Science-backed Benefits of Saunas for Health and Mental Health

Humans have long known that saunas enhance our lives, and they have been a practice shared by people across the world for thousands of years. The practice, thought to have originated in what is now Finland over 10,000 years ago, has long been revered for its camaraderie and health benefits. Saunas have been enjoyed by many cultures throughout history, each adopting the practice with their own unique rituals and traditions (O’Kelly, 2023). Ancient bath houses are continuously unearthed in the United Kingdom. The practice of sweating in a steam bath was also common in the Roman Empire, where thermae were valued not only for their health benefits and promotion of hygiene, but also for the opportunity to socialize – remnants of their baths still dotting much of Europe. The Middle Eastern hammam spread throughout the Mediterranean, giving way to the modern Turkish bath still sought after by modern visitors today (Williams, 2012). The Japanese culture enjoyed bathing in hot springs for thousands of years but adopted the formal sauna practice from Finnish athletes visiting for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, starting a sauna craze that is still going strong today. The word totonou in Japanese describes the invigorating feeling of alignment of the mind and body that occurs when alternating between sweating in a sauna and dipping into a cold bath (Web Japan, 2022). The practice of sweat lodges was also prevalent in the ancient cultures of the New World, where Native Americans have employed their equivalent – sweat lodges – for healing and restorative balance over countless lifetimes. Sharing in this purification ritual is an important aspect of community life even today (The Pluralism Project, 2023). In Mesoamerica, the tradition of the temazcal is still used for healing, purification, and even birth (Yucatan Living, 2019).

Europe, Asia, the Americas… Though separated by millennia, oceans and cultural practices, humanity has consistently found a way to harness the benefits of saunas, combining heat and humidity to heal, enhance wellness, and even extend life (Laukkanen and Kunutsor, 2024). 

What was once passed on as a cherished custom from one generation to the next is now a practice accessible to all, with benefits better understood by science and backed by scientific research. The science supporting sauna therapy reveals a wide range of positive effects and benefits to this practice. Our modern lifestyles do not always allow us to place our well-being front and center. As a result, many of us live with chronic stress, poor diets, chronic ailments, and mental health concerns. As we will see, many of these issues can be improved by partaking in a daily ritual almost as old as humanity itself. This article examines the numerous health benefits of sauna use and highlights the physical advantages of regular sauna sessions that have been verified by science.

Sauna Science 101

Before we delve into the impact of sauna use on our bodies, let’s take a quick look at how saunas work. The principle of the traditional sauna is simple: take heat, add humidity and enclose. By introducing water to heated rocks or stones, the water superheats and becomes steam that disperses throughout the sauna enclosure, releasing its kinetic energy as heat. When this heat is contained in a controlled environment – like the sauna – temperature and humidity levels can be maintained. When we enter this environment, we immerse our bodies in these conditions and enjoy the many benefits of sauna use.

While the basic sauna components haven’t changed since early times, modern saunas have come a long way, harnessing technology and select materials to achieve the most optimal sauna effect – even in the comfort of your own home!

Sauna Physics

So, what goes on when we get into a sauna? How does this all work? 

Together, the temperature, humidity, and, to a lesser degree, pressure changes that a sauna can produce create a unique environment that is hotter and drier than other therapies. So, what does that have to do with human biology? And more importantly, how do saunas impact human health? 

Sauna Biology

Hacking stress

At a biological level, sauna triggers defensive responses in our bodies. So does exercise. When we lift weights, we’re causing microscopic tears in our muscles. When we run on the treadmill or hop on the Peloton, we’re really exposing our heart and lungs to stressful conditions. This may sound counterintuitive to bodily health, but we have evolved to respond to these challenges. When tested, your body works towards maintaining homeostasis, which is the state of balance that all organisms require to function properly. Muscles strengthen and regrow as the tiny tears caused by exercise are repaired, and lung capacities and heart health are boosted as we recover from workouts. In the case of heat stress such as that experienced in a sauna, your body responds by increasing heart rate, breathing rate, sweating, blood circulation, production of heat-shock defenses, and the brain triggers short-term hormonal changes – all of which contribute to improved health outcomes (Patrick and Johnson, 2021).

