
Today I’m talking about getting all hot and sweaty – in a good way. Saunas have been used across many cultures and since ancient times to improve health. They’re something that I personally use a lot and I’ve seen benefits from. In this episode we’ll take a closer look at the science behind saunas, how to use them, and the best options.
Regular sauna use is linked to better heart health and a decreased risk of heart attacks. Since it works the cardiovascular system, it also mimics some of the effects of exercise. Sauna has also been shown to help with anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Plus it can help with weight loss, chronic fatigue, and diabetes risk. That’s just scratching the surface of how sauna can help the body!
I’ll also cover the minimum effective dose based on my research (how hot and how long to use it). And I go over which saunas I have and which ones are the best ones to get. Thankfully there are various price ranges with some more affordable options. I hope you’ll join me and listen in as I chat about all things sauna related!
Episode Highlights
- How sauna use has the potential to reduce the risk of all cause mortality, heart disease, and many other issues.
- The history of sauna use and how many cultures have used heat therapy since 2000 B.C.
- What the different types of saunas are (dry sauna, steam sauna, and infrared sauna) and how they work
- Which sauna is best
- What heat shock proteins are and how sauna impacts this
- The benefits of sweating
- How sauna can impact heart health, detoxification, muscle recovery, mood, weight loss, and more!
- Timing of sauna use and what time of the day is typically recommended
- Examples of how I use sauna during the week, what temperature, how long, and what kind
- How often you should use a sauna and how to begin
Resources Mentioned
- Sunlighten Sauna – Mention wellnessmama for a discount
- Creatrix Sauna
- Barrel Sauna
- Clearlight Sauna
- HigherDOSE Sauna Blanket – Use code wellnessmama15 for a discount
- LMNT
More From Wellness Mama
- 217: Connie Zack on the Benefits of Saunas
- 398: Sauna Use to Increase Lifespan, Improve Thyroid, Detox Safely, and More With Sauna Fix
- 603: Benefits of PEMF, Red Light, and Heat Therapy With HigherDOSE
- 637: The One About Cold Exposure and Ice Baths – Short Episode
- 8 Sauna Benefits for Body and Mind
- 11 Convincing Health Benefits of Sweating
In Finland the social aspect of sauna use is important to take into account. People talk, laugh and bond during that time 🙂 It is inscribed into the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage!
Love your podcasts! We bought the Sunlighten Signature 1 a few years ago and really enjoy it. As a breast cancer survivor (bilateral reconstruction so I have implants) I do wonder about the safely of the sauna with implants and if there are any studies on preventing cancer reoccurrence. I have asked my drs about safety use and they don’t seem to have concern…. but I’m very interested in knowing if any studies have been done or what other physicians (knowledgable about sauna use) might have to say. Thanks!
Thank you for this episode, Katie. I love my sauna time, too. You mention 180+ temperatures. This is for traditional heat saunas, the far infared saunas are not designed to go that high (with regulators) because it is believed the penetration of heat in the body is different.
I wonder if you could address this difference, please for clarification. Thanks!