Sauna And Longevity: The Connection Between Heat Therapy And Life Expectancy Explained

Saunas are linked to all sorts of health and wellness benefits that you can probably imagine. But if there’s one thing that has become the talk of the internet lately, it is the connection between sauna and longevity. 

You see, online forums are abuzz with the idea of sauna increasing your life expectancy. And these claims are often backed by research data suggesting how saunas decrease mortality among people with numerous health conditions. 

Nevertheless, there are a good number of people who are skeptical too, including me at first. 

My response: I went beyond the sauna longevity debate on Reddit, and others, and dived deep into the scientific explanations. To my surprise, I found that a sauna can indeed lead to increased life expectancy. 

Now, I am sure you’d be curious how exactly the likes of a Steamist sauna increase longevity. 
So, read on as I’ve explained everything, along with science-backed logic and research data. 

What is the science behind sauna and longevity? 

Hitting the sauna regularly can increase your lifespan, there’s no doubt about it. Perhaps the fact that sauna is rooted deep in Nordic history and culture is why life expectancy is so high in that part of the world. 

But what’s the link between sauna use and longevity? 

For starters, sauna is a form of heat therapy where your body is exposed to temperatures as high as 158°F-212°F. And once in there, your body responds to this high heat condition by releasing heat-shock proteins. 

As a result, multiple physiological processes or self-defense mechanisms of your body are triggered, helping regulate your core temperature. 

Now, there two ways this helps increase longevity: 

1. Sauna triggers hormesis

Complicated as it might seem, hormesis is a straightforward process where controlled exposure to stressors such as heat can actually be beneficial. And this is exactly what happens in a sauna where high temperature triggers hormesis. 

So, as you make sauna bathing a regular habit, your body adapts to the heat and improves its defenses. And it does so by releasing heat-shock proteins and activating cell repair function. 

Overall, this process makes your body way more resilient to stressors, which, in turn, promotes better health and longevity. 

2. Sauna improves thermoregulatory response

Yet another way sauna helps improve health as well as overall life expectancy is by more efficient activation of thermoregulatory response. Herein, your blood vessels dilate and increase the blood flow towards the skin as you face prolonged heat exposure. 

You see, thermoregulatory response is crucial for maintaining homeostasis or a balance among all the body systems which is essential for survival. Also, it prevents your body's core temperature from rising too quickly. 

In the long run, this helps protect against health problems related to unregulated blood pressure, neurological conditions, and heart health. 

Moreover, I went through various studies suggesting saunas reduce the chances of heart and neurological complications and even negate the chances of mortality. I’ve discussed these studies and the sauna longevity benefits they point to in further sections. 

Sauna longevity: How improved cardiovascular health helps increase life expectancy? ​

Cardiovascular illnesses are among the leading causes of deaths in the country. So much so that it claims about 695,000 lives every year, which is one in every five deaths.      

Now, one of the most prominent ways sauna use helps increase longevity is by boosting your cardiovascular health. 

In fact, if a research published in PubMed is any suggestion, sauna use can reduce chances of cardiovascular-related mortality up to 50 percent. 

You see, this particular Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease (KIHD) study involved two groups of people. Herein, the first group used the sauna 2-3 times a week while the second group used it 4-7 times every week. 

At the end of this sauna longevity study, it was found that the first group had a 27% lower risk of cardiovascular-related deaths. However, the second group that used the sauna 4-7 times per week saw a 50% reduction in chances of cardiovascular mortality. 

Most importantly, if you’re someone who has a healthy heart, with regular sauna use chances are you’ll never have cardiovascular-related problems in the first place.

How does sauna improve cardiovascular health? 

As I explained in my blog on sauna vs cardio, a sauna session simulates a light cardio exercise. And this helps a great deal to strengthen your heart health. 

Now, this is largely due to the effects of heat stress on your heart. Herein, the heart's workload increases as it is exposed to high heat, prompting it to pump more blood to the skin for cooling.

Just like during a workout or jog, this enhanced cardiovascular function improves heart function, increases circulation, and reduces blood pressure. 

All in all, it translates to better cardiovascular health and, thus, higher life expectancy. 

Sauna and longevity by preventing neurodegenerative diseases 

After cardiovascular mortality, neurodegenerative diseases are yet another prominent cause of death. In fact, if mortality figures are any suggestion, these diseases claimed 272,644 lives in 2016. 

But on the brightside, sauna for longevity works even in the case of neurodegenerative complications like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. That’s because the heat-shock proteins released during sauna bathing are vital in preventing cell damage. 

In fact, heat-shock proteins also help repair damaged proteins and prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which are the major triggers for neurodegenerative diseases. 

Although there isn't human-centric research on sauna use and longevity among people with neurodegenerative complications, there are promising early stage animal studies. 

For instance, a study on heat-shock proteins in neurodegenerative disorders suggest that regular sauna bathing can help prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases through cellular repair and reduced oxidative stress.  

Longevity with ozone sauna: How does ozone help? 

Of late, ozone saunas have become quite popular for heat therapy. That’s because these saunas combine the benefits of traditional sauna bathing with ozone effects. 

You see, these are your regular saunas with the only difference being that ozone gas is introduced in the sauna ambiance for therapeutic benefits. 

As you might already be aware, ozone is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, the key drivers of aging.

So, this gas reacts with your tissues as it is released in the sauna, thus creating ozone metabolites. And this leads to plenty of positive effects within your body.

For instance, some prominent longevity ozone sauna benefits include increased rate of cellular repair, antioxidant defenses, and free radical elimination. 

Overall, this helps slow down the aging process and increase longevity by promoting healthy aging. 

Note: Whether they’re regular Amerec saunas or ozone saunas, it is important to consider the age limit for sauna longevity benefits. After all, old-age people, especially those who are very old, can’t expect anti-aging benefits out of a longevity ozone sauna. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there is enough scientific evidence to support the connection between sauna and longevity. 

In fact, from improved cardiovascular health to protection against neurodegenerative diseases, sauna bathing offers a range of longevity benefits.  

And what can be better than installing a powerful longevity ozone sauna right into your home. After all, one such sauna can help you reap maximum sauna longevity benefits without breaking the bank. 

Wondering how to get a home sauna? 

You can get in touch with us!

At Steam and Sauna Experts, we are seasoned sauna installation experts with extensive experience installing high-end custom saunas across South Florida. Also, our online storefront features top-notch sauna accessories from the likes of Amerec, Steamist, Delta, Mr Steam, and more. 

In short, we’ve got all your residential sauna requirements covered on a budget. 

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