Here’s where things get interesting. By stopping temperatures from getting too high, we’re actually allowing our bodies to cope with these stresses increasingly well, which, in turn, makes us more efficient at achieving the important health benefits of sauna use. Like a racing heart while running a 5K, or burning muscles during that third powerlifting set at the gym, we stop after a specific amount of time or once we’ve finished our reps. We take a break when the going gets too tough, allowing our heart rate to come back down or those muscles to start repairing themselves. With a sauna, we get out before things get too hot, cooling off and allowing our bodies to begin recovering immediately.

Musculoskeletal responses

We all know what tired muscles feel like, and many of us have experienced what an inflamed or aching joint can do to ruin our day. Understanding the biology behind why these muscles and joints hurt will help us figure out how to stop those aches and pains. 

Muscles consist of protein fibers arranged in groups and surrounded by connective tissue. Over time, these fibers can get twisted and knotted. They can become inflamed and stiff when overworked, and muscle injuries are a common source of serious discomfort. Joints, on the other hand, depend on healthy cartilage to ensure smooth movement, which also degrades with overuse and as we age, causing pain. 

Heat therapy, like sauna, causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow and oxygen levels to these sore, tired muscles and joints. Both are essential to speeding up muscle repair and reducing painful byproducts of exercise or muscle fatigue. Heat therapy such as that provided by a sauna session can help increase the repair rate of damaged muscle fibers, as well as improve their elasticity (Rodrigues et al., 2022). These effects can also help reverse muscle atrophy seen in injury as well as in aging persons. This last point is particularly important because heath therapy might play a role not only in speeding up healing, but also enhancing calcium transport (which controls muscle fiber contraction and relaxation) as well as in building up muscle tone that helps prevent future injuries and helps reduce fall risk in elderly individuals (Rodrigues et al., 2022). As heat permeates these fibers and tissues, the immune system also responds by upping the body’s white blood cell production (Pilch et al., 2013). As these little warriors get to work, they rush to inflamed areas, reducing pain and inflammation around joints. All good news for athletes, injured athletes and aging, weary bodies alike.  

 

Blood circulation and organs

The heat of a sauna only penetrates up to an inch beneath the skin’s surface. However, longer exposure allows the entire body to heat up, gradually increasing its internal temperature by an average 1.8°F (1°C) per minute up to about 104°F (40°C). Heart rate also increases to between 100 and 150 beats per minute, pumping more blood around the body to distribute the gathering heat more evenly. When this happens, vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels, occurs. This allows more blood and oxygen to travel through your body, temporarily giving your entire system a welcome boost. During increased vasodilation, various pain receptors get blocked (as part of the body’s heat defense mechanism). This dip in pain perception lets the body focus on your primary systems, helping to remove toxic compounds through sweating while improving kidney function as a bonus. Studies also show that exposure to heat, as occurs in a sauna, contributes to a reduction in arterial stiffness and a lowering of systemic blood pressure, improving circulation and overall heart health (Laukkanen et al., 2018a, Laukkanen and Kunutsor, 2024).  

 

The Chemistry

Sauna also impacts what goes on in the brain. While the primary effect of the heat and humidity delivered by a sauna is physical, the body’s responses also trigger neurological reactions, including elevated hormone levels and the release of neurochemicals. This brain chemistry cocktail has been shown to deliver significant benefits to mental health, psychological wellness, and general well-being. 

Endorphins are the brain’s ‘happy hormones.’ These fun chemicals are released in response to stress and help give us a sense of well-being. They are released during a sauna session because, as the body’s temperature rises and those stress responses kick in, more blood flows into the brain, which pumps out these natural chemicals to combat the stress. Other endorphins, like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, also increase in the body during sauna use. All of these important neurochemicals contribute to enhanced feelings of relaxation and wellness that are enjoyed for hours after a session is over (Jezová et al., 1985, Jezová et al., 1994, Laatikainen et al, 1988, Kukkonen-Harjula et al., 1989). The use of saunas has also been shown to significantly boost levels of another happy hormone, oxytocin (Jezová, 1996). Oxytocin is a powerful combater of pain and inflammation - and the hormone produced when we give birth and when we fall in love, hug someone we love or cuddle our pets! Importantly, production of oxytocin helps reduce cortisol, also known as the “stress” hormone. 

