Health Benefits of a Sauna
It’s not always easy to find activities that are both enjoyable and great for your health. However, some experiences do fit this description, and regular sauna use is one of them. Spending time in your sauna can improve your mental and physical health in ways that you may find surprising and enticing.
Take a look at some of the key benefits that regular sauna use can bring.
Reduced Stress
The first benefit that likely springs to mind when you think of a sauna is the relaxation it provides. The heat of the sauna increases blood flow, which can help both your muscles and your mind to feel more at ease — but that’s not all.
Sauna use can also help to combat the repercussions of chronic stress by regulating cortisol levels in the blood. Cortisol is the stress hormone, and it’s associated with a variety of health conditions, including high blood pressure, obesity, depression, diabetes, and others.
Less Pain and Improved Flexibility
When you use a sauna regularly, you may find that the aches and pains that hinder your daily life are much-improved, thanks to the increased blood flow and the endorphins released when you’re relaxing in the warmth. This improved blood flow can help to loosen muscles and joints and improve flexibility as well.
If you’re currently recovering from an injury, or if you’re frequently recovering from intense workouts, then you’ll also find that the improved blood flow and muscle relaxation the sauna provides can help to reduce that recovery time.
Stronger Immune System
You may have heard how things like diet and exercise can improve your immune health, but did you know that simply relaxing in your sauna on a regular basis can provide similar results?
When you sit in the heat of the sauna, your body begins to produce more white blood cells. Those white blood cells are responsible for attacking viruses and bacteria that enter the body and threaten to cause illness and infection.
Pair sauna use with diet and exercise, and you may be likely to bolster your immune system substantially.
Cleansed Skin
Sauna use even has cosmetic benefits. There aren’t too many activities that can help you to work up a deep sweat while remaining totally relaxed like a sauna can, and that deep sweat is crucial for flushing toxins from your body, cleansing your pores, and removing dead skin cells.
Regular sauna use can help to cleanse your entire body, but perhaps most noticeably your skin, which is likely to look brighter, healthier, and more full of life as a result.
Better Heart Health
Of all the ways to care for your cardiovascular health, regular sauna use has to be one of the most enjoyable and relaxing. By simply sitting back in your sauna on a regular basis, you can raise your heart rate enough to get yourself a light cardio workout. This can reduce your risk of cardiac incidents, strokes, and other conditions.
A light cardio workout can also help you burn some extra calories, which — when paired with regular exercise and a good diet — is an incredibly potent weight loss combination.
Higher-Quality Sleep
You don’t have to suffer from serious insomnia to be dealing with the effects of poor sleep.
If you’re not getting enough meaningful rest every night, you’re not only going to suffer mentally and emotionally throughout your day, but you’re also at risk for an array of health conditions, including:
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Stroke
The sense of calm, the stress relief, and the pain relief offered by regular sauna use can help you feel more relaxed and ready for bed every night, which can support better sleep.
More Recreation Options
While these health benefits are valuable, the recreational aspect of sauna use is a good enough reason in and of itself to want to add one to your home. When you can sit back and relax in solitude or socialize with friends and loved ones in the unique comfort of your sauna regularly, your quality of life is bound to improve.
Premium Saunas From Spring Dance Hot Tubs
Saunas have been used for centuries for their vast range of health benefits. You can begin enjoying these benefits yourself when you install your own sauna right at home. At Spring Dance Hot Tubs, we offer high-quality saunas, hot tubs, and more throughout the Delaware Valley. Contact us to get started today.