Is Sauna Healthy?

by Gail Templer

Until recently, when sauna became popular in many countries of the world, sauna has been a national pride and necessity only in Finland. But times are changing and in the last years sauna became an obsession in many countries, including the hot ones.

What made sauna so popular worldwide? Probably it is because if one is healthy, sauna is both fun and a good bonus to one's sports activities. But if you want to use sauna to stay healthy, there are some basic rules you should be aware of.

The most important rule is that there are cases, when one mustn't even think of going to the sauna. This applies especially to very young children, although for most of the Finnish, the first sauna in their lives was usually before they were two. The temperature control mechanism is not fully developed in young children and they might not be able to notify you when they do not feel well in sauna.

Also, sauna is not a healthy place for pregnant women, because of the high temperatures (usually from 60 to 100 degrees C), which lead to a higher risk of malformations in the baby. High temperatures are not good for male fertility as well. Since testicles normally function better at temperatures that are below the normal body ones, the heat in the sauna is too much.

Probably the main undisputed advantage of saunas is their purifying effect. The heat opens the skin pores and sweating helps us to get rid of the toxins in our body. After you finish, wash your body to remove the sweat and then you are cleansed.

Despite the purifying effect of sweating, do not go to extremes, otherwise you might get dehydrated. Dehydration can be prevented by having some coffee or a glass of juice during or after the sauna. There are people, who recommend even a bottle a beer, but be careful when drinking alcohol, while in the sauna.

It is a very popular myth that sweating in the sauna helps in losing weight. Well, sweating might help to lose weight if you sweat while jogging in the park, but sweating while sitting in the sauna or the steam bath only makes you dehydrated without getting rid of the fats.

Yes, you might weigh less when you go out of the sauna but the difference is due to lost body liquid, not fat. You will be lighter for a couple of hours - until the next time you drink, when you will restore the normal balance of liquids in your body.

If you have low blood pressure, be careful when going to the sauna. The heat in the sauna makes the skin capillaries widen, which additionally decreases the blood pressure. The solution is to start slowly and to see if you feel comfortable in the sauna. Do not strain your body and wait till the moment you faint.

Be careful because blood pressure increases after the sauna, when you have a cold shower or decide to swim in the ice- cold water outside. If one is healthy, those striking temperature changes are not so risky but if you have heart issues, your doctor should judge if sauna is the right activity for you.

Tags: alcohol balance children coffee fat health heart male saunas skin sports tea water women