Science-Backed Sauna Health Benefits

We have already covered some of the main sauna health benefits, but the science means nothing if we can’t see or measure the benefits that saunas truly deliver. That’s why extensive research has been conducted on these quantifiable gains beyond the evident advantages of a sauna. These studies help us understand why the use of saunas can have a positive impact on our health and well-being. Let’s look at some of these studies in more detail.

The Physical Benefits of Sauna Use

As we have mentioned already, some of the most impactful benefits of sauna are physical ones. From improving cardiovascular health and assisting with pain management to actively decreasing the risk of developing chronic disease and even helping to treat acute conditions, sauna is a known remedy for many of these problems.

Heart & cardiovascular health benefits

We’re facing a cardiovascular health crisis. More than 16 million Americans are living with coronary heart disease, and the CDC lists heart disease as the number one killer of adults in the U.S. While just 1% of adults aged 18–44 face the prospect of heart issues, that number spikes to 9% for those between 55 and 64 years of age (CDC, 2024). With as many as 1 in 5 U.S. adult deaths resulting from heart disease, the crisis poses a significant threat to life expectancy and overall quality of life for everyone, but especially older people.

• Studies have shown that regular sauna therapy can potentially slash the risk of developing hypertension by as much as 47% while improving cardiorespiratory fitness and even reducing cholesterol levels. But the odd sauna session ever so often may not be enough to reap these benefits (Lee et al, 2022, Laukkanen and Kunutsor, 2024). 

• Another study looking at 1,628 adult men and women (ages 53-74) showed that regular sauna sessions (4 to 7 of them weekly) can reduce the chances of stroke by up to 62% compared to subjects who enjoyed a single weekly sauna session (Kunutsor et al., 2018). Researchers have also discovered that systolic and diastolic blood pressure is lowered by a median of 8.5% and 5.1%, respectively, for up to 30 minutes after a sauna session (Laukkanen et al., 2018a).  

The older we get, the more important it is to pursue actions that can stave off these increasing threats while taking care of our quality of life. Experiencing sauna sessions regularly, multiple times a week, can make a big difference in lowering these important risk factors.  

 

 

Benefits of sauna use that address musculoskeletal pain and headache

With an estimated 21% of Americans living with chronic pain and 17 million people facing chronic pain so severe it impacts on their daily activities, a pain crisis is unfolding right in front of us (CDC, 2023).

• Sauna improves recovery of neuromuscular performance and muscle soreness after resistance exercise training (Ahokas et al., 2023).

• Sauna use has been shown to alleviate pain and improve stiffness and joint mobility in people suffering from rheumatoid diseases like arthritis (Matveĭkov and Marushchak, 1993, Oosterveld et al., 2009, Hussain and Cohen, 2018). 

• Headache intensity saw a 44% reduction after test subjects undertook 6 weeks of sauna treatment, and reported pain scores among studied lower back pain sufferers dropped by between 16% and 25% (Hussain and Cohen, 2018). Sauna can also be used in tandem with other therapies, enhancing the overall effectiveness of these treatments. 

• Regular sauna sessions significantly reduced severe headache pain intensity in all study participants (Kanji et al., 2015). The authors of the study propose that sauna use might represent a safe, self-directed strategy to combat severe headache conditions such as chronic tension-type headaches, a condition characterized by daily or near-daily headaches that last over 4 hours or occur more than 15 days per month. 

• Fibromyalgia sufferers participating in a 2010 study (where female subjects received three weekly sauna treatments over 12 weeks, combined with underwater exercise sessions for 2 weeks) reported a stunning up to 77% reduction in pain and symptoms. Even more remarkable was that every participant reported sustained fibromyalgia pain relief of up to 68% a full six months after their heat and water therapy treatments, demonstrating the long-term positive effects of the sauna sessions together with underwater exercise (Matsumoto et al., 2011).  

Regular users of saunas consistently report that the practice helps to alleviate chronic muscle and joint pain, as well as acute back, neck, and head pain. Saunas thus offer an enjoyable alternative to medication, with the added bonus of having a relaxing, endorphin-producing experience with lasting positive effects that will not only help relieve pain, but also contribute to improving general well-being long-term. 

