The popularity and interest in saunas have skyrocketed over the last decade. However, saunas have been consistently used for centuries throughout the Scandinavian regions. This is not just simply for recreation and relaxation, the saunas have been providing the Scandinavian people with phenomenal health benefits that you would not believe.

While many people who regularly use saunas can tell you how good it makes them feel, you still may be sceptical. However, today there is so much science into saunas and the benefits that they can have on your body and mind with truly astonishing findings.

In this article, we will detail 10 amazing health benefits of saunas which have been backed by science.

1 - Saunas Have Incredible Cardiovascular Health Benefits

One amazing benefit of constant sauna usage that has been found through stringent testing over a number of years is the incredible effect that saunas can have on cardiovascular health. This is why you commonly see high-performance athletes utilising sauna therapy as a part of their training schedules. 

Sauna's benefits to cardiovascular health come from its unique ability to mimic cardiovascular exercise. Within a sauna, your blood flow to your muscles improves and your heart rate increases similar to running, or any other cardiovascular sport. In a sauna, your heart rate normally elevates to an aerobic level which means that your body is fully mimicking exercise. 

In addition to this, the increase in cardiovascular health can also help to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease, strokes and more. This, therefore, helps you to have a healthier life and less chance of unexpected problems or even death. 

2 - Saunas Can Increase Endurance Exercise Performance

Similarly to the last point, consistent sauna use has been proven to have a huge positive impact on the performance of endurance athletes. This is not just because of the cardiovascular benefits, there are also a significant amount of other benefits that can contribute to increased performance. 

One of these benefits is their ability to help athletes acclimate to heat. During intense physical activity, your core body temperature will increase significantly. If you are not used to this and acclimated to the heat then you will struggle tremendously to maintain a high level of performance. 

Adapting your body to the heat is a huge benefit for endurance athletes as they are constantly warm whether they are running, cycling or any other sports. There is truly no better piece of equipment to help adapt your body to these extreme temperatures that you will face. Sweating is also a positive as it helps your body to regulate its temperature and avoid you overheating. 

3 - Lower The Risk Of Alzheimer's & Dementia

One very important benefit of consistent sauna use which has been stringently researched is its ability to lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzhemiers and Dementia. Studies have shown that individuals who use saunas 4-7 times a week are 66% less prone to these diseases. 

The statistics behind the research truly are amazing. Saunas can prevent these diseases for many reasons, one being their ability to improve blood flow around the body. This means the brain is able to get more blood flow and therefore oxygen which allows for healthier functioning. 

In addition to this, consistent sauna use will activate something called heat shock proteins. These are stress response proteins that help proteins within body cells keep their 3-dimensional structure. This helps to prevent the proteins from becoming destructured and also stops aggregates in the brain which are associated with Alzheimer's.

4 - Help To Lower Inflammation Within The Body

Inflammation is unfortunately something that a lot of people suffer from. It can be caused by many different things such as the things we eat, the things we eat and much more. Studies have shown that saunas can help to lower inflammation within the body by helping to improve the blood flow around the body and to the skin. 

The concentrated heat within the saunas helps to stimulate oxygen-rich blood circulation which can significantly help to reduce swelling or inflammation within muscles and joints. So for anybody who suffers from chronic muscle or joint pain, saunas can be extremely beneficial. 

In addition to this, inflammation can often be a side effect of stress. This is because your body starts to shut down and go into survival mode when stressed and leaving areas of the body exposed to inflammation. However, a sauna's ability to reduce stress through the stress-fighting hormones also inadvertently helps to fight inflammation. 

5 - Help Relax Muscles And Joints

Consistent sauna use has also been linked with increased relaxation of both muscles and joints. The reason why is very simple, when an individual is in a sauna their blood flow around their body increases dramatically. This helps to flush out any toxins from within the muscles and the joints and helps them to feel more relaxed. 

Relaxed muscles and joints help speed up recovery times. This is very effective for individuals who are consistently training extremely hard and need to recover far quicker than the average person. In addition to this, relaxed muscles and joints can also help make an individual feel more relaxed together which can have a hugely positive impact on vital areas such as mood and sleep. 

6 - Helps To Relieve Stress

Unfortunately, everyone has stresses in their lives which can at times have a negative impact on their mood and overall mental health. Saunas do not only provide individuals with physical health benefits, consistent sauna usage can have a hugely positive impact on both your mood and your mental health. 

One of the more surface-level reasons is because a sauna offers a warm and quiet space with no distractions for individuals which can be a nice change from the stresses of everyday life. 

Saunas also help to relax your muscles and therefore your body which allows you to feel far less stressed and tense when in the heat. In addition to this, the increased blood flow around the body helps to stimulate the release of endorphins which help to reduce pain, reduce stress and also improve your overall mood and well-being.

7 - Helps Clear Skin

Did you know that saunas can have a huge benefit on your skin? Helping clear up skin is another brilliant benefit of consistent sauna usage. When sitting in a sauna, you sweat. Sweat helps to bring additional oxygen and beneficial nutrients to the surface of the skin which helps to give you a much healthier-looking skin complexion. 

This process helps to moisturise your skin without using any toxic or clog-filling chemicals that can often be present in skin care products such as cleansers and moisturisers.

In addition to this, saunas help to produce a protein called collagen that helps our tissues and organs to strengthen and elasticate. This process, also known as cell rejuvenation, helps to give your skin a much stronger and fresher-looking complexion. 

8 - Improves Sleep Performance

Getting a good night's sleep is vital to feeling good and consistent sauna use can help to revolutionise your sleep. Using a sauna just before bed is a brilliant way to wind down and put your body in a relaxed enough state to fall straight to sleep, this is why many people swear by saunas to improve the quality of their sleep. 

When using a sauna you are boosting a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone which can help lead to a much deeper and much more restorative night's sleep. By using a sauna consistently you are constantly producing high levels of melatonin which will not only help you sleep easier but will also increase how beneficial your sleep is for you. 

Similarly, sauna usage also encourages the development of stress-reducing hormones which can help you to have better moods and less stress. The less stressed that your body is, the easier it will be for you to fall asleep and the better the sleep will be for you.

9 - Flush Body Toxins

Saunas are often used by individuals looking to sweat out anything bad they have put into their bodies, and for good reason. Saunas are incredibly effective at facilitating the excretion of toxins within the body through sweat.

They are an incredible way to naturally detoxify your body and improve your bodily functions. They are also phenomenal for excreting bioaccumulative toxins such as lactic acid from the body's muscles, adipose tissue and organs. This makes saunas an incredible tool for recovery after intense sports and will have your body feeling fresher for longer.  

10 - Can Have Anti-Ageing Effects

If you are looking to appear younger then look no further than a sauna. Saunas can have some incredible anti-ageing effects. Saunas can stimulate the production of both collagen and elastin which helps to plump and firm the skin. 

Both collagen and elastin can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or lines and therefore reduce signs of ageing. Therefore, if you are looking to stay looking younger for longer then saunas are perfect for you.