Chronic inflammation occurs at a cellular level and is caused by exposure to toxins and other stressors. This inflammation often goes unseen and manifests itself as the development of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases. What is one simple thing you can add into your weekly routine that will greatly impact your overall health, aid in reducing chronic inflammation, and help rid your body of excess toxins? That’s frequent sauna sessions!
Frequent Sauna Benefits
Benefits of frequent sauna use of at least 20 minutes include the following:
- Reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Mimics moderate to vigorous exercise.
- Long term sauna use improves blood pressure and heart function.
- Reduces C-reactive protein (CRP) and overall inflammation. [1]
- Reduces symptoms of depression.
- Heat stress increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes the growth of new neurons.
- Increases expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) which prevents protein disorder and aggregation by repairing damaged proteins.
- Maintains muscle mass.
- Increases endurance.
- Decreases cortisol levels (your stress hormone).
- Increases norepinephrine levels (which increases focus and attention).
- Increases prolactin levels (which promotes myelin growth, therefore making the brain function faster).
- Removes toxic heavy metals from the body. Certain heavy metals are excreted better from the body by sweating rather than urination (specifically aluminum, cadmium, cobalt and lead). These metals come from various places in our environment, including car exhaust, dental amalgams, cigarette smoke and agricultural products.
- Helps excrete Bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in plastic bottles, food packaging, can linings, and other products you use daily (BPA is an endocrine disruptor and is associated with various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes).
- Reduces cholesterol levels.
- Promotes the production of an enzyme that positively influences aging and longevity.
How Can You Get These Benefits?
Most studies have shown these benefits to be true after using the sauna for at least 20 minutes with frequent usage throughout the week. Of course, you should always consult with your physician first (especially pregnant women, if you have a serious health issue, and/or are on medications). During a single sauna session, you may lose 17 ounces or more of sweat, and along with that, you’ll lose potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. Therefore, it’s essential to hydrate and keep your electrolytes balanced when using the sauna. Drink plenty of fluids before and after. Certain foods contain electrolytes naturally, such as avocado, banana, spinach, and other greens. You can also drink coconut water or water with added Celtic salt and/or lemon. I also love Ultima electrolytes to add to my water. A loss of electrolytes may show up as headaches, fatigue, and muscle cramps.
References
Laukkanen, J. A., & Laukkanen, T. (2018). Sauna bathing and systemic inflammation. European journal of epidemiology, 33(3), 351-353. [1]
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