"Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise, researchers say. Confronted with the sudden increase in heat, your cardiovascular system is put to the test—blood vessels dilate, heart rate increases and blood gets pushed to your skin, where it can be cooled more easily by sweat."
"There's very good evidence now that repeated use of heat is healthy for humans. We have this incredible ability to adapt to heat that's really helped shape human evolution much more than our ability to adapt to cold."
"A 2015 study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, that followed more than 2,300 Finnish men for about 20 years has received considerable attention. That showed using a sauna four to seven times per week was associated with a 40% to 60% lower risk."
Sauna use has surged in popularity, inspiring festivals and businesses across major U.S. cities as people seek wellness benefits. The practice challenges the cardiovascular system similarly to exercise, causing blood vessels to dilate, heart rate to increase, and blood to redirect to the skin for cooling through sweat. Research demonstrates that repeated heat exposure triggers beneficial physiological adaptations. Large-scale Finnish population studies provide compelling evidence, with one 20-year study of over 2,300 men showing that using a sauna four to seven times weekly was associated with 40% to 60% lower mortality risk, supporting sauna's role in cardiovascular health.
Read at www.npr.org
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