Benefits that improve short & long-term overall physical health

Better health means a longer, happier life. Ailments like compromised immunity, stubbornly high cholesterol levels, and arterial stiffness all combine in the short term, presenting multiple health complications with potential serious consequences. 

• In a large 2022 study on 1180 sauna users in Sweden, subjects reported less hypertension diagnosis and self-reported pain. They also reported higher levels of happiness and energy, more satisfying sleep patterns, as well as better general and mental health (Engström et al., 2024).

• Saunas offer an effective means to work towards lowering both short and longer-term risk factors, including effectively reducing the threat of sudden cardiovascular death. In fact, one study found a 12.2% reduction in femoral carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity immediately after a 30-minute sauna in participants with at least one cardiovascular risk factor (Laukkanen et al., 2018a). This study highlights the effect that regular sauna sessions can have on arterial stiffness issues and overall heart health. 

• Other short-term sauna health benefits, observed immediately following a session, include an 8.9% reduction in enzymes that cause oxidative damage and increased levels of blood-based markers used for measuring changes in kidney function (Sutkowy et al., 2014). 

• The long-term benefits of saunas are also hard to ignore. A 25-year study among men found an up to 47% reduction in hypertension risk among those who took a sauna 4–7 times per week (Zaccardi et al., 2017), and another discovered that regular sauna sessions contribute to reducing cardiovascular disease mortality by between 27% and 50% among men (Patrick and Johnson, 2021). 

• The risk of sudden cardiac death can be reduced by up to 63% through regular sauna therapy and then potentially reduced by another 52% simply by increasing sauna session times by 8 minutes, according to one study’s findings and reported by the Harvard Medical School (Laukkanen et al., 2015). 

• Sauna use has been shown to improve multiple markers of cardiometabolic disease and may be particularly beneficial for people in high stress occupations, such as firefighters, military personnel and first responders (Henderson et al., 2021). 

As the studies highlighted above show, regular sauna isn’t just a pleasant pastime, but by experiencing both long and short-term benefits of sauna use, it’s a viable means to live a longer, healthier life. 

Benefits to sleep

With between 50 million and 70 million Americans experiencing chronic sleep disorders, it’ll take a little more than a new mattress to start getting the rest we need. Here, data shows that saunas can help too! Following the rapid decrease in body temperature after emerging from a sauna, the body registers an urge to sleep. Feelings of relaxation in both the mind and muscles help us fall into a sleep-inducing restful state with boosted levels of the sleep hormone melatonin (deBarra, 2024).

• A recent large study found that regular sauna users report more satisfying sleep patterns, as well as better general and mental health (Engström et al., 2024).

• One 2019 study found an 83.5% improvement in sleep quality for test subjects over the course of one to two nights following a sauna (Hussain et al. 2019). 

• Another research study discovered that sauna sessions can boost the ratio of deep sleep to non-REM sleep by up to 70% during the first two hours of sleep and 45% over six hours of snoozing (Putkonen and Elomaa, 1976, Laukkanen and Kunutsor, 2024). 

Sauna sessions may also help regulate sleep and combat insomnia, as has been demonstrated with other passive heat therapies such as taking warm baths before bed (Liao, 2002). Sleep is an essential ingredient to living a better, more balanced life. An evening sauna routine may be just what you need to fall asleep quicker, sleep deeper, and, ultimately, sleep longer. This benefit alone may convince people to visit their saunas more regularly. 

Mental Health Benefits of Sauna Use

As the mental health crisis becomes an increasingly prominent concern around the world, many are looking for healthy, sustainable ways to improve their emotional and psychological well-being. Sauna has the potential to support people in their pursuit of better mental health by providing lasting benefits, not just for the body, but for the mind too.

Combating anxiety & depression

A prominent mental health concern and one of the most common and fastest-growing mental health issues – anxiety and depression – can have an impact on many aspects of our lives. According to the World Health Organization, 280 million people live with depression globally (Koskie and Raypole, 2023), while a recent Gallup poll finds that a staggering one-third of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime (Witters, 2023). These numbers are a reminder that we all stand to benefit from healthy activities and making use of saunas may be just the answer to finding a safe, sustainable supplement to improving our feelings of anxiety and depression.

