(NewsNation) — Saunas have become an increasingly popular health hack in recent years, but does their use actually deliver the health benefits to back up the hype around them?
A sauna is a wood-lined room where people sit to induce sweating and to relax. According to the Mayo Clinic, a regular sauna uses “heat to warm the air,” while an infrared sauna “heats your body directly without warming the air around you.” Havard Health Publishing notes that a dry sauna’s heat can get “as high as 185° F “with skin temperature climbing to about 104° F within minutes.”
Many studies have found evidence that saunas can, in fact, play a role in reducing stress, providing pain relief. They can also improve lung function and cardiovascular health. The Cleveland Clinic notes that some studies have even shown that regular sauna use may help reduce “the risk of neurocognitive disease like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”
However, health officials warn that some precautions should be taken when saunas are used, especially for those with underlying medical conditions, such as heart conditions. In particular, the Cleveland Clinic advises that people younger than 16, people older than 65, women who are pregnant or those trying to become pregnant should consult their doctors before using saunas.
