Saunas have long been used for therapeutic and relaxation purposes, and are still popular even today. Dating back thousands of years ago, the Mayans of South America and the Finns on the other side of the Atlantic have been using saunas. With many claims of health and therapeutic benefits from a sauna, we’ll explore further what a sauna does to the body. If you haven’t tried it yet, or if you’re interested in getting a sauna, read on to know more about its effects.
Saunas Help Speed Up Recovery after an Intense Workout
Overall physical recovery is important among athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness buffs. Supporting that claim is a review from SaunaRide.com, which shows that the infrared sauna is becoming a popular option among members of the health and wellness community. This sauna allows them to regain energy faster, move around better, and feel fewer muscle pains. Saunas can help achieve that by relaxing the muscles and increasing the supply of oxygen throughout the body through better blood circulation. The high temperature in the saunas can loosen knots and areas in the muscle with high tension, which can relieve pain and soreness. Lactic acid and toxins impede the recovery of the muscles. Still, with the therapeutic effect of sauna heat, lactic acid levels are lowered down, and toxins are expelled from the body through the sweat glands, which give athletes and gym enthusiasts a refreshed feeling.
Saunas Improve Relaxation and Reduce Stress
The warm and relaxing environment of saunas contributes to a relaxed feeling. Again, this is due to the enhanced blood circulation all over your body as your blood vessels dilate from the high temperature of the sauna. This, in turn, promotes the stimulation and release of the “happy hormone” endorphin and the regulation of cortisol, a hormone linked to stress and anxiety. Regularly having a sauna increase endorphins and reduces cortisol to ideal and healthy levels, leaving you feeling good, refreshed, and more positive.
Saunas Keep the Brain in Shape
Saunas are not only known for their effects on the body, but they have also been shown to keep our brains healthy with continued use. They have a euphoric effect, which makes you feel good and relaxed. This happiness-inducing effect helps relieve depression, improves your mood, and reduces anxiety, which relieves the toll on your brain’s functions. Another scientifically-backed benefit is the increased release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain protein that reduces the risk of mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Aside from helping your brain ward off diseases, saunas stimulate the growth of myelin sheaths, which wraps the ends of many nerve cells. This allows the brain to send and receive information faster, which in turn improves the overall function of your nervous system and can also improve cognitive abilities.
Saunas Promote Better Sleep
Many sauna users claimed to get a night of better and deeper sleep with regular use. Cortisol and endorphin, which are mentioned earlier to be hormones related to stress and good mood, respectively, also play roles in our sleep-wake cycle. These two hormones induce wakefulness and being alert. At the same time, melatonin is the hormone involved in sleep The relaxing, and therapeutic heat of saunas can promote the optimal rise and decline of hormones related to sleep and wakefulness, which promotes a good night’s sleep and a feeling of being energized on the next day. The gradual lowering and increase of hormone levels ensure that users sleep relaxed and uninterrupted through the night.
Saunas Reinforce our Immune System
The sauna heat not only promotes good circulation, but it also promotes the optimal production of white blood cells in our bodies. We all know the crucial role played by white blood cells in increasing our immunity and helping us stay healthy and disease-free. The sauna temperature is just right in stimulating the production of white blood cells to healthy levels, which are key to stopping viral infections such as colds and influenza.
There are so many things that a sauna can do for your body, and they are most beneficial for your health. Investing in your health and well-being is a smart move, and trying out a sauna is one such investment. We hope that the few key benefits we discussed here can help reinforce your decision to try out a sauna. After all, health is a priceless wealth.
https://www.upscalelivingmag.com/what-does-a-sauna-do-to-the-body/,
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