Sauna. What, Why and How.

A Short History Of Sauna

Saunas have been used by humans for thousands of years. it's not exactly clear but it seems the origins of Saunas can be traced to north Europe, in particular to fairly cold areas of Scandinavia such as Finland, Sweden and Norway. At any rate, the idea seems straightforward, a closed space that is heated to provide physical, mental and social benefits for its users. It is traditionally used as a way to relax, de-stress, socialize and challenge oneself.

You go inside, usually naked or minimally clothed, sit down and allow the heat to slowly warm you up. At first this is a very pleasant experience that eventually turns into an unpleasant one. That is the key to it as you should soon find out. You may spend the time talking to others who are sharing the Sauna or keep to yourself, perhaps meditating, reflecting or even doing light exercise or streches.

The 3 Main Types Of Sauna

There are a few common types of saunas and you've probably seen or heard of at some point. Let's review them:

• Dry Sauna: this is your traditional sauna that is basically a closed space with a container of stones heated to a range that usually falls between 175-195 degrees Fahrenheit. You can find these saunas at most gyms, spas and country clubs.
• Steam Or Wet Sauna: Another popular and common form of a sauna, in which water is heated to produce vapor which is then inserted into a closed space, increasing the temperature and humidity. They run in similar temperatures to dry saunas but tend to "feel" hotter as water vapor is more efficient at heat conduction then air.
• Infrared Sauna: These saunas are relatively new compared to the previous. An infrared lamp uses infrared light to directly heat your body. These saunas usually run at temperatures in the range of 125-155 degrees which are substantially less than dry/wet saunas. however, infrared light has the ability to penetrate deeper under your skin (almost heating you from the "inside") and other interesting properties such as stimulating your mitochondria which is a very good thing.

How Does It Work

How can something that initially seems negative (such as subjecting ourselves to extreme heat) ends up being positive? This is a great question with a relatively simple answer. Our bodies have ways to adapt to stressful situations. A good example is weight lifting. When we lift heavy weight we are putting a stress on our muscles that sends a message to your body of "danger", which results in a adaptive response to that stress, effectively strengthening your muscles to better deal with a similar stress in the future. This is called a "hormetic effect". learning from a negative experience to become better prepared should it ever happen again.

In saunas, the heat is the stressor, signaling your body to activate all kinds of mechanisms and pathways to protect itself from heat damage. Turns out that the "side effects" of these adaptations are the benefits we get from the sauna.

The Benefits Of Sauna

Even though people have been using the sauna for thousands of years enjoying their overall health improving benefits, it is only recently that we began to understand what those benefits are and how exactly they work. Let's list some of the major ones:

• Increases blood flow: primarily to your skin, which elevates your heart rate similar to a moderate aerobic exercise.
• Improves insulin sensitivity: a key hormone that regulates metabolism.
• Improves sensitivity to endorphins in the brain: endorphins are the natural pain killers our bodies make. By being more sensitive to them, we need less of them to feel the same effect.
• Increases hGH (human growth hormone): a key hormone that help protect and build muscle tissue, recover from workouts and prevent muscle loss.
• Increases BDNF: BDNF is a protein that stimulates growth of new brain cells which is critical for keeping our brain in good condition so that we can remain smart, sharp and clear as we grow older.
• Increases norepinephrine: a hormone in our brain that increases arousal and alertness, promotes vigilance, enhances formation and retrieval of memory, and focuses attention.
• Increases Heat Shock Proteins (HSP): heat stress activates genes that express HSP that protect and fix cells from damage. The heat of the sauna effectively tells your body to start fixing itself on a deep cellular level.
• Activates FOXO3 (The longevity gene): this gene controls 100s of functions that protect the body and promote health and longevity such as DNA repair, cellular autophagy and more.

In a nutshell, this translates to:

• Becoming better at dealing with physical and mental stress.
• Promoting muscle growth and recovery and preventing muscle loss.
• Enhanced cardiovascular conditioning.
• Promoting better sleep.
• Increasing total longevity and quality of life.
• Decreasing the chances of age-related diseases.

A Recommended Sauna Regimen

There is no "right" or "wrong" way to use the sauna. it depends on many factors such as the benefits one seeks and the seeker itself. however, here are some guidelines taken from sauna studies and personal experience that I formed into a simple recipe for getting the benefits while avoiding unwanted side effects.

• Stay clean: take a shower, preferably a cold one, before, after and in between your sauna sessions.
• Avoid dehydration: drink plenty of water before, after and during your sauna session. Avoid using plastic containers when in the sauna.
• Use a sauna that is heated to at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit: most of the studies that showed the benefits mentioned above were done on those temperatures. Going higher or lower is probably fine but 175 is probably a good average to aim for.
• Spend between 10-20 minutes at a given session: this is the time range used in those studies. There is nothing magical about these numbers but that is usually the time it takes an average person to reach the point where it almost becomes unbearable to remain inside the sauna. Remember, this is the point we are looking for, since it is the point that triggers the hormetic effects or the adaptation response of your body.
• Repeat: you can certainly do just 1 session but it is very common to take a 5 minute break and have another session of the same time length. Most studies showed benefits were done an average of 2 sessions or more with a 5-10 minute break in between.
• Stay safe: make sure you follow the regulations and policies of the sauna that you are in.
• Make it a lifestyle: just like exercise, to truly maximize these benefits, make it a regular activity in your life. 2-3 times per week is a good average.

Final Thoughts

Using the sauna is probably one of the best things you can add to your list of healthy life habits. I don't know other things that hold so many benefits for a such a small investment. If you can afford and have access to any type of sauna at some capacity I recommend it greatly. It ends up being much more than just a routine for health and becomes part of your lifestyle, a healthy habit you enjoy and look forward to.