Posted by Eileen Durfee on 16th Jun 2021

Relaxing Sauna Visit: Third Pillar of Health - Creatrix Solutions

If you've heard of saunas, you probably know they can be a great way to unwind. But you might be wondering if a relaxing sauna has other health benefits.

The answer is yes! You can use a sauna for much more than relaxing. But you should still be safe and know how to use one effectively.

Keep reading to learn how saunas can help with your overall health.

What Is the Purpose of a Sauna?

If you want to enjoy a relaxing sauna, you should know its purpose. Many people can use the time in a sauna to unwind after a workout. However, you can also use it to improve your health.

You can choose from multiple types of saunas, so you can use the best option for you. Wood burning saunas are the traditional option, and they're usually hot but not very humid.

Infrared saunas may not be as common, but are rising in popularity. You can use them to direct the heat toward you rather than the entire room. Near infrared saunas, in particular, offer a host of health benefits that you will not find anywhere else.

Do Saunas Burn Fat?

If you're considering the pros of a sauna for your health, you might wonder if they can burn fat. While saunas are a common way for people to wind down after a workout, they may not be thought of as a primary way to lose weight or fat.

On the one hand, saunas will make you sweat. The average sauna temperature is much higher than room temperature, and that can raise your heart rate and get your blood and sweat pumping.

The weight you lose in a sauna is primarily water weight. The higher heat can make you burn more calories, but you can really boost your weight and fat loss benefits by combining exercise with sauna therapy. Try out the Hot Yoga Exercise Tent when you sauna. Studies show that exercising under near infrared light rays can enhance weight loss efforts. A group of women who rode bicycles for 45 minutes three days a week lost 444% more weight and fat compared to those who bicycled without the sauna light.

A relaxing sauna can also have many other amazing health benefits.

A Relaxing Sauna and Health

While you can use a relaxing sauna to destress, you can also use it to help your health. If you struggle with a health condition, saunas can be a great option. Here are just a few of the most important benefits.

Heart Health

If you struggle with heart problems, such as heart attacks, a relaxing sauna is safe and healthy. One study found that less than two percent of heart attacks developed a few hours after a sauna.

Meanwhile, a different study compared the effects of a sauna with those of a treadmill. While neither the sauna nor the treadmill caused major changes, the treadmill led to more changes in the heart than the sauna.

Before you use a sauna to treat your heart problems, consult your doctor. While they're safe for many patients, you may need to use a sauna at a lower temperature.

Breathing

With a high average sauna temperature, they can help reduce wheezing in people with asthma. And even if you don't have asthma, the hot air can open up your airways and help your breathing.

The relaxing sauna can also help you focus on your breathing, particularly if you have anxiety. You can use saunas to relax and get a break from your daily life.

On the one hand, saunas will make you sweat. The average sauna temperature is much higher than room temperature, and that can raise your heart rate and get your blood and sweat pumping.

Mental Health

Even if you don't have breathing problems, a relaxing sauna can do wonders for your mental health and well being. You can spend time in a sauna as a way to ease your mind. Now, that doesn't mean that saunas can cure your mental health condition. However, they can be a useful tool for treating conditions like depression.

Your doctor or therapist can work with you to determine if saunas are a good option for you and your specific condition.

Memory Health

In addition to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, saunas can be helpful for preventing memory loss. Conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's can be devastating, and many people want to avoid it.

Luckily, regular visits to a relaxing sauna can help reduce the risk of developing memory problems. The reduced risk is more common in men, and it's unclear if women can have the same outcome. However, the research is promising, and it is one more benefit to add to the list when using saunas for health.

Skin Irritation

Another health benefit of a relaxing sauna is that it can help reduce skin irritation. If you suffer from a condition like psoriasis, you can use saunas to ease your symptoms.

While regular saunas may not clear your skin or get rid of your condition, the hot, dry air can reduce the irritation and itching.

As always, be sure to consult with your doctor, especially if you have severe symptoms. You can then decide on a plan so that you can enjoy the pros of saunas.

How to Make the Most of a Relaxing Sauna

If you want to enjoy all of the pros of sauna bathing, you need to know how to use your time well. Before you even get in the sauna, make sure to dress appropriately. You might find many people go nude. However, you can always wear a bathing suit or something similar if you're not comfortable getting undressed.

Make sure to properly hydrate by drinking a cup of spring water before getting in the sauna. We also recommend dry skin brushing, and don't forget to wear the Near Infrared and Blue Light Protection Glasses.

Stay 18-24 inches away from the sauna light bulbs, and rotate 90 degrees every few minutes to expose all sides of the body to the near infrared light and get the fantastic blood shunting benefits. Be sure to continue to wipe sweat off with a towel to prevent the body from cooling down.

Also, don't stay in the sauna for too long -- about 15 to 20 minutes maximum.

If you bring anything into the sauna, make sure you take it with you. And, if you're with someone else, save your conversation for after your session. This way, everyone in the sauna can relax and unwind as best as possible.

Shower in cold water following a sauna to rinse off any remaining toxins, and keep hydrated by drinking another one or two cups of spring water.

Pillars of Health

If you're already eating well and working out, you may wonder what other things you can do for your health. Luckily, a relaxing sauna can help you unwind after you exercise and improve your health.

From better breathing to a lower risk of heart attacks, you can enjoy many benefits with a few regular sauna visits.

Want to get the benefits of a sauna at home? Check out our Near Infrared Saunas today!

This article is republished from the original at Go Healthy Next.