A new health trend may emerge soon in the U.S. as the health benefits of going to the sauna has begun to surface.
A study conducted in Finland reportedly suggests that men who spent time in a sauna seven times a week were less likely to die of heart problems compared to those who only visited the sauna once a week or not at all, according to the news outlet Reuters.
The study was reportedly conducted among 2,315 men between the ages of 42 to 60 from eastern Finland, where going to the sauna remains a tradition, according to the Irish Examiner. The more often the participants went to the sauna, and the longer they stayed, the lower their risk for cardiac death, coronary heart disease and fatal cardiovascular disease over the 20 years the study was conducted.
“There was an inverse relationship between sauna and [cardiovascular] risk, meaning that more is better,” explained senior author Dr. Jari Laukkanen, a cardiologist at the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio.
He continued, “On the basis of these results, it seems that more than four sauna sessions per week had the lowest risk, but also those with two to three sauna sessions may get some benefits.”
"@DNews: Saunas May Help You Live Longer: https://t.co/Xn04nnClR4 pic.twitter.com/iSJvj9E5X9" #Finland #sauna
— Jaana Mikkonen (@JaanaMikkonen25) February 23, 2015
Compared to those who stayed in the hot sauna for less than 11 minutes, those whose sessions lasted 11 to 19 minutes were reportedly 7% less likely to suffer a sudden cardiac death. Those whose session lasted more than 19 minutes were reportedly associated with a 52% reduced risk.
These recent findings, although groundbreaking, may not apply to other types of saunas, according to Laukkanen. They may only apply to saunas that use dry heat, which are common in Finland.
The health benefits of saunas go beyond the physical aspects.
“The act of sitting in a sauna in relaxing by definition as no one can not be doing much else while in a sauna, and often they are enjoyed with others — friends or strangers,” stated Dr. Rita F. Redberg of the University of California, San Francisco, who was not part of the study.
She added, “I must confess that although I have been a long-time fan of sauna bathing because it feels good, I had no idea it was associated with such dramatic health benefits and longer life.”
