehydrated long-term is not good for the body’s overall function, so it’s important not to confuse weight loss with dehydration. 

9. Increased metabolism

Sitting in a sauna bath may also contribute to weight loss by increasing metabolism since the heat does cause an increase in heart rate which may promote calorie burn. However, this effect is likely minimal and should only be considered one aspect of a weight loss journey. 

 10. Mental health support

Saunas, specifically infrared saunas, increase dopamine production. Adequate circulating dopamine is important for managing depression, as dopamine has been touted as our natural antidepressant.

 11. Immune function support

Sauna bathing may boost the immune system since it has been linked to reduced risk of respiratory infections like pneumonia. In one study, those who used a sauna greater than equal to 4  weekly and those who used a sauna 2 to 3 times weekly showed a decrease in the diagnosis of pneumonia to a cohort that reported less frequent sauna use by 47% and 33%, respectively. However, sauna use should be avoided during the acute phase of infection due to an increased risk of side effects like dizziness and dehydration. When used cautiously during sinus congestion, a steam sauna can open up congested blood vessels and provide relief. 

 12. Improved cardiovascular health

The short-term beneficial impact of regular sauna bathing on heart health has been known for some time, but not until a 2015 study was published were the long-term effects identified. This study followed patients who routinely used a sauna for a median of 20.7 years and found that an increased frequency and duration of sauna bathing is associated with a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease, fatal cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. The mechanisms suspected to realize this benefit include improved vessel dilatation, reduced artery stiffness, reduced total cholesterol levels, and impact on the autonomic nervous system.  

13. Blood pressure management

In addition to the macrovascular (cardiac) benefits identified with regular sauna bathing, one review of available evidence found that heat therapy reduced mean arterial, systolic, and diastolic pressure. At least one mechanism of reduced blood pressure may be secondary to the macrovascular effects of sauna bathing, so there might be a greater benefit over a shorter period in those with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Systolic blood pressure decreases of almost 10 mmHg have been observed in some people when sauna bathing is used in conjunction with physical activity. Overall, this may be a safe addition to other management strategies like a healthy lifestyle and physical exercise in those with high blood pressure.  

14. Reduced asthma symptoms

Patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis have reported that sauna use symptomatically improves their breathing. Sauna bathing may play a role in reducing symptoms in patients with other chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders based on the evidence suggesting improved lung function through improved vital capacity and volume, ventilation, and forced expiratory volume. 

15. Management of arthritis

Studies have demonstrated improvement in symptom control in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. One small study of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated a reduction in pain and stiffness receiving a sauna intervention that was not sustained after the sauna sessions were discontinued. A significant inverse association between the frequency of sauna bathing and systemic inflammation, as seen in arthritis, has been demonstrated. The improved blood flow with sauna use is effective for the pain and stiffness in joints experienced by those inflicted with osteoarthritis, as joint synovial fluid may become less viscous due to the heat. This allows for improved joint mobility, coupled with surrounding skeletal muscle being relaxed.

 16. Central Nervous System (CNS) support

Increased blood flow and oxygenation throughout the body, including the brain, may support neurogenesis, which is the growth of new brain cells. A 2017 study identified a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in a male population with moderate to high frequency of sauna use. 

17. Immune-mediated disease management

Routine use of saunas may have positive effects on autoimmune conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Benefits may include subjective improvement in pain scores, reduced symptoms, improved quality of life, and objective decrease in pain by palpation on physical exams. Fatigue, depression, and anxiety have also been reduced in these patient populations with regular use of sauna therapy. 

 18. Reduction of symptoms in chronic pain conditions

Several studies have demonstrated the benefit of regular sauna bathing in reducing the pain intensity experienced in chronic tension-type headaches. One such study demonstrated a 44% reduction in headache intensity with 6 weeks of regular sauna use. Another study of patients with chronic pain conditions detected that, in combination with behavioral counseling and exercise therapy,  those patients that received the intervention of sauna use versus those who did not have an increased likelihood of returning to work 2 years following the sauna intervention, as well as decreased anger scores. 

