Good news, sweat aficionados: Saunas may be good for your cardiovascular health.
JAMA Internal Medicine recently published a Finnish study that sought to connect health and sauna usage. Researchers followed 2,300 men between the ages of 42 and 60 for 20 years to explore a possible link. Dr. Laukkanen asserts that sauna usage is beneficial; enjoying 2-3 sessions a week, he found, reduced the men's risk for sudden cardiac death by 22%. Cardiovascular disease risks also went down by 27%. Interestingly, coronary heart disease likelihood reduced by 50% when the men went to the sauna 4-7 times a week.
Frequent sauna-going, Dr. Laukkanen believes, is instrumental in cardiovascular health.
Or is it? Think about all the things that revolve around sauna usage. Many frequent the sauna following a workout—are there health benefits for the combination, perhaps? Or maybe just from the workout itself? Or perhaps the simple act of relaxing after a stressful day is beneficial. The theory behind this study, however, is that high heat and low humidity are the key to health.
Whatever the case, might we suggest that next time, some women are involved in the study?
In the meantime, you can find us at the sauna.
