Benefits of Saunas and its Dangers

A sauna is a room with hot and dry temperatures that is used to help the body sweat and burn more calories. Saunas are also a good way to relax the body for the heart. Saunas can generally be found in beauty centers such as salons and spas, and in fitness centers. In general there are two types of saunas, namely conventional saunas and saunas that use infrared. Conventional saunas use space heaters to heat air. Meanwhile, an infrared sauna uses light energy to heat body temperature without increasing air temperature. Infrared saunas usually produce lower temperatures than conventional saunas. The temperature in the sauna room, which can reach 90.5 degrees Celsius, can increase skin temperature to around 40 degrees Celsius in just a few minutes. Because of the hot temperature, saunas can make the body sweat, dilate blood vessels, expedite blood circulation, and make the body relaxed.

Benefits that can be obtained from a sauna

Saunas are useful as a way of relaxation that can reduce stress. Saunas are also thought to be able to restore the condition of the body after exercise, because it is effective in repairing injured or aching muscle tissue. Some studies say that saunas are effective in helping to reduce chronic pain, for example in sufferers of chronic headaches, and arthritis. The study found that therapy using infrared saunas can help manage several diseases, such as congestive heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and high blood pressure. In addition, no adverse effects were found from using infrared saunas. However, more comprehensive research is needed to find out whether an infrared sauna is really effective in helping treat these diseases. Other studies have found that taking a sauna every day for two weeks can improve the function of the heart arteries in patients with mild heart damage who are unable to pump blood normally. Those who regularly relax with a sauna two to three times per week are said to have a reduced risk of heart attack by up to 23 percent. Even so, more research is needed to confirm this finding.

Sauna Danger

A sauna that is loved by many people and has its own benefits, also turns out to save some risks. Saunas cause a rise in the temperature of your skin and body. The increase in body temperature, can affect the heart's response and blood pressure. A study in Finland found 29 cases of heart attacks that occurred within three hours after a sauna. When you do a sauna, your heart rate can surge up to 30 percent, causing the heart blood vessels to widen, and reduce blood pressure. This is why saunas are not recommended for people with certain types of heart disease. You are advised to consult a doctor first before doing a sauna, if you have a medical condition. Increased temperature in the scrotal area is thought to reduce sperm production. A study showed that men who are often exposed to heat, including saunas, have decreased sperm count and quality. But more clinical research is still needed to examine the effect of saunas on male fertility in general. Saunas make the body produce sweat in large quantities if used for a long time, so that it can cause dehydration. Therefore, it is advisable to drink enough water before and after a sauna to prevent dehydration.

What to Look For Before a Sauna

Saunas are safe for people who have normal health conditions and have a fit body. Saunas are also quite safe to do by people with stable coronary heart disease, if not done for too long. However, saunas are not recommended for patients with unstable angina, heart rhythm disorders, uncontrolled blood pressure, heart valve abnormalities, and patients with advanced heart failure. If you are interested in a sauna, pay attention to the following signs.

• If you do the sauna for more than 20 minutes, get enough of your body fluids by drinking at least 2 glasses of water before and after the sauna, to prevent dehydration.
• If when doing a sauna you feel sick or not fit, immediately finish the sauna.
• Cool the body gradually after a sauna.
• Before and after the sauna, do not consume alcoholic beverages and drugs that can make the body hot, or drugs that can affect sweat production.
• For those of you who are using sauna for the first time, it is recommended to limit sauna time to 15 minutes. After several saunas and the body is used to the temperature in the sauna room, the sauna session can be increased to 30 minutes.

Although saunas have benefits for heart health in healthy people, people with heart disease are required to consult a doctor first before trying a sauna.