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Sauna Health Benefits : Are saunas healthy or harmful?

A saunas’ dry heat (which can get as high as 185° F) has profound effects on the body. Skin temperature soars to about 104° F within minutes. The average person will pour out a pint of sweat during a short stint in a sauna. The pulse rate jumps by 30% or more, allowing the heart to nearly double the amount of blood it pumps each minute. Most of the extra blood flow is directed to the skin; in fact, the circulation actually shunts blood away from the internal organs. Blood pressure is unpredictable, rising in some people but falling in others.

The November issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch explains how these changes may influence a man's health.

“All in all, saunas appear safe for the body, but there is little evidence that they have health benefits above and beyond relaxation and a feeling of well-being,” says Dr. Harvey Simon, editor-in-chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. However, heart patients should check with their doctors before taking a sauna. Studies show them to be safe for people with stable coronary artery disease. “But patients with poorly controlled blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina, and advanced heart failure or heart valve disease will probably be advised to stay cool,” says Dr. Simon.

He suggests that sauna users follow these simple precautions:

  • Avoid alcohol and medications that may impair sweating and produce overheating before and after your sauna.
  • Stay in no more than 15–20 minutes.
  • Cool down gradually afterward.
  • Drink two to four glasses of cool water after each sauna.
  • Don’t take a sauna when you are ill, and if you feel unwell during your sauna, head for the door.

Also in this issue:

  • Screening for testicular and prostate cancers
  • Interactions between grapefruit juice and medications
  • A doctor answers: Do I need a blood-thinning medication after hip replacement?

Because of your interest in this article, you might find the following information helpful:

The Healthy Heart: Preventing, detecting, and treating coronary artery disease

If you follow the news about heart disease, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or confused about what puts you at risk and how to protect yourself. This report helps you identify the risk factors you can control, which range from medical conditions such as high blood pressure to lifestyle choices such as an unhealthy diet or lack of exercise. This report also describes the latest improvements in diagnosis and treatment so that you are aware of your options and can talk with your doctor about... Learn more »

More Harvard Health News »

About Harvard Health Publications

Harvard Health Publications publishes five monthly newsletters--Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Women's Health Watch, Harvard Men's Health Watch, Harvard Mental Health Letter, and Harvard Heart Letter--as well as more than 50 special health reports and books drawing on the expertise of the 8,000 faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School and its world-famous affiliated hospitals.