Are Saunas Good for You to Destress?

Posted by Eileen Durfee on 16th Jun 2021

Everyone deserves to relax and "woosah" every now and again, and one of the best ways to do that is by using saunas. Not only are they good for your body, but they're helpful for your mind as well. If you don't like being hot, you might not understand how sitting in a heated box dripping buckets of sweat is beneficial.

However there are several advantages to using saunas, and there's a reason why they've gained so much popularity over the years. With that said, if you've ever wondered "are saunas good for you?", just keep reading.

What is a Sauna?

A sauna is a room that is heated between 120 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are various types of saunas, such as the following:

Infrared

Infrared saunas offer one of the best ways to destress, and they provide a new and improved sauna experience. Plus, they're a bit more high-tech because they use lamps that radiate light waves to heat the individual, not an entire room.

Also, the temperatures are lower than those in traditional saunas, but it's still warm enough for a person to sweat. Near infrared saunas, in particular, are effective at the lower temperature range for a sauna, which makes it easier to breathe. The addition of the material from a radiant sauna tent also helps the body heat up more from internal energy production, rather than the hottest ambient temperature.

Wood Burning

This version is the traditional dry sauna, and it consists of wood and sauna rocks that have a low humidity level, but a high temperature.

Steam Room

Steam rooms are a bit more unique because instead of it being a room filled with hot, dry heat, it's filled with humidity and moist heat.

Electric Heated

Electrically heated saunas are similar to the wood-burning version; however, the difference is an electrical heater is used to warm the room instead of wood.

Are Saunas Good for You? Benefits of Sauna Use

Now that you understand a little bit more about saunas, is it time to learn how beneficial they are. Believe it or not, some people can sit in a sauna every day and they absolutely love it!

Here are some of the mental and physical advantages of using a sauna:

Muscle Recovery

You might be most familiar with saunas as they relate to soothing aching muscles and joints, which is why they are built in most workout facilities. When the temperature is high, your body releases endorphins that give a soothing effect that minimizes pain and muscle soreness after an intense workout.

Furthermore, when your body's temperature rises, it increases blood circulation, which also speeds up the healing process after sports and other physical activity. Near infrared saunas, in particular, have even further circulation benefits, as they require the user to rotate side to side to experiencing blood shunting.

Draws out Toxins

Although some people view sweating as something that's smelly and icky, it's actually good for your body. When you get hot, your sweat glands begin to produce sweat.

However, the heat of a sauna causes deep sweating, which can help to minimize the levels of zinc, nickel, copper, lead, and other chemicals within the body. Those elements are all toxins that are absorbed from the outside environment. So it's safe to say, you shouldn't be wondering if saunas are bad for you, rather thinking about how good they are for you!

Fight off Illness

When your body heats up, it creates white blood cells more quickly, which helps to ward off illness and destroy viruses. Also, saunas help to relieve symptoms of congestion and allergies because of the heat.

Stress Relief

The heat produced in saunas stabilizes the cortisol levels in your blood which in turn helps you to relax. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when you are under stress, and high levels of the chemical can cause several health problems with your immune system and sleep patterns.

However, sitting in a sauna not only reduces cortisol, but it stimulates serotonin, which is a hormone that helps you to feel better.

Clears the Skin

Whenever you deep sweat, the dead skin cells on your face are replaced because sweating rinses the bacteria off the epidermal layer of your skin and sweat ducts. It also cleans out your pores, which improves capillary circulation that provides your skin with a softer feel.

Calorie Burn

It takes a lot of energy to sweat, and while doing so, the energy in your body is converted into a process that helps to burn calories. Likewise, when your heartbeat increases, your body demands more oxygen, which also converts calories into usable energy.

Better Sleep

When you sit in a hot sauna in the evening, your body temperature will eventually start to fall at bedtime. This process creates a slow, soothing release of endorphins that help to regulate sleep. After using lots of energy as you sweat, you're bound to have a good night's rest.

It Feels Nice

Overall, sitting in the sauna just feels amazing. It provides your body with a relaxation that's hard to find anywhere else. As long as you know your limits and don't stay in a sauna too long, it offers a liberating experience that you'll come to love!

Less Discomfort When Breathing

Have you ever had to leave a sauna because it was just so hot that you couldn’t breathe? Infrared saunas and steam rooms do not have the added benefit of negative ions, like that which is created from the pouring of water over rocks in a wood burning or electric heated sauna. Add the Breathe Safe air purifier into your near infrared sauna to double as a Sauna Ion Generator. The abundance of negative ions will allow you to feel more comfortable, combined with the lower temperature of a near infrared sauna that makes breathing easier.

Studies also show that sauna therapy is even more effective when negative ions are present. Negative ions in a sauna not only eliminate odors and kill germs, but can boost your oxygen levels. Laboratory test results show that if a person runs the Breathe Safe Sauna ION Generator inside a 3 m³ test chamber for 30 minutes at a 100 cm distance, they will inhale 56,000 negative ions per cm³ and 70-118% more oxygen, based on background oxygen levels.

Relax and Release

We hope this information was helpful, and you can stop wondering if saunas are good for you. Your mind and body go through a lot each day, and they both deserve relief. Luckily, saunas offer a relatively simple way of restoring your mental and physical health.

With that said, if you would like to find more ways to relax, check out our inventory. We offer an array of products that are designed to help feel great. Also, if you'd like to ask us a few questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!