Sauna: why sweating is so healthy

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At the latest when beads of sweat cover the entire body and the heart is pumping noticeably against the chest, it becomes clear that a sauna is exhausting. But why exactly does voluntary sweating actually have a positive effect on the heart, lungs and brain and what happens in the body?

Various studies certify that saunas have miraculous powers for health. Those who sweat regularly in the cabin are less likely to get high blood pressure and fatal heart diseases. Lung diseases such as COPD, asthma or pneumonia are also less common among sauna-goers. And sweating even seems to protect against dementia and Alzheimer's.

Jari Laukkanen and his team from the University of Eastern Finland got to the bottom of the healing effects of the sauna. The researchers sent 100 test persons to the sauna for 30 minutes at 73 degrees Celsius. The subjects were on average 53 years old and were roughly equal parts male and female.

Sweating cure against high blood pressure

“The biggest effect we have observed: sweating lowers blood pressure. That happens in the short term, but it also lasts in the long term, ”Laukkanen told

The scientists measured the subjects' blood pressure three times: immediately before the sweat bath, immediately afterwards and half an hour after the sauna.

The average, “upper” systolic blood pressure of the subjects fell from 137 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) to 130 mmHg. The “lower” diastolic decreased from 82 to 75 mmHg. Even after 30 minutes, the blood pressure remained below the value before the sauna session.

Elastic vessels

The elasticity of the blood vessels also improved. The researchers determined this by measuring the speed at which the blood was pumped through the carotid artery or the femoral artery.

The flow rate is an indicator of how elastic the blood vessels are and thus how well they can become narrower and wider. That affects the blood pressure. After sweating, the blood flow velocity in the carotid and femoral artery averaged 8.6 meters per second, previously 9.8.

Long-term effect

The positive effect on blood pressure also shows long-term effects, as a further study by the Finns confirms. However, you have to sweat a lot in the sauna for this. Avid sauna-goers who pursued their passion four to seven times a week developed high blood pressure only half as often as those who sweated once a week during the observation period of 25 years.

High blood pressure is a key risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. If it is reduced, the likelihood of coronary heart disease or sudden cardiac death also decreases. Both are less common among sauna enthusiasts, as previous studies have confirmed.

Sweating instead of jogging

And Laukkanen and his colleagues were able to confirm something else: taking a sauna stimulates the heartbeat like jogging, swimming or cycling. The heart rate accelerated in the test subjects as much as with moderate physical exertion.

And, as in sport, the brain as well as the heart probably benefits: "Good blood circulation is also important for brain function," explains Laukkanen. That could explain why extreme sauna-goers have a 66 percent lower risk of dementia.

This is also due to the fact that sweating apparently also counteracts inflammatory processes in the body. Certain inflammatory factors occur in lower concentrations in sauna-goers. "These fuel heart diseases and dementia and could be another reason why people who often go to the sauna get sick less often," says Laukkanen.

Relaxation for the mind

And yet another factor could be behind the health benefits of taking a sauna. It relaxes. That alone should be reason enough for many to treat themselves to a sauna evening. In addition, reducing stress is also known to have positive effects on heart health.

"Our study shows for the first time which physical mechanisms are behind the health-promoting effects of taking a sauna," says Laukkanen. However, the saunas that the researchers examined were significantly longer than usual in Germany, but were also carried out at significantly lower temperatures. It is therefore not certain whether the results can be completely transferred to local customs.

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