1 Lowers Blood Pressure
A regular visit to a sauna could be great for your heart. A study from the University of Oulu, Finland, suggested that regular heat sessions might help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. What’s more, a sauna allows you to relax and your mental state is an important component of your blood pressure reading.
2 Flushes out toxins
Nowadays, we’re exposed to toxins wherever we go; in our environment and even in our food. So it only seems natural to use a sauna to aid the detoxification process. One of the main ways our bodies flushes out toxins from the body is through sweating, and – lets face it – you’re going to sweat a lot in a sauna.
3 Burns calories
Yes, really – you can literally just sit there, relax and lose weight. Obviously, a sauna should not replace exercise, but when you’re in a sauna your cardiac output is increased. This in turn means your blood flow increases, helping circulation, bringing more oxygen to our muscles and increasing your metabolic rate. All this sweating requires a lot of energy and, according to research, a person can easily sweat off 500g in a sauna in a single session, burning around 300 calories in the process.
4 Leads to glowing, healthy skin
Forget expensive creams and facials, this is one of the oldest tricks in the book for cleansing the skin and looking young; the intensity of the heat of a sauna makes it a great way to hydrate your skin. Just a few sessions can improve blood flow and bring nutrients to the skin, making it look fresh and youthful.
5 Fights illness and boosts immunity
If you’re feeling run down, a session in the sauna can help improve your immune system as it stimulates your white blood cells, which are much needed to keep us fit and healthy. In a six-month study, Australian researchers found people who had a sauna twice a week caught half as many colds compared to those who didn’t. In addition, research from the University of Vienna concluded that regular sauna bathing probably reduces the incidence of common colds.
