Simply relax, take a nap, listen to music, meditate, or watch a DVD. While you take it easy your body is revitalized head-to-toe.
Is this some futuristic medical device? In some ways, yes, but it’s based on techniques used for thousands of years.
As research now shows, these are the benefits of the infrared sauna.
Other than eating right and getting enough exercise, it’s hard to think of any other thing that gives you so many health and longevity benefits as a sauna. Unlike diet and exercise, you don’t need boring workouts or self-denial.
Cut Fatal Heart Attacks by 63 Percent!
If you want to live longer, preventing heart disease should be at the top of your list. A 21-year study published in the prestigious JAMA Internal Medicine showed that men who used a sauna four to seven times a week cut their risk of sudden cardiac death by 63 percent.1 What’s more, the study showed that regular sauna users experience a significantly reduced risk of death from all causes.Harvard Medical School announced, “Sauna use linked to longer life, fewer fatal heart problems.”2 In an article headlined, “The Strange Connection between Saunas and Longevity,” TIME magazine said, “Frequenting the sauna appears to be connected to a reduced risk of a number of cardiovascular conditions including heart failure and coronary heart disease and ultimately lead to a longer life...”3
Rejuvenate Your Body with More Blood Flow
Staying younger depends on healthy blood flow to all your body’s cells.Saunas help open blood vessels and capillaries to nourish and detoxify your cells so they can remain healthy.4 A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that infrared saunas help open arteries and improve blood flow.
15 minutes in an infrared sauna each day for 14 days was shown to boost artery function by 40 percent.5 These benefits help ensure healthy circulation to all parts of your body including the tiny capillaries that nourish all of your organs, your eyes, hair and skin.
Cut Your Alzheimer’s Risk by 65 Percent
Clinical research shows that people who used a sauna from four to seven times a week slashed their risk of Alzheimer's disease by 65 percent compared to those who took one sauna per week.6 Even just one sauna a week cut Alzheimer’s risk by 20 percent compared to those who didn’t use saunas at all.7 If there were a drug that reduced Alzheimer’s by this much, it would be front-page news. Psychology Today magazine raved, “From a public health perspective, the latest Finnish report on the neuroprotective benefits of sauna use is a potential game changer.”8Grow New Brain Cells
Research also shows that saunas may help revitalize aging brains, and even grow new brain cells.Heat from saunas is shown to stimulate the production of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).9,10 BDNF is a powerful growth hormone that researchers say is like miracle grow for brain cells.
New brain cells are essential if you want to hold onto a sharp memory and quick reaction time as you get older.
Burn up to 600 Calories while Sitting Still!
Infrared saunas have been clinically shown to aid in weight loss.A 2009 study showed that infrared saunas provide significant results in lowering weight and waist circumference after just three months of use. And for those who are sedentary due to medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular or respiratory problems, results were even more profound.11 How is this possible?
According to information published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, infrared sauna sessions burned upwards of 600 calories.12 During a sauna weight loss session, your core temperature increases, and the body works hard to cool itself. While using an infrared sauna, there is a substantial increase in blood flow, heart rate, cardiac output, and metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories.13 It’s only the beginning of the amazing health benefits that science is revealing about the use of infrared saunas.
Part Two of this article next month will show you how saunas can alleviate pain, reduce blood pressure, boost human growth hormone levels, and much more.
You can try an infrared sauna at a local health club, spa, or massage therapist. A typical fee is $30-$45 per 30-minute session. I also recommend purchasing one yourself. (It’s always important to talk to your physician before beginning sauna therapy.) I have an infrared sauna in my home, and it’s one of the best purchases I ever made. It’s especially nice during the winter months if you live in a cold climate.
An excellent, cutting-edge manufacturer is Sunlighten, offering clinically backed 3-in-1 infrared and full-spectrum saunas with a simple plug-and-heat design for easy home installation. Visit their website or call 1-877-292-0020. Another reputable (albeit more expensive) brand is TheraSauna. Infrared saunas, with their myriad health benefits, are definitely an at-home therapy option worth checking out.
- TanjaniinaLaukkanen, Hassan Khan, Francesco Zaccardi, Jari A. Laukkanen. Association between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sauna-use-linked-longer-life-fewer-fatal-heart-problems-201502257755
- https://time.com/3719354/sauna-live-longer/
- J Sci Med Sport. 2007 Aug;10(4):259-62. Epub 2006 Jul 31.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16877041
- Dr. Masakazu Imamura, MD, et al. Repeated Thermal Therapy Improves Impaired Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors. Vol. 38, No. 4, 2001. Journal of American College of Cardiology: pp 1083-1088
- Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age and Ageing, December 2016 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afw212
- https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/health-centers/aging-gracefully/can-saunas-help-prevent-dementia/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201612/frequent-sauna-use-may-reduce-risk-dementia-study-finds
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21385602
- https://www.jneurosci.org/content/26/15/3899.long
- Dr. Richard Beever BSc, MD, CCFP. Do Far-Infrared Saunas have Measurable Health Benefits? A Sequential Longitudinal Interrupted Time Series Design Study. 2009. Dr. Richard Beever BSc, MD, CCFP. Do Far-Infrared Saunas have Cardiovascular Benefits in People with Type 2 Diabetes? Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2010; 34 (2) :113 - 118.https://www.canadianjournalofdiabetes.com/article/S1499-2671(10)42007-9/pdf
- JAMA. 1981;246(6):623. doi:10.1001/jama.1981.0332006002701https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/360118
- Dr. Masakazu Imamura, MD, et al. Repeated Thermal Therapy Improves Impaired Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors. Vol. 38, No. 4, 2001. Journal of American College of Cardiology: pp 1083-1088.
