Ask anyone about their sauna experience and they will only have good things to say. Improve Saunas have a positive effect on your overall health, affecting your heart function, muscles and skin. Using a sauna also helps flush toxins from the body and can be a great way to relax after a long workout or in your everyday life.
It turns out saunas may have a special benefit that more people should know about: A new study suggests there may be a link between frequent sauna use, higher cardiovascular fitness levels, and the risk of developing mental illness.
The more frequent your sauna visits and the greater your fitness level, the lower your risk of developing a psychotic episode. Even frequent sauna visits can significantly reduce the risk of such episodes.
Researchers from the University of Leicester Journal of Psychiatry Research This suggests that there may be a link between these two behaviors and mental disorders.
Scientists followed over 2,600 Finnish men aged 42-61 and found that using the sauna tub three to seven times a week and increasing cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) reduced the risk of psychotic episodes.
Psychotic disorders are severe mental illnesses in which patients may experience hallucinations or delusions. In the former, a person sees or hears things that are not there. Delusions are strong beliefs that are not based in reality. schizophrenia and Schizoaffective disorder This is an example of mental illness.
Psychotic symptoms can have a negative impact on daily life in both the short and long term. They may require specialized long-term care. However, psychotic symptoms can also be prevented, which is something researchers are trying to study.
The beneficial effects of sauna bathing have been documented but not objectively measured. Previous studies have found that sauna use reduces the risk of psychosis.
CRF measures your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles during physical activity. The more you exercise, the better your CRF becomes. This in turn reduces your risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease and mental disorders.
The current study aimed to investigate whether these two factors could further reduce the risk of psychosis. Said Cypost They previously found that the combination of sauna and high CRF could offer greater protection against other adverse health effects.
The men in the study were followed for over 25 years, with the first assessments beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s. Researchers looked at sauna bathing habits and CRF.
Participants completed a questionnaire about their weekly sauna use and underwent tests to measure their cardiopulmonary fitness. The researchers also tracked the incidence of psychiatric disorders in the cohort.
The researchers found that men who visited saunas three to seven times a week had a significantly lower risk of developing psychosis compared with men who visited saunas less than twice a week, but the lowest risk of developing psychosis was in men who frequented saunas and had moderate to high levels of physical fitness.
The researchers also found that men who frequented saunas but had low levels of physical fitness were significantly less likely (74%) to develop a mental illness. Frequent sauna bathing may be more beneficial than high levels of physical fitness, but the combination of the two appeared to offer the most protection to the men in the study.
As someone who exercises frequently but avoids saunas, I will certainly take this study into consideration. Although I know the benefits of sauna bathing, it is not an easy thing for me to do as I have certain issues that affect my ability to breathe properly.
On the other hand, I am now at a point where I am paying more attention to my overall health, and that includes my mental health. In addition to maintaining my physical training, I will also consider taking sauna baths more frequently.
That said, the study isn’t perfect. As the researchers point out, it has some obvious shortcomings. First, it’s an observational study. To determine true causation, a real randomized trial would be needed.
Furthermore, the study’s conclusions only apply to one specific group: middle-aged men. It is unclear whether women or younger people would benefit similarly in terms of mental health conditions from combining frequent physical activity with frequent sauna visits.
