Sauna Benefits: What the Research Actually Says

Quick answerLarge long-term studies from Finland have linked regular sauna bathing with lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and dementia, and many people use the sauna simply to relax and unwind. Most of this research is observational, so it shows an association rather than proof of cause. But it is consistent, and the more often people used the sauna, the stronger the link.

Sauna culture is growing fast in Australia, from bathhouses to backyard barrels. With it comes a lot of big claims online. Here is a plain-English look at what the research says, where it comes from, and what to keep in mind.

What happens to your body in the sauna

In a traditional sauna, your skin temperature rises quickly and your body works to cool itself down. Blood vessels near the skin widen, your heart rate climbs (researchers often compare it to moderate exercise), and you sweat. Afterwards, as you cool down, your heart rate and blood pressure settle again.

That repeated cycle of heat stress and recovery is what researchers think may sit behind many of the associations they have found.

Heart health

The most-cited study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2015, followed 2,315 middle-aged men in eastern Finland for around two decades. Men who used the sauna four to seven times a week had a markedly lower risk of fatal heart events and of death from any cause than men who went once a week. Longer sessions were also linked with lower risk. Read more about the heart health research.

Blood pressure

Follow-up work on the same group of men found that frequent sauna users were less likely to develop high blood pressure over time. A 2018 review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings also pointed to improvements in blood vessel function and blood pressure in shorter-term studies.

Brain health

A 2017 paper in Age and Ageing, again using the Finnish group, found that men who used the sauna four to seven times a week had a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease than once-a-week users. It is an interesting finding, but it is early, observational evidence.

Relaxation and wellbeing

Ask a regular why they go and most will tell you the same thing: it feels good. Twenty quiet minutes in the heat, away from your phone, is a reliable way to switch off. Many people find they sleep well on sauna days. More on sauna, stress and sleep.

Recovery after training

The sauna has long been part of training routines, and many people use it to relax tight muscles after exercise. The research here is smaller and more mixed, so treat it as a recovery ritual you enjoy rather than a guaranteed performance boost. How to use the sauna after training.

What the research does not show

• It is mostly observational. People who sauna often may differ in other ways, such as fitness, income or stress levels.
• Much of it comes from one group of Finnish men. More research in women and other populations is needed.
• Sauna is not a treatment. It is a healthy habit to enjoy alongside exercise, sleep and good food, not instead of them.

Getting the most from it

The common thread in the research is regularity. The associations were strongest in people who made sauna a habit. That means the best sauna routine is one you enjoy enough to keep coming back to: a comfortable temperature, enough water, time to cool down, and nothing that makes you want to cut a session short.

For many people, that last part is the heat on their head. Because heat rises, the hottest air in the room sits right where your head is. That is exactly the problem a wool sauna hat is designed for. How a sauna hat helps you get more from every session.

This article is general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before using a sauna if you are pregnant, have a heart condition or low or high blood pressure, or take medication that affects your heart or circulation. Avoid alcohol before and during sauna sessions.