Sauna, Secrets of Healthy Life and Longevity

Sauna, Secrets of Healthy Life and Longevity - Most of us know that spending time in a sauna increases your inner body temperature and of course makes you sweat. Sweating makes the pores open and allows the release of dirt that builds up in it and is thought to also make the body release alcohol, salt, and cholesterol.

The researchers also believe that sauna and sweating can help relieve pain, help control moods, can help reduce the risk of kidney stones and can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%.

Fever is actually the body's natural way to fight infection by stimulating the immune system and preventing bacteria from growing and spreading. This also makes it uncomfortable for viruses and bacteria because most require a temperature range and a level that is stable enough to continue to reproduce.

Purely for this reason, it is a good idea to make sure your first aid kit contains a good clinical thermometer. So it makes sense that a sauna that creates artificial fever will be beneficial but research has shown that they can really help save lives.

The results were recently published from studies conducted in Finland over a twenty-one year period beginning in the 1980s and involving 2,300 men between 42 and 60 of whom took regular saunas and some that did not take at all.

The results show that the more often men do saunas and the longer they stay in the sauna, the lower the risk of fatal coronary or cardiovascular death or sudden cardiac death over a 21-year period.

Those who had two or three saunas a week experienced a 23% reduction in the mortality rate from coronary heart disease which rose to 48% with between four and seven saunas a week. Similarly, the death rate from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 27% for those who used two or three saunas a week and 50% for those who had between four and seven.

An impressive number, but when you also see the risk of sudden cardiac death reduced by 22% for those who use two or three saunas and 66% for those who take four to seven it becomes very attractive.

The length of time spent in a sauna also makes a difference, the longer the time, the greater the benefits. Those who stayed in saunas for 11-19 minutes made a 7% profit compared to those who lived under 11 minutes, while more than 19 minutes produced a 52% risk of sudden cardiac death and similar rates for coronary and cardiovascular heart disease

This study has not confirmed why saunas have this effect on life span but because the results are very positive, further studies will be carried out to establish a link.

But it should be stressed, that saunas are not recommended for very young, very old or pregnant women and anyone with existing health problems should always consult their doctor before taking risks.