• A small study in 2005 found that mildly depressed patients recovered their appetite and improved their overall mood after 20 infrared sauna sessions in 4 weeks (Masuda et al., 2005). 

• Several studies have shown that use of sauna induces hormonal changes that contribute to reduced stress, including lowering levels of cortisol by as much as 10–40% (Leppaluoto et al., 1986, Kukkonen-Harjula et al., 1989). 

• A 2024 University of California, San Francisco study found that hyperthermia therapies like saunas may contribute to decreasing the symptoms of depression (Mason et al., 2024). The study showed that up to 90% of the adult subjects in the study, all of whom were suffering from at least one major depressive disorder, no longer met the criteria for major depressive disorder after undergoing biweekly sessions of whole-body heat therapy for two months along with other behavioral and cognitive therapies. The researchers found that the decrease in symptoms of depression was more pronounced when therapy was combined with whole-body heat therapy than what would be expected from behavioral and cognitive therapy alone. (It is important to note here that while this study supports the use of heat therapy like saunas to help with depression disorders, we are not suggesting that saunas should replace any therapy that has been recommended by a doctor. Always consult your medical team before making any changes to your medical care).  

• A preliminary clinical trial sponsored by the University of Arizona found that whole-body hyperthermia holds promise as a safe, rapid-acting therapy for depressive disorders with a prolonged therapeutic benefit. The antidepressant effects occurred after a single session and could still be seen in test subjects even after six weeks (Janssen et al., 2016). While this study exposed test subjects to whole body heat using high intensity whole-body infrared heating, increasing core body temperature to 101.3°F (38.5°C), similar effects might be obtained using sauna sessions, where core body temperatures can reach 104°F (40°C). Several studies are currently underway to help us better understand the effect of sauna therapy on depression and other mood disorders. 

Anxiety and depression can make many of our day-to-day activities and interactions more challenging. Saunas have been well-documented as an effective reliever of many difficult feelings and emotional states. It’s no wonder that Finland, the sauna capital of the world, consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world. 

Stress, mood & anger management

Everyday stresses, such as balancing family and a career, financial worries, and the general climate of uncertainty in the world, can drain us. This drives up the risk of developing stress-related mental health issues. So, how can a sauna help us to ‘de-stress’?

• According to a study published in Medical Principles and Practice, sauna has the potential to reduce cortisol – a stress hormone – by up to 40%. Sauna use was also associated with a decreased risk of developing future psychotic disorders in males (Laukkanen et al., 2018b).

• An examination of the effects of sauna use on general mood states demonstrated the positive impacts of sauna on overall mood, with nearly 78% of subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome – which often leads to sufferers developing feelings of depression – reporting feeling uplifted and more positive after 8 weeks of infrared sauna sessions (Hussain and Cohen, 2018).

Reducing feelings of stress and irritability is what we all need. Sauna users almost always end up feeling uplifted and calmer than they were before their session. More smiles and less frowns? Check!  

Potential for fighting cognitive disease

Cognitive disease affects millions of Americans, with as much as 22% of the nation’s adult population experiencing some degree of cognitive impairment (Manly, et al., 2022). 

Many of these diseases and conditions only begin to affect people late in life. Notably, up to 10% of U.S. adults aged 65 or older are afflicted with dementia, and 1 in 9 people entering or already in retirement with Alzheimer’s. While we do not know yet if any of these conditions might be preventable, some research suggests that regular sauna use can help lower the risk of them manifesting later in life. 

• A large-scale longitudinal study, conducted over 20 years, showed that regular 2–3 weekly sauna sessions decreased the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s by 22% compared to people who only used the sauna once a week. Even more frequent saunas (4–7 times a week) showed a more pronounced benefit, with a 66% reduction in these risks up 20 years after the study was initiated (Laukkanen et al., 2017).

• One study in Finland looked at 2,138 men aged 42–61 years who had no history of mental illness found a significant reduction in the risk of developing psychosis for people who used the sauna, with the risk decreasing more for those who used the sauna 4 to 7 times per week when compared to those who did so once a week (Laukkanen et al., 2018b). 

