Sauna: The Unparalleled Benefits of Heat at Home
Have you heard about saunas recently? If so, it’s for good reason. Sauna bathing, the practice of exposing the body to high temperatures for a brief period of time, has been used for millennia for relaxation, heart health, detoxification, and more. There are signs of people sauna bathing dating back to 2000 B.C.E. in northern European countries such as Finland, Estonia, Russia, and Latvia. Today, saunas are still popular in European countries like Finland, where saunas outnumber cars in the country. The long-term benefits of sauna bathing are still being studied, but current research has shown that consistent sauna bathing coincides with reductions in health concerns like cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. For example, a study published in 2015 followed over 2,000 Finnish men for about 20 years and concluded that higher frequency and duration of sauna bathing coincided with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease, as well as all-cause mortality.
As studies continue to be published, the benefits of sauna bathing have become increasingly recognized and appreciated in the health and wellness space. Several respected institutions and wellness leaders have researched and promoted the health benefits of saunas, including Andrew Huberman, Rhonda Patrick, Peter Attia, and Mayo Clinic. Huberman and Patrick both published articles singing the praises of sauna bathing and outlining the science behind it, and, during an interview, Attia talked about his discovery that sauna bathing promotes longevity. Mayo Clinic published a meta-analysis of sauna bathing in 2018 which showed that people who sauna bathe even once a week experience significant reductions in the risk of many health issues, from the common cold all the way to sudden cardiac death. Health detriments that are reduced by regular sauna bathing include inflammation, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and all-cause mortality. These health risks continue to decrease as the frequency of sauna usage increases.
“We see the sauna as an essential proactive amenity for residents, given that sauna bathing hits on every one of the badges of wellbeing that Frequency buildings strive to improve.”
So how does this fit into Frequency? We see the sauna as an essential proactive amenity for residents, given that sauna bathing hits on every one of the badges of wellbeing that Frequency buildings strive to improve: Respiratory Health, Cardiovascular Health, Resilience, Cognitive Performance, and Emotional Sustainability (with support of quality sleep that can help indirectly regulate circadian rhythm).
Sauna bathing earns the Respiratory badge by easing breathing and improving lung function by increasing the volume of air that your lungs can hold and exhale. Regular sauna use reduces the risk of respiratory disease from pneumonia to the common cold and benefits those suffering from chronic respiratory disorders like asthma or bronchitis.
Sauna bathing can also help prevent cardiovascular disease, earning it the Cardiovascular badge. Frequent sauna use is correlated to a 47% reduced risk of high blood pressure, a 62% reduced risk of incident stroke, and an overall reduction in risk of sudden cardiac death, fatal coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality.
Sauna bathing improves the functioning of your autonomic nervous system, resulting in an increased HRV improved functioning of internal balance, earning it the Resilience badge.
To earn it the Cognitive Performance badge, regular sauna use has been shown to result in a 66% reduced risk of dementia, 65% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, and a 78% reduced risk of psychosis.
Finally, sauna bathing earns the Emotional Sustainability badge by allowing your body to cope with the sensation of stress in a safe environment, improving the connection between mind and body. In several separate randomized studies, participants diagnosed with depression who consistently used the sauna as few times as once a week experienced short-term relief from symptoms of depression (see also: study 2 and study 3).
We at Frequency see the sauna as having the potential to be a key part of your routine. Whether it's after a workout, during a stressful episode, or before bed, easy access to sauna is a conduit to feeling good. These universal improvements in wellbeing accompanying regular sauna use are why we recommend saunas in all of our residential projects, as constant access and routine use can unlock the good feelings experienced by sauna bathers for millennia.