Take a sauna: how sweating improves your health

Ice bathing leaves you cold, but warmth is your friend? Then head for the sauna! In the best case scenario, it will not only make you sweat in the heat, but can also make you healthier. Dr. Sascha Ketelhut, a sports scientist at the University of Bern, has been researching the positive effects of saunas on our bodies for several years. "Especially the effects of saunas on our cardiovascular system are impressive," he describes his study results. I talked to him about the health-promoting effects of heat exposure and how 2000 Finnish men found more vitality in the sauna.

An imposition on the body: taking a sauna

. Sauning and thermal baths and wellness go hand in hand - after all, not everyone has a sauna at home. But from a medical point of view, the first thing to do is to get off the wellness cloud, because saunas are primarily a strain on the body at first. Just like in an ice bath, the body has to get over the first acute shock. Dr. Ketelhut explains: "Taking a sauna acutely represents a stressor for our body. There is a reaction of the cardiovascular system, stress hormones are released, heart rate and blood pressure rise." . Nevertheless, just as with sport, which has the same effect, many positive effects occur after this acute stress situation. These already occur with one-time stress, but only manifest themselves in the long term with regular repetition, says the expert. .

Saunation: Positive effects on blood pressure and cardiovascular system

A long-term study from Finland - the country that made the sauna big - makes people sit up and take notice: People who go to the sauna regularly and often live longer. The researchers from the University of Eastern Finland examined the health of 2315 men in three groups over a period of 21 years: One sauna session per week, two to three sauna sessions per week and finally four to seven sauna sessions per week. In the scientific journal Jama International Medicine, their relevant results can be read: The group that went to the sauna up to seven times a week had a 63 per cent reduced risk of sudden cardiac death. The team from "Medizin Transparent" confirms the results, at least in part: A longer life through saunas is certainly possible, but on closer inspection it is unclear whether socio-economic factors such as education and income are not behind the lower mortality. In addition, it is not known whether or to what extent the effects can be transferred to women.

Sauning is also healthy for people with heart failure. The stress in the sauna, carefully enjoyed, had a positive effect on the heart function of the patients studied. This is shown in a publication in the scientific journal Experimental & Clinical Cardiology. It says: "Repeated sauna use (at 60°C for 15 minutes) improves clinical symptoms, cardiac function and vascular function in patients with chronic heart failure." . Sauna bathing has a consistently positive effect not only on heart function, but also on blood pressure. This is shown by study results from Dr Ketelhut himself. Blood pressure rises at first, but then drops significantly. "According to Dr Ketelhut's study, the effects of sauna bathing on heart rate and blood pressure are equivalent to moderate exercise of between 60 and 100 watts. It doesn't save you the workout, though, Dr Ketelhut cautions: "When we take a sauna, we don't use much energy and there are no muscle contractions." Sauning is therefore not an alternative to exercise, but a good complement.

Sauna as a booster for the immune system

. The effects of saunas on the immune system are also clear. For example, regular sauna sessions support natural immune functions and contribute to a balanced immune system. "People who regularly go to the sauna are sick less often, have a lower risk of pneumonia and better lung function," says the sports scientist. The body reacts by releasing white blood cells, the leukocytes, which are responsible for the body's defence against pathogens. The positive effects of saunas on the immune system were already used by Finnish soldiers during the Second World War, as can be read in a publication of the "Vesalius Journal". To protect themselves from typhus, soldiers at the time relied on regular saunas, thereby preventing the spread of the disease within the army.

Take a sauna for chronic illnesses

. Whether rheumatism, psoriasis or diabetes: taking a sauna can also have a positive influence on the course of some chronic diseases. "Many chronic diseases are based on inflammation. The sauna inhibits these inflammatory processes and regulates the water balance," says expert Ketelhut. In the Medical Tribune, another positive influence on chronic diseases is described: Saunas stimulate blood flow to muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, loosening muscles and relieving pain.

Caution with acute infections and pre-existing conditions

. Unfortunately, however, the sauna is not suitable for everyone. "I advise people with acute cardiovascular events, with heart rhythm disorders, acute infections and febrile illnesses not to take a sauna," says Dr Ketelhut. In general, one should be careful with uncontrolled illnesses that have not yet been medically clarified. People with pre-existing conditions should also consult a doctor before going to the sauna.

The same applies to people with high blood pressure: anyone who suffers from this condition and also does not exercise regularly and is not used to the sauna should talk to a doctor beforehand and possibly have a stress ECG carried out.

Because the sauna is a stressful situation for the cardiovascular system, there are important alarm signals from the body that you should watch out for in the sauna. In case of acute dizziness or discomfort, leave the sauna immediately. It is important not to do this in a hurry, but to cool down slowly and in a controlled manner. And: Despite all the praise for the sauna, you should always make sure to give your body breaks for regeneration. Only then can positive effects manifest themselves.

What to consider when starting to sauna

. For those who are not used to regular saunas, the heat often represents a considerable strain. Therefore: In order to successfully integrate saunas into everyday life, Dr. Ketelhut advises beginners to first take a steam bath. "The lower the temperature, the less stress you experience. Those who tolerate moderate heat in the steam bath can switch to the sauna. There, the strain on the cardiovascular system can also be controlled - by the length of stay: "The first sauna sessions can also be only five minutes long to get the body used to the heat.

In principle, says expert Ketelhut, taking a sauna is a thoroughly positive and low-risk measure for better health in everyday life. Although the strain on the cardiovascular system corresponds to moderate physical exertion, the risk of overloading the body in the long term is very low. "Most of the time, the demands of everyday life are more demanding than the sauna."