Why Are Saunas Heart-Friendly?

Saunas are designed for comfort. Here, we get to experience wet or dry heat sessions and as a result, we perspire. We’ve always known that saunas are perfect for relaxing purposes, but we’ve never really delved into the possible benefits it may have on our heart health.

Most of us think of saunas as the perfect spots to recuperate after a long day of work. It’s like a mini-vacation bang in the middle of a normal day. However, there’s more to it. We list out a couple of ways that Saunas are just perfect for us.

No Stress Zone

Want to flex? Well, saunas can get us sorted out. Most sauna bathers can attest to the fact that they’ve emerged out of sauna sessions with lower stress levels than they entered. Stress is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases when it compounds one overtime.

There are a number of ways that saunas are able to relieve stress. The first would be the environment. Saunas typically consist of warm, quiet spaces with minimal interferences from outside. Thus, we can get to meditate and drift away into cloud nine. The heat generated in saunas gets to invigorate the body by improving circulation. As a result, endorphins are released by the brain. These chemicals make us ‘feel good’. Perhaps all these factors are responsible for the afterglow sauna users possess.

Muscle Relaxing

The endorphins released during sauna sessions tend to create enjoyable feelings and may help in the reduction of muscle soreness and mild arthritis. After an intense workout, most of us are familiar with the usual muscle pain. Guess what? All we need to do during such situations is simply take it cool and relax in a warm sauna space.

Saunas have other health benefits too. The body temperature seems to rise after intense sauna sessions. This leads to dilation of blood vessels which conversely leads to improved blood circulation. Improved blood flow ensures that body functions get sped up and maximum efficiency is ensured. The body’s natural healing process tends to benefit when there is improved blood flow.

Away With the Toxins

Most of us lead sedentary lifestyles. Thus, it is a bit harder to achieve full body sweat on a regular basis. Saunas ensure that people are able to achieve deep sweating which has a myriad of health benefits. The rise in body temperature after intense sauna sessions improve blood flow due to dilation. The sweat glands get stimulated as heat moves closer towards the skin. The resulting effect is sweat.

Sweating is a natural response to body heating and its aim is usually to provide body cooling. The sweat composition is about 99% water. During  this process, we get to do away with toxins that are accumulated in our bodies. These are usually elements like zinc, lead, nickel, mercury and copper. These elements are sourced from our daily interaction with our environments.

Cardiovascular Benefits

When we are exposed to sauna environments, our skin heats up and our body temperatures rise. This lead to blood vessels dilation and improved cardiac output. Scientific research has shown that heart rates rise from typical 60-72 beats per minute (bpm) to 110-120 beats per minute (bpm) when we’re in saunas. The increase heart rate is achieved when we expose ourselves to high temperatures of traditional saunas or to infrared saunas.

To achieve maximum cardiovascular benefit, it is recommended to take the sauna sessions in between breaks. These breaks should entail cooling sessions where we dip into a cool pool or simply just take a shower. When the body experiences rapid temperature change, the heart rate increases by about 60%. Thus, sauna sessions are just as helpful for to the heart as a moderate exercise.

The sweating in saunas also leads to the burning of calories. To sweat, we need vast amounts of energy. The body sources this energy from the conversion of carbohydrates and fats in body processes that burn up calories. Heightened cardiovascular activity leads to increased calorie burning. This is because increase heartbeats require energy. In order to sustain the body, we burn more calories into energy.

Parting Shot

From the aforementioned advantages of saunas, a good sauna session should be on our next to-do list. It’s a sure way to re-invigorate ourselves, relax and just take it easy. When we factor in the health benefits, a trip to a sauna doesn’t sound daunting at all!