5 Proven benefits of sauna therapy
Is sauna good for you? Does it really help you detox and can sauna help reduce heart disease? I take a deep dive into the scientific literature to provide you an evidence-based analysis.
My most prized tool on our healing journey has been, without a doubt, our sauna.
Mounting research is showing that sauna therapy can have a wide range of health benefits - provided, of course, that you have no medical contraindications. Not everyone can safely use the sauna e.g. heart disease, pregnancy, medications, children, so be sure to check with your doctor before you get into one, and be sure to use it safely, stay hydrated, and replenish with electrolytes if you’ve sweated a lot.
My whole family have been avid sauna users for years. It has been an absolutely instrumental tool in our healing, and I started using it to aid detoxification whilst trying to detox from mercury toxicity. But once I started, I was hooked! It never fails to lift my mood, and has literally been my sanctuary during stressful times.
Saunas have been used by many different cultures for thousands of years for healing, and, although the design of a sauna may vary, the key principle remains. By utilizing heat to raise core body and skin temperatures, we can bring about many health benefits.
In this article, I will take you through 5 main evidence-backed benefits:
Detoxification
Weight loss (this is partly due to increased detoxification)
Heart health
Cognitive health
Immune health
Saunas are also great tools for relaxation and stress relief. We spend the majority of our lives in flight or fight mode, and using a sauna supports our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, allowing our body to enter the parasympathetic state - a key step in healing.1
1. Detoxification From Environmental Toxins
Our body has the natural ability to detoxify. However, due to our world being laden with ever increasing environmental toxins, our bodies may need support. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that I personally believe environmental toxins to be a hidden iceberg when it comes to chronic disease - it is contributing to many chronic health conditions (like type 2 diabetes, PCOS, endometriosis, infertility, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, allergies, eczema, acne, ADD, and many more, yet most doctors are not aware of this.
Before these medical diagnoses, our bodies often give us signals by way of symptoms: fatigue, brain fog, low mood, skin rashes, poor digestion… and if we don’t take heed and start reducing our toxic load, these conditions can ensue in the years to come.
Using a sauna can encourage blood flow and sweating, both can help with detoxification of heavy metals and a range of other toxins from our body.2
Mold illness is increasingly common and sauna therapy. A large case-controlled study followed 100 patients who were chemically sensitive and exposed still experiencing symptoms despite remediation.. Approximately 85% cleared completely, 14% had partial improvement, and 1% remained unchanged with a protocol of sauna, nutrition and oxygen therapy.3
Other toxins eliminated via the sweat:
BPA - potent endocrine disrupter linked to certain cancers, weight gain, diabetes4
PCB - potent endocrine disrupter linked to breast cancer, PCOS, weight gain, diabetes, lower IQ and reading in children.5
Flame retardants - another potent endocrine disrupter that affects our thyroid, lower IQ, certain cancers, PCOS, diabetes, fertility issues.6
When you reduce your body toxin burden, you are also lowering your risks of chronic diseases. Here is an excellent example of the benefits of sauna use for disease prevention:
2. Weight loss
If you are trying to lose weight, but are not supporting your detox pathways - you are likely to fail in your efforts.
Weight regulation is NOT just about calories. It is a very complex topic involving a number of intertwined factors like gut, hormone health, you can read more on that in my Toxins and Weight loss ebook.
Obesogens are now recognised by the NIEHS as a group of chemicals which alters our metabolism and contributes to weight gain, and so it makes sense that, if you were able to eliminate these from your body, your weight loss efforts will be supported and more likely to be sustained.7
Many of these toxic chemicals are stored in our fat - and studies have shown that rapid weight loss can lead to an increased blood level of these toxins.8 If these are not rapidly eliminated via our detox organs, they can impact our thyroid gland, hormones, leading to weight regain which we so commonly witness i.e. yo-yo dieting.
Of course, I’m not saying that sitting in the sauna alone is going to help you lose weight - there is no magic bullet. However, in combination with healthy eating and exercise, sauna therapy can be an invaluable adjunct in aiding weight loss.
This study (done by Clearlight, a manufacturer of Infrared Sauna, at Binghamton University) showed that sauna helped with fat loss.
I have personally experienced effortless weight loss after working on lowering my total toxin burden.
3. Heart health
Perhaps the benefit with the strongest scientific evidence and consensus amongst experts.
In this large Finnish study published in the esteemed journal JAMA, men who used sauna 4-7 times a week had a 48% reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and 40% reduction in ALL CAUSE Mortality (i.e. death from any cause) - it was a high-quality study because they controlled for confounding factors like socioeconomic status, smoking, diet, cholesterol, age, blood pressure etc.9
That is an eye-popping statistic to me!
Sauna is safe for most, however, it is important that you check with your doctor first if you have heart disease.
This report from the Mayo Clinic shared that sauna bathing is associated with10:
reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke
neurocognitive diseases
nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases including common flu;
mortality; treatment of specific skin conditions
as well as pain in conditions such as rheumatic diseases and headache
I have all the men in my life take regular saunas to protect their heart and overall health!
4. Cognitive health
One of the world’s leading experts in Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Bredesden, is an avid promoter of sauna therapy for dementia prevention, and for good reason too!
