Have a Sauna, Live Longer

April 24, 2017

Have a Sauna, Live Longer 


 References:  JAMA Internal MedDrSinatra,  TimeWikipediaToxic-Mold-SyndromeTownsend Letter


Saunas make you live longer. Plain and simple. And where in the world do people take saunas? Finland! Lots of saunas. In fact, in this current study, 2,315 men in Finland, ages 42-69, were queried as to their sauna habits and only 12 indicated that they never took a sauna. Just about every apartment building in Finland has a sauna built into its structure, just next to the shower and bathroom. 


 I first came across a Finnish sauna when I visited Finland last year to meet my future daughter-in-law's family. They live in southern Finland in the city of Salo, home to one of Nokia phones' main manufacturing hubs 20 years ago. There, in their apartment, was a sauna. We then went on a drive to see their summer home, and in a lovely lakeside cabin, three more saunas, one indoors and two separate wood-fired saunas in their own buildings. My takeaway message, saunas are common in Finland! 


 Why do you live longer when you take a sauna? Just in terms of cardiovascular deaths, the reductions were quite extraordinary. For those who took 1 sauna a week, 10% died over 22 years of follow-up. If they took 2-3 saunas a week, 7.8 % had sudden cardiac death. Of those who took 4-7 a week, only 5% had sudden cardiac death. For all-cause mortality, it was 295 (49.1%), 572 (37.8%), and 62 (30.8%). If you understand hazard ratio (the relationship of intervention to control), the benefit of 2-3 sauna a week over 1 per week was 22% better survival and 63% better survival for 4-7 a week. 


These are unbelievable numbers. Finally, compared to under 11 minute saunas, 11-19 minutes saunas added an extra 7 % benefit, and more than 19 minutes had an additional 52% reduction in mortality risk. So, longer and more frequent were both better. 


 What specifically does a sauna do? They may do many things, but one thing we do know is that you sweat. Ok. That's obvious. Why is sweating good for you? You get rid of toxins. In fact, measurements of mycotoxins in urine show you increase excretion of mold (mycotoxins) toxins 6 fold when you do a 20-minute infrared sauna. Pretty good, huh! Considering that many of us can be shown to have some 287 different toxins in us, thanks to research from the Environmental Working Group, most of us are living with a large toxin burden, stuck in our fat tissue. Saunas may be the best way to get rid of it. Do we know that for sure? Well, not sure sure. But we do know you get rid of a lot of gunk with infrared saunas. And that may be the key. 


 WWW. What will work for me. This data is so powerful, I'm seriously contemplating getting an infrared sauna. If I can clean up my basement enough to get space, this might be one of the best things we can do for ourselves. Having seen saunas in Finland, I now know that this research is very real, and has real implications. The survival data from this research is just about the most powerful intervention we can do for our personal health. Hmm. You can buy or build your own infrared sauna for under $ 1,000. 


Pop Quiz


1. You have to get hot to get a benefit from a sauna. T or F               Answer:   Probably true. Sweating is a key feature. But an infrared sauna isn't as hot as the traditional dry wood fired sauna.

2. More saunas are better than fewer? T or F                 Answer:  True. The benefit keeps climbing up to one a day.

3. You only need to get in there for 5 minutes to benefit? T or F                     Answer: Well, we don't know. Under 9 minutes had a benefit. Under 5 we don't know. And more benefit with increments up to 30. So, longer is better.

4. It's too expensive to get a sauna. T or F                  Anwer:   Well, if it's true for you, I'm sorry. But you can do it for about $ 1000 if you do most of it yourself, or even less.

5. And just what is it that happens in a sauna.?                         Answer:  A: Measurable dramatic reductions in sudden cardiac death, cardiac events, overall mortality with increasing benefit by frequency and length of sauna. 30 minutes 7 days a week is best.

 

 

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