Health Benefits of Dry Saunas

What is a Dry Sauna?

A dry sauna is the absence of any humidity.  A sauna’s dry heat temperature can reach up to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.  While a wet sauna incorporates humidity when you add water to the hot stones, a dry sauna eliminates the use of water completely.  People traditionally sit in a dry sauna for ten to twenty minutes and then take a cool shower to clean out the pores and reduce any stress that occurred to the body due to the high heat.

Saunas were first introduced in Finland.  One of the earliest seen in existence was found dug into an embankment in the ground.  Constructions after this were wooden structures built above ground and used wood to reach the high level of desired heat.  Our modern saunas today typically use stones to achieve this, including dry saunas.  Saunas are still built of wood because wooden interiors can absorb and store heat better than other materials.

What Are The Benefits of A Dry Sauna?

There are many health benefits that are associated with regular sauna sessions.  The sauna is essentially giving you a small fever and will cause you to sweat profusely.  It has been shown that it is healthy for your body to sweat like this at least once a day.

A dry sauna is better than a wet sauna because it is easier to handle the high level of heat, without the added humidity.  You can relieve tension, help sore muscles, and relax and decompress in a quiet environment while helping your body rid itself of potentially hazardous toxins.

Sweat regulates your body temperature while getting rid of toxins that are being stored in your body.  Our bodies contain two different sweat glands, apocrine glands, and eccrine glands.  Apocrine glands emit sweat that causes body odor and contains fats.  Eccrine glands are activated by stress and also help you to cool down.

While you sit in a sauna, you are purging these glands of harmful toxins and reducing the burden these toxins have on your body, ultimately making you healthier and making your skin look healthier in the process.

Dry Saunas have also been shown to help alleviate symptoms you may have that are related to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.  Other added health benefits include:

1: Aids Muscle Recovery

Your muscles feel weary after a workout. Your muscles work hard as a result of physical activity, resulting in microscopic wounds. The tears create a muscular appearance while also causing tightness, inflammation, and cramps.

To get stronger, your muscles must heal the tissue tears. Dry heat improves blood flow and aids muscular recovery by speeding up circulation. Increased circulation allows more oxygen-rich blood to reach your muscles.

If you’re trying to get back into a regular exercise program, having a sauna at home can help with muscular discomfort and keep you dedicated.

2: Helps With Weight Loss

It’s important to note that sauna sessions should not be exclusively relied on for weight reduction. The key to long-term weight loss is a healthy diet and exercise program. Hitting the sauna after a workout, on the other hand, can aid in your efforts to lose weight.

The increased heart rate caused by the heat in a sauna is comparable to that produced when you exercise. Extra calories are burned due on account of the accelerated heart rate. The appetite can be regulated by sitting in a sauna, so you eat smaller portions at the dinner table.

3: Removes Toxins

A heated sauna may help your body get rid of dangerous pollutants. The idea is straightforward. Saunas make you sweat, so they’re a good way to sweat out those toxins.

It’s almost hard to live a toxin-free existence. Toxins come from all directions, but they are only eliminated via perspiration, blood, and urine. A dry heat sauna in your house helps you eliminate waste from your body while also improving your health.

The following harmful chemical compounds are eliminated in the sauna: Phthalates, Lead, BPA, Nicotine, and Mercury.

Sweating is the most efficient way to get rid of pollutants, according to studies. The presence of phthalates, which are toxic chemicals that can be found in cutlery, paints, and cosmetics, is twice as high in sweat as urine.

4: Rejuvenates The Skin

If you’re looking for a technique to improve your skin, spend more time in a hot sauna. The pores on your face are enlarged and tension is reduced while you sit in a sauna. Heat transports nutrition to the epidermis, promoting new cell development.

Using your own sauna may help to relieve skin irritation and inflammation. Using your home sauna can help you avoid, Itchy, flaky, and dry. It also helps to prevent Eczema, Psoriasis, and Acne.

Sweating has a detoxifying effect on the body. Outside layers of the skin are cleansed through heavy sweating in a hot sauna. It leaves us with clean, revitalized, and healthy skin.

Saunas also aid in the formation of natural moisturizers. The heat from the sauna stimulates sebaceous glands, which are responsible for moisture. Sebaceous gland activity increases, resulting in beautiful skin with a healthy glow.

5: Prevents Congestion

To beat the common cold, everyone knows you need to consume a lot of liquids and eat plenty of soup. However, don’t forget to include dry heat on your list of remedies. Having a sauna in your house allows you easy access to one of the most powerful congestion treatments.

It’s simpler to breathe when you sit in a hot sauna. Heat and increased perspiration cleanse your body and open up your airways. Saunas enhance blood flow to alleviate muscular pains and tiredness. The heat encourages greater blood circulation, allowing for the delivery of immunity boosters to all regions of your body.

The dry sauna’s heat also helps to relieve congestion. Regular visits to the sauna keep your respiratory passages open, lowering your risk of viral infections caused by pollutants. You can easily include sitting in the sauna into your daily routine by building a dry sauna at home.

6: Improves Blood Circulation

A dry sauna in your house can help improve blood circulation. Regular sauna sessions aid the inner layer of your blood vessels to function and control pressure. Sweating improves circulation and promotes heart health by speeding up the process.

Sauna visits help to strengthen blood vessel dilation, decrease arterial stiffness, and improve autonomic nervous system functions. Men who used a sauna four to seven times a week had a 50% lower risk of high blood pressure, according to the American Journal of Hypertension.

7: Boosts Mental Health

Saunas reduce stress and induce endorphins, which are hormones that make us feel good. Some medical professionals recommend sauna therapy to their patients since the physiological advantages of a heat sauna are so significant.

Sauna sessions have been found to reduce cortisol levels. As a result of reduced cortisol, we feel less stress, anxiety, and tension. Our moods improve and our sleeping habits change as a result of decreased cortisol levels.

Sweating naturally causes the body to create natural pain-relieving chemicals called beta-endorphins. The components help to relieve tension and anxiety. Sweating also promotes the release of euphoric hormones, which can assist with depression symptoms.

Sitting in a dry heat sauna has health benefits, as is the case with any activity that improves physical and emotional well-being. Saunas are peaceful, dark, and silent places where you may unwind. You can relax your thoughts by sitting in a hot sauna.

Before Entering the Dry Sauna

Sweating will occur in the sauna because you are exposing your body to high levels of heat.  Before entering a dry sauna, it is recommended that you refrain from any heavy meals before, drink plenty of water, and shower before you enter.  A shower before a sauna session allows your body to sweat more, which will increase the positive health benefits your body will receive.  It will also wash away any products you might have on your skin or hair which could drip into your eyes while you sweat.  Finally, for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience, remove any jewelry, contacts, or glasses and wrap yourself in a towel.

After you spend ten to twenty minutes in the dry sauna, you should have a cool shower.  A sauna is all about the transition between hot and cold.  A cool shower will help close your pores while washing off the sweat and cool you down.

After the sauna, you will want to drink lots of water as well.  Start off slowly and only sit in there as long as it remains comfortable for you.  It is meant to be an enjoyable experience, not torture.

When you should avoid a Dry Sauna

Before participating in a sauna session, you should consult your doctor if you are experiencing any health problems related to heart and lung disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, infections, or epilepsy.  You should also avoid saunas if you are feeling ill or in the beginning stages of any sickness.  Saunas, however, are great to use as a preventative measure before getting sick.

Conclusion

There are definitely many known health benefits associated with dry sauna use.  As long as you follow the tips and guidelines and be sure to drink plenty of water, you can soon begin reaping the benefits of saunas by inducing sweat and provoking a relaxing and meditative experience.