An international group of researchers has demonstrated that sauna bathing for 30 min reduces blood pressure and increases vascular compliance, while ‘also increasing heart rate similarly to medium-intensity exercise.’ The findings are published in the Journal of Human Hypertension and the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Sauna bathing is good for your health. Image credit: U. Leone.
Team leader Dr. Jari Laukkanen from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, Finland, and co-authors analyzed the effects of a 30-minute sauna session in 100 test subjects.
“Vascular compliance was measured from the carotid and femoral artery before sauna, immediately after sauna, and after 30 minutes of recovery,” the researchers explained.
“These vascular compliance measurements constitute a new assessment method in a sauna setting.”
Immediately after 30 minutes of sauna bathing, test subjects’ mean systolic blood pressure reduced from 137 mmHg to 130 mmHg, and their diastolic blood pressure from 82 mmHg to 75 mmHg.
Furthermore, their systolic blood pressure remained lower even after 30 minutes of sauna bathing.
Test subjects’ mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, which is an indicator of vascular compliance, was 9.8 m/s before sauna, decreasing to 8.6 m/s immediately after.
During sauna bathing, test subjects’ heart rate increased similarly to medium-intensity exercise, and their body temperature rose by approximately 2 degrees Celsius.
The findings shed light on the physiological mechanisms through which health benefits, which have been observed at the population level and are caused by the heat exposure of sauna, may develop.
“Our research indicates that regular physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle promote cardiac health and prevent disease, but not all of the risk and protective factors are yet known,” Dr. Laukkanen and colleagues said.
“The benefits of regular sauna bathing on cardiac health observed in the population-based study can be explained by the fact that sauna bathing reduces blood pressure and increases vascular compliance.”
“However, further research data from experimental settings relating to the physiological mechanisms of sauna bathing that promote cardiac health is still needed.”
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Tanjaniina Laukkanen et al. Acute effects of sauna bathing on cardiovascular function. Journal of Human Hypertension, published online December 21, 2017; doi: 10.1038/s41371-017-0008-z
Earric Lee et al. 2018. Sauna exposure leads to improved arterial compliance: Findings from a non-randomised experimental study. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 25 (2): 130-138; doi: 10.1177/2047487317737629
