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Health Benefits Of Saunas For Seniors

A sauna is a special room that has very high heat, with varying degrees of humidity. Finnish saunas are very dry, while Turkish saunas have moderate humidity. Note that a steam room or cabinet is not the same thing as a sauna.
A sauna is a special room that has very high heat, with varying degrees of humidity. Finnish saunas are very dry, while Turkish saunas have moderate humidity. Note that a steam room or cabinet is not the same thing as a sauna.
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There are three main types of saunas:

1) The classic wood burning sauna – wood is used to heat the sauna room and special sauna rocks.

2) Electrically heated sauna – an electrical heater, usually attached to the floor, heats the sauna room.

3) Infrared room – special lamps use light waves to heat a person’s body, not the entire room.

There are three main types of saunas:

1) The classic wood burning sauna – wood is used to heat the sauna room and special sauna rocks.

2) Electrically heated sauna – an electrical heater, usually attached to the floor, heats the sauna room.

3) Infrared room – special lamps use light waves to heat a person’s body, not the entire room.

Mimics Moderate Exercise

Using a sauna heats up your skin, which in turn causes you to sweat. A person using a sauna for a moderate amount of time can lose one pint of sweat. This, as in exercise, promotes weight loss. Also, by using a sauna, your heart rate increases and blood vessels widen. This will increase your circulation, in a similar way to low to moderate exercise, depending on how much time you stay in the sauna. Plus, your heart rate may increase to 100-150 beats a minute. All of these factors can bring the same health benefits that come with exercise.

Can Improve Cardiovascular Health

There have been studies that show increased sauna use was linked with a reduced risk of fatal cardiovascular-related diseases. Participants in a large, long term study, who used the sauna two to three times a week, were 22 percent less likely to experience sudden cardiac death than those who only used it once a week. Also, there are some indications of lower blood pressure and enhanced heart function.

Please be advised however, that while studies may be promising, sauna use should not replace an exercise program to keep the heart healthy. There is more evidence to support the heart health benefits of regular exercise.

Possible Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s

Another long term study suggests some sort of link between sauna usage and less occurrence of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Study participants who used a sauna 2 to 3 times per week were 22 percent less likely to get dementia and 20 percent less likely to get Alzheimer’s than than those who did not use a sauna. This study involved 2,315 healthy men aged from 42 to 60 years.

Blood Pressure Risk

Because of the widening of blood vessels, using a sauna may also cause blood pressure to fall. Therefore, people with a diagnosed low blood pressure problem, should consult with their doctor first, to make sure sauna use is safe. Also, anyone who recently had a heart attack should also talk to their doctor first.

Precautions

– Do not consume alcoholic beverages before, during or soon after using a sauna.

– Persons who are at risk from dehydration, especially prone to fainting or nausea, should be cautious about sauna use.

– Time in a sauna should be limited to 10 minutes at a time to start, building up to 20 minutes.

– Sauna use is not advised for pregnant women and small children.

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