Have you ever been inside a steam room, mildly uncomfortable, with sweat dripping down your nose, wondering, ‘is this worth it?’ People flock to the steam room after a good workout. Many simply use it to relax and unwind before or after a hard day’s work. If you’ve ever wondered if using a steam room actually benefits your health and well-being, then here is one BIG reason, for why you should visit a steam room or sauna more often:
A 2015 study followed 2,315 middle-aged men from Finland over 30 years
- Men who took zero or one heat therapy bath a week were at the highest risk of high BP
- Risk was reduced by 24% for men who took two to three a week, and by 46% for men who took four to seven heat baths.
Dr. Jari Laukkanen, cardiologist & professor of medicine at the University of Eastern Finland, says that heat bathing can increase body temperature by up to 2 degrees Celsius (about 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit). This can cause blood vessels to dilate, or become wider, decreasing blood pressure and helping blood flow easier, he says.
“We know that heat therapy increases blood circulation, ups heart rate to a level that is similar to exercising, and, when done regularly, improves overall blood vessel health”
There you go! High BP or hyper-tension is a killer… regular thermal therapy sessions go a long way in keeping you naturally healthy.
SteamProTip: Limit your time spent inside to 15 to 20 minutes to avoid overexertion or being overheated.
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