Medical Researchers Taking a New Look at Infrared Sauna and Heart Health
The Infrared Sauna has caught the attention of medical researchers. Among the studies currently being undertaken and the those that have been completed are ones addressing the question, “Are Infrared Sauna Sessions Good for Heart Health.” There is no doubt that the modern sauna concept evolved in Finland and swept the world as part of the gym and health spa experience. Current estimates indicate that in a nation with a population of 5.5 million people there are more than two million working saunas available for use.
Sauna Concepts are Ancient
As archeologist uncover more concrete evidence of the habits of past peoples and civilizations questions are arising about the genesis of the sauna. While there is still little doubt that the modern incarnation of the sauna can be traced to Finland, other cultures used a similar experience. Archeologists have recently uncovered solid evidence that the Mayans of over three thousand years ago made regular use of “sweat houses” for health. Using the same sweat inducing principals as the Finnish sauna and the Mayans, evidence of “sweat” tents, lodges and caves have also been discovered in Africa, in North and South American Indian cultures as well as ancient Rome, Greece, Persia, Turkey and Asia. The principals in every culture were the same whether it was to “sweat out” infectious disease or toxins or to enhance good health. The early Finnish saunas and sweat houses of ancient cultures were enclosed rooms that were heated to elevated temperatures. Spiritualists, healers and doctors of ancient cultures would prescribe hours in the primitive sweat houses. Athletes would see it as a test of endurance to last days in the ultra-heated sauna. Over the centuries and beginning with the Finnish model of the sauna it became understood that short sauna sessions were beneficial while long stays could be hazardous to health. Modern Medical researchers are looking to confirm the health benefits of regular short stints in the sauna.
Confirming the Heart Health of Sauna Use
Finland where the modern sauna has its origins is also home to long standing studies concerning cardio-vascular health and sauna use. One study is the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study which has been tracking 2300 middle aged men for an average of twenty years. What they have found so far is that regular sauna use among these men reduces the risk of risk of sudden cardiac death, along with other cardiac disease and mortality. The thinking among researchers is that the heat of the sauna opens up the blood vessels reducing blood pressure and speeding the release of toxins in the blood. The numbers coming out of this study are now of interest to other researchers seeking to confirm the results. A regular session was defined as 20 minutes in a sauna. It is believed that the time in a sauna at 113-212 degrees Fahrenheit mimics the effects of moderate to high intensity exercise which is beneficial to the heart.
The 21st Century Sauna
Today the sauna has been modified again. The infrared sauna uses light to heat the sauna and produce the same heart healthy effects as a traditional wooden box sauna. FIT Bodywrap has taken the innovation a step further and developed a body enveloping infrared sauna that has a four-zone heat control system that the client can adjust. Premium spas are adding this relaxing FIT Bodywrap Infrared Sauna to their menus to allow clients to experience the heart healthy benefits without the intensity of sitting in a sauna box.