Health and beauty benefits of sauna Saunas are a great way to relax after a stressful day. This act of relaxing and unwinding alone makes a session in a sauna highly desirable and beneficial for emotional & physical health and general wellbeing, which will in turn lead to a healthier appearance.

But the benefits of saunas on health and beauty go way beyond this. So here is a rundown on the many health and beauty benefits that can be gained from a session in a sauna... 1) Toxin cleansing There are more toxins in our environment and our food than ever before, and it seems our bodies are in danger of becoming toxic waste dumps! Saunas can help in this area due to the fact that the average person sweats approximately half a litre of body fluid during an average sauna session, and sweating is one of the bodies primary natural means of cleansing itself of harmful toxins. 3) Better blood circulation The heat in a sauna causes the blood vessels to expand and can therefore aid better blood circulation, however it should be noted that blood pressure effects are unpredictable, and may rise in some people and fall in others.

2) Glowing Skin Another side effect of better blood circulation is a glowing complexion, because most of the extra blood flow created by the sauna conditions goes to the surface of the body (the skin). Similarly, the process of cleansing which occurs when sweating will result in the skin looking soft and beautiful. Also, these safe and healthy sauna skin benefits have none of the nasty side effects attached to the common and dangerous practice of sunbathing (which can result in sun damage and premature aging). 4) Improved sinus and breathing It is well know that steam helps to relieve congestion, so naturally the steam within a traditional sauna is believed to improve sinus and breathing problems. Sauna may also provide some relief to patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis. It should be added that although these benefits hold true for most users, some traditional sauna users do experience difficulty breathing if the air is dry (the heat conditions in a sauna can vary from dry air to a more steamy environment), and these individuals may be better served by Far Infrared saunas, were the problem is reported to be non-existant. 5) Weight loss A typical sauna session can result in an increase in the heart pulse rate of 30% or more. This in turn increases the metabolism (fat burning process). A 30 minutes sauna session burns approximately 600 calories. 6) Improved real world fitness The work you heart does in the sauna (increasing in heart pulse rate) can actually improve your overall cardiovascular fitness. Basically, over time, your heart becomes conditioned to the hot sauna conditions, effectively improving it's capacity to handle stress. A good example of this improved heart conditioning would be that when you exercised the heart rate would be lower than it was when doing the same exercises previously. 6) Arthritis relief The effect of the heat penetrating throughout the body relaxing joints, tendons and ligaments and dilating the blood vessels can provide temporary relief from the pains of arthritis. 7) Relaxes tired stiff muscles Again, as the heat in a sauna penetrates the body, the muscles are relaxed. 8) Sleep better Taking a sauna in the evening facilitates falling asleep, as well as a deeper sleep. 9) Cure a variety of illnesses? It is generally believed that sauna may aid in curing general illnesses. The reasoning here is that the heating of the entire body in a sauna creates a condition similar to a fever, and a fever is the body's natural way of healing illness, stimulating the immune system and resulting in increased production of disease fighting white blood cells, antibodies and interferon (an anti viral protein with cancer fighting capability). There is certainly some truth in these beliefs, as studies have shown that taking a sauna twice a week will reduce your chances of catching a common cold by 50 percent. 10) Anti-aging Therapy Older people generally exercise less than there younger counterparts, hence they sweat less often, and this reduces the already mentioned elimination of toxins usually achieved through sweating. Sauna gives older people an easy path to achieving a healhy sweat, and as such is a great anti-aging therapy. Similarly, sauna is a good option for young people who are incapable of exercising and therefore achieving a good sweat due to physical disabilities. Special note for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure All heart and blood pressure patients should check with their doctors before taking a sauna. People with with poorly controlled blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina, and advanced heart failure or heart valve disease will probably be advised not to sauna. Sauna is safe, however, for most people with stable coronary heart disease. If you have either of these conditions and your doctor gives you the go ahead to sauna, do not follow the common practice of jumping straight into cold water after the sauna, as this will cause a sudden and radical change in body temperature, thus placing you at medical risk.