• A much larger study, looking at 13,994 men and women aged 30–69 showed a decreased rate of developing dementia for individuals that used the sauna regularly, suggesting that it’s use can confer protection against the onset of dementia and other cognitive decline disorders (Knekt et al., 2020). Participants were evaluated over a period of 39 years, and although more studies are needed to fully deduce the causative effects, the reduced risk of dementia for sauna users was maintained even after adjustment for the potential socioeconomic, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors of dementia were considered.

While more research is needed to fully determine the impact of sauna use on reducing risk of cognitive decline disorders, the data so far is promising. Give your brain an important boost to improving its effectiveness and longevity and enjoy all other sauna health benefits by incorporating sauna practice into your life. 

Sauna: A Science-Backed Way to Combat Physical & Health Risks

While people are encouraged to adopt healthier life choices – eat better, visit the gym more regularly, and generally ‘de-stress,’ these things are easier said than done. The hustle and bustle of everyday life often gets in the way of getting on top of our mental and physical health. Modern life makes it difficult to escape stressful situations and always make healthy choices. So what can we do in the face of these constant challenges?

 

Of course, doctors and medication can help when needed. Spending time with loved ones and taking time off to refresh and relax can also help. Ultimately, by making deliberate lifestyle changes, we can do our part in leading healthier, happier lives. Adopting a daily sauna practice is one way that you can commit to dedicating some valuable high-quality time for yourself, while also reaping long-term benefits that will promote a healthier lifestyle. 

A practical option for living a healthier life

Saunas truly offer a multifaceted health solution. Regular sessions in a sauna can treat everyday muscle aches and joint pain. Using a sauna boosts the respiratory system and helps fight off infection. Saunas significantly improve cardiovascular health and might even reduce the risks of falling victim to debilitating diseases like Alzheimer’s. A single sauna session can trigger the release of happy hormones, promoting a heightened sense of wellness and actively helping to reduce anxiety and depression. Saunas provide an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, granting precious moments of quiet stillness and private relaxation – or shared quality time – device-free – with friends and family.

Don’t take our word for it. The science is there for all to see. And the evidence keeps on mounting. By and large, saunas are safe, effective, and a demonstrated beneficial routine that helps our mood and our health – even long-term. But here’s the problem. Most people don’t have the time to visit the gym or local spa daily to regularly access a sauna. And if you do manage to find the time to do so, you’re often sharing this experience with strangers instead of with family and friends in the convenience of your own home. While countries like Finland have more than three million saunas – a mind-boggling 1.8 saunas per person! – other parts of the world aren’t so lucky. But what about having your own private backyard sauna or indoor sauna you can access anytime without the commute? 

The Home Sauna Solution

Öli Saunas is helping to introduce the home sauna to the U.S. What was once a novelty, reserved only for the rich (and the Finns), has become a must-have for anyone concerned about improving their health and spending more quality time with themselves or with family. Now, people can take advantage of the myriad of health benefits of saunas in the comfort of their own home. No more waiting in line for a local sauna at the gym to become available or shelling out monthly fees to rent somebody else’s for 20 minutes at a time. By owning your own, you can access this amazing experience any time you want! 

Adding a sauna to your home is also a valuable investment to your property. The National Association of Realtors found that 42% of homebuyers consider a sauna a desirable feature, increasing the chances of closing that sale, not to mention the bump in your home’s value. 

Practical, valuable, effective, and most of all, enjoyable, a home sauna is a smart investment. By installing a sauna in your home or in your own backyard, you’ll get to enjoy the convenience of getting your daily fix of heat therapy, alongside spending vital quality time - with yourself, or with loved ones.

Öli Saunas does not only provide the amazing experience of a sauna that has been cherished by humans for millennia – we have an amazing collection of beautifully crafted saunas to make your home space extra special. 

Experience the physical and mental health benefits of a sauna from Öli Saunas while creating cherished moments with family and friends. Designed for everyday use in the convenience of your home, our saunas support a healthier lifestyle that nurtures both body and mind.

We embrace the promise of saunas. And we hope you will too. 

Disclaimer:

The content provided here is for informational purposes only. This article is not intended to substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition.

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