This study found that, in men, moderate to high frequency of sauna bathing was associated with lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in a dose-dependent manner (i.e. the more frequently it was used, the lower the risk).11
Heat stress increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrphic factor) - a protein that promotes the growth of new neurons in our brain, and slows down cognitive decline. Sauna is not the only way you can raise BDNF though.. Exercise can do it too! So if you don’t have a sauna, exercise!12
5.Improves Your Mental Health
Don’t disregard that feeling of euphoria when you walk out of the sauna! There is good biological reason for it.
Heat therapy can release beta endorphins into our blood stream - these are the feel good compounds that make us feel great after exercise… this is why, even in the foulest of moods, if I head into my sauna, I always come out of my sauna feeling better - it’s my ‘natural prozac’.
Studies have also shown that sauna therapy may be beneficial in those with mild depression, and even one single session where the core body temperature was raised to 38.5 can have a rapid and long lasting effect on mood, according to this study published in JAMA Psychiatry. 1314
With the darker months during winter, my sauna has definitely helped me with my mental health.
A few other improvements people also experience are reducing fatigue, muscle recovery, improved joint pains.
Overall, using a sauna regularly is a pleasurable and enjoyable experience. I love to use my sauna at the end of a long day or to start my weekend on a Friday night.
Here are the Sauna brands I use and love:
1) If space or affordability is an issue, Therasage is a great option. This is the portable sauna I started my detox journey with and love.
Use this link and my code 'Platefulhealth' for 10% off Therasage
2) If cost or space is not an issue, then I cannot recommend Clearlight Sauna enough. The Sanctuary model is what I have at home, and it is literally, as the name suggests, a sanctuary. The wood is non-off-gassing, the panels are low EMF, it heats up really well and helps us sweat buckets.
They will give my followers a deeper discount if you mention 'Platefulhealth'.
If you do use the sauna, be sure to hydrate with plenty of water and electrolytes afterward. I cannot tell you how much and what with - because it depends on your age, body weight, activity level, medications, and medical history - so always speak to your doctor for guidance on that. However, the two brands of electrolyte I personally use post sauna are:
Seeking Health - use code ‘DRVIV10’ for 10% off
I am not a fan of electrolytes that are super salty and high in sodium - watch out for those which are prevalent in the marketplace and touted by many health influencers to be ‘healthy’ when in fact, they will tax your kidneys.
Other tips:
Don't use a sauna after alcohol consumption.
Always check with your doctor before using the sauna. It is not recommended in pregnant or breastfeeding moms, also contraindicated with certain medications and medical conditions - and in children, make sure to check with your doctor because children can get dehydrated easily.
Wash with a non-toxic body wash after sauna, and if you don't have any contraindications, I love to end my sauna with a super cold rinse, to stimulate lymph flow even further.
If you're looking for more support and guidance on HOW to reduce your body toxin load, check out my course Detox Right, a 6 week course to detox the RIGHT way.
I'm an affiliate for some of the products linked on my website. I get asked about products I use and love all the time, and by being an affiliate, I can negotiate discount codes to share with you, plus earn a small commission if you use my code or link to purchase. This helps me to support my research so that I can continue to provide the content on my platform, thank you so much for your support.
Originally written October 13th 2021
Dolphin AC, Kadurin I. Fight or flight: The culprit is lurking in the neighbourhood. Cell Calcium. 2020 May;87:102180. doi: 10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102180. Epub 2020 Feb 11. PMID: 32065986.
Crinnion W. Components of practical clinical detox programs--sauna as a therapeutic tool. Altern Ther Health Med. 2007 Mar-Apr;13(2):S154-6. PMID: 17405694.
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Genuis SK, Birkholz D, Genuis SJ. Human Excretion of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Flame Retardants: Blood, Urine, and Sweat Study. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:3676089. doi: 10.1155/2017/3676089. Epub 2017 Mar 8. PMID: 28373979; PMCID: PMC5360950.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Obesity, <https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/obesity>, accessed October 13th 2021
Johns Hopkins Univeristy Hub, Weight-loss surgery may release toxic compounds from fat into the bloodstream, <https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/11/15/toxins-in-bloodstream-after-bariatric-surgery/>, accessed October 13th 2021
Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):542–548. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187
Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clin Proc. 2018 Aug;93(8):1111-1121. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008. PMID: 30077204.
Laukkanen T, Kunutsor S, Kauhanen J, Laukkanen JA. Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age Ageing. 2017 Mar 1;46(2):245-249. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw212. PMID: 27932366.
Kojima D, Nakamura T, Banno M, Umemoto Y, Kinoshita T, Ishida Y, Tajima F. Head-out immersion in hot water increases serum BDNF in healthy males. Int J Hyperthermia. 2018 Sep;34(6):834-839. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2017.1394502. Epub 2017 Nov 20. PMID: 29157042.
Masuda, Akinori MD, PhD; Nakazato, Masamitsu MD, PhD; Kihara, Takashi MD, PhD; Minagoe, Shinichi MD, PhD; Tei, Chuwa MD, PhD. Repeated Thermal Therapy Diminishes Appetite Loss and Subjective Complaints in Mildly Depressed Patients. Psychosomatic Medicine 67(4):p 643-647, July 2005. | DOI: 10.1097/01.psy.0000171812.67767.8f
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