Sauna

What is the point of saunas and steam rooms?

My gym has them so I usually stop by after a rinse to relax but I was wondering if there were any other health benefits about them.

Public Comments

1. Of course they are relaxing, but they can also help you lose weight! They make you sweat... which in turn makes you lose weight! On MTV, there was a TrueLife and this wrestler guy lost like 5 pounds by making a sauna out of his car and his heater in 1 hour!!
2. According to many health professionals, sauna benefits include... • a strengthened immune system • improved blood circulation • enhanced detoxification processes • deep skin cleansing and rejuvenation • tension and stress relief And if you believe what many sauna sellers have to say, taking saunas is also the ultimate way to lose weight without lifting a finger. Oh, and they can cure every health issue known to man as well. How Does a Sauna Help You Detoxify? Raising your body's temperature helps it kill bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Dr. Lawrence Wilson has done a lot of research and testing with saunas. In his book Sauna Therapy, he wrote: “Heating the body several degrees causes greatly increased circulation as the body attempts to maintain its basal temperature. This helps to dislodge toxins, especially from hard-to-reach areas such as teeth, bones and sinuses.” Liver and kidney function may also improve by taking saunas. For more on this, read saunas and detoxification. A Sauna Benefits Your Immune System... By causing a ‘fever’. No, this doesn't mean that a sauna makes you sick. It sounds strange, but one way a sauna helps your immune system is by creating an artificial fever. This sends a sort of wake-up call to your immune system. The result is an increase in the production of white blood cells and other disease fighting allies. How a Sauna Benefits Blood Circulation As your body increases sweat production to keep cool, your heart works harder pumping more blood at a greater rate. This actually provides many of the conditioning benefits of aerobic exercise. Please note that I didn't say saunas can replace exercise, but the heat does provide an environment that causes a profound cardiovascular response. Dr. Andrew Weil is a highly respected holistic practitioner and true expert in health and wellness. Here's an excerpt from a comment he made about the sauna effect: "When you take a sauna, the heat pumps up blood circulation near the skin and stimulates sweating. The Finns say a proper sauna elicits about a quart of sweat per hour. I generally encourage sweating. It helps the body rid itself of unwanted materials and improves general circulation." Good blood circulation helps... •transport nutrients throughout your body •eliminate toxins •improve heart, liver, and kidney function •improve virtually every function in your body Good circulation is obviously crucial for us to stay healthy, right? A Sauna May Improve Skin Appearance Shortly after my very first 15 minute long "bake" session, I knew that I did something good for my skin. I felt very fresh, alive and tingly all over. That feeling was different from taking a shower or bath. While a shower rinses dirt off your body’s surface, the sweating created in a sauna rinses out your pores. A heavy sauna induced sweat really helps cleanse and rejuvenate your skin - much more than just a bath or shower alone. And I don't believe any of those 'miracle' creams you see advertised can cleanse your pores as deeply as a sauna either. Tip: For really healthy skin, try combining sweat bathing and brushing with a loofa or rough brush. This removes flakes of dried skin cells that accumulate on the epidermis. If allowed to remain, they can clog sweat pores and oil passages and result in dry, flaky skin. There Are Skeptics There's also skepticism about the true benefits of saunas. For instance, here's a quote from an article by Craig Horswill, Ph.D: "Contrary to popular belief, sweating does not "purify" the body of contaminants; rather it is the liver and kidneys that do that dirty work. The only purpose for sweating is to cool the body."