Who should avoid saunas?

Either way, you slice it, saunas cause you to sweat profusely and acutely and may cause changes to heart rate, cortisol levels, and blood pressure. Also, you’re inside a small, hot space. Claustrophobic individuals probably won’t do well in a traditional sauna cabin. Sauna structures are usually small, fully enclosed, and dark. Infrared sauna blankets might be a good alternative for these individuals, who don’t want to sit in a small space but want to reap the benefits of regular sauna use. 

Pregnant women should avoid using saunas, and hot tubs while we’re at it, especially for long periods. Some studies suggest the use of these body-temperature-raising practices is associated with congenital disabilities. 

People who suffer from orthostatic hypotension or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS),  should also avoid saunas. Orthostatic hypotension is low blood pressure that occurs when standing from sitting, while POTS is characterized by a rapid increase in heart rate from sitting to standing. Saunas can increase heart rate acutely and may cause an acute drop in blood pressure due to volume loss following a session, so those with this condition should skip the sauna bath. Like those with orthostatic hypotension, those with a propensity to experience dizziness should avoid sauna bathing, given the acute impact on blood pressure, heart rate changes (increase, then decrease), and volume losses from sweating. While regular sauna bathing may cause an overall decrease in blood pressure, blood pressure increases during the actual sauna bath. In those individuals with uncontrolled high blood pressure, this small rise in blood pressure can put them at risk for complications.  

While a positive impact on cardiovascular health is noted, certain cardiac conditions like severe aortic stenosis, unstable angina, and recent myocardial infarction (within 6 weeks) are considered contraindications to sauna bathing. In these patients, the acute changes in heart rate and blood pressure during a sauna session may result in too much of an increase in cardiac demand to be safe. 

Sauna etiquette and safety tips

Sauna bathing is used for many different reasons and by many people, so it’s important to follow some sauna etiquette. 

• Find out the dress code beforehand if entering a public sauna. While nudity in traditional Finnish saunas may be the norm, it’s usually not in the United States. Find out the requirements ahead of time to avoid embarrassing yourself or other users. 
• Take a quick shower before you head in, especially if you’ve just finished a vigorous workout. It’s courteous, but it’s also hygienic. 
• Bring a towel, whether it’s to wrap around yourself or as a hygienic place to sit or lie down on within the structure. 
• Don’t make a scene when entering the sauna—enter and exit quickly and quietly. Opening the door will decrease the temperature in the sauna, so make sure you do it quickly and pay attention that the door shuts completely. For those using that time to relax, you don’t need to make a ton of commotion to interrupt their me-time.
• If you’re in a public steam sauna, always ask before you pour water on the rocks to generate steam. 
• Leave your smartphone outside and enjoy your few minutes to disconnect. Even those most well-intentioned by bringing their phones into the sauna may unconsciously check their emails or scroll through social media. This may be distracting to others, and we may forget we’re in a shared space as we laugh out loud at the latest viral meme. Even using earbuds can be disruptive to those trying to zen out. While the benefits to us are plentiful, the heat in the sauna probably isn’t the safest for the health of your phone. 
• Be conscious of space for others entering the sauna. While you don’t need to be packed in like sardines if sitting up would give enough space for another person to sit, be courteous. 
• Sit still, and don’t make a scene. That means no exercising or stretching. While you’re at it, keep any grunting or groaning at a minimum. 

Safety is also a major consideration when incorporating sauna bathing into your wellness plan. Keep the following points in mind:

• • Avoid alcohol use before and immediately after your sauna
  • Do not use a sauna if you take medications that impair sweating  (and increase the risk of overheating)
  • Limit the time in a sauna to 15 to 20 minutes. If it’s your first time using a sauna, you may want to go in for even a shorter period of time and work your way up to the maximum. 

• Stay hydrated. Drink water after each sauna. 
• Take time to cool down. While you might see some endurance athletes go from a sauna session to an ice bath, it is best to allow your body temperature to return to normal slowly. 
• If you’re under the weather, skip your sauna session.