How Does Sauna Weight Loss Work?
Sauna weight loss is both an old and a new promising technique to help shed those excess few pounds. This method takes advantage of the intense heat inside a sauna, allowing users to sweat and potentially lose unwanted fats.
With the world always searching for new solutions to weight loss, it’s a good idea to completely understand what can help and how. Keep reading this article and find out how saunas support healthy weight loss.
Sauna – Health Benefits
Despite its roots tracing back to the era of the ancient Romans, saunas became very popular again. Today, it’s not uncommon to see everybody in gyms and spas going to saunas. Many people do this to relax, but many of them go to the sauna to lose weight too.
It is important to understand that the idea of the sauna weight loss goes beyond just sitting inside a warm room and sweating. The use of infrared technology in sauna rooms, for example, is said to speed up the process of detoxification. The infrared sauna penetrates deep into your skin and fastens metabolic processes. This boost could potentially lead to an increased caloric burn, and aid in weight loss.
It may be surprising to some people that sauna weight loss might burn as many calories as a moderate workout. As nice as this may sound, it’s critical to set realistic expectations and to view saunas as part of a complete health routine rather than a single solution to weight loss. Don’t think you will lose weight just by going to a sauna every day!
Indeed, a lot of factors, like thermal therapy, duration, frequency, and post-sauna care determine whether saunas can help you lose weight. Keep reading this article and explore the potential and limitations of the sauna weight loss approach.
Other than weight loss, saunas offer a wide range of health benefits (1), including:
- cardiovascular health,
- stress relief,
- muscle relaxation.
- respiratory health.
How Do Saunas Work?
Before diving into the world of sauna fitness and weight loss, you should understand how saunas work. Let’s take a deeper look and try to understand how a sauna aids in getting rid of those belly rolls.
Using a sauna to lose weight depends on the heat and the resulting sweat. As the sauna room’s temperature increases, so does the heat of the body. This thermal therapy leads to extensive sweating. Such excessive sweat leads to temporary weight loss due to fluid depletion in the body.
As the body works hard to cool down during the steam room experience, it rapidly consumes energy, which increases the metabolic rate. As a result, a sauna session has a similar effect to a light cardio workout, but with the added comfort of relaxation.
The body’s effort to cool down burns calories. This calorie burn, however, is highly dependent on:
- the individual’s body composition,
- the sauna’s temperature,
- the duration of the sauna session.
Nevertheless, a sauna can be a valuable addition to a well-rounded weight management regime combined with regular workouts and a balanced diet.
Sauna Weight Loss – Common Misconceptions
One of the common misconceptions regarding sauna weight loss is the idea that losing sweat equals losing fat. Sadly, this isn’t the case. While saunas really do result in a noticeable weight drop post-session due to water loss, it does not directly lead to fat loss. It is essential to note the difference between the two as sweating doesn’t mean permanent weight loss.
The weight loss achieved through sauna sessions is primarily water weight that you gain back once you rehydrate. Therefore, a sauna session should not be misinterpreted to replace a balanced workout and/or dietary plan. A healthy lifestyle remains the cornerstone of permanent weight management programs. Sauna sessions can enhance these, but they can’t entirely substitute them.
Sauna Weight Loss – Scientific Research
Scientific studies give more insight into how sauna weight loss works. In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, frequent sauna use was associated with lower mortality rates, hinting at their potential health benefits (2). And the benefits hardly stop coming! Saunas help you with stress, they help you sleep, and they help you with respiratory issues and skin problems.
However, there isn’t much evidence that says saunas really work when it comes to weight loss. Most experts confirm the role of thermal therapy in weight reduction through calorie burn, also increased by increased heart rate and metabolism. However, they maintain the view that this weight loss is predominantly due to body fluid loss, not fat (3).
Support your sauna sessions with:
- consistent exercise,
- balanced nutrition,
- a positive mindset.
Sauna Weight Loss – Health Benefits
Besides weight loss, introducing sauna sessions into your fitness routine offers many health benefits. From improved cardiovascular health to detoxification and emotional wellness, using saunas regularly will improve your health and wellness journey.
Improved Cardiovascular Health
The benefits of sauna extend beyond weight reduction. When your body undergoes heat stress in a sauna, your heart rate increases, much like it would during a workout. As a result, the cardiovascular system is exercised, and over time, this can lead to enhanced heart performance.
Interestingly, regular sauna use has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who used saunas frequently had a lower risk of fatal cardiovascular events (4). Saunas can also benefit the function of blood vessels due to their repeated dilation and constriction. It’s like vascular exercise!
While these findings do not suggest a direct cause-effect relationship, they do tell us that saunas have a protective effect on our heart health.
Increased Detoxification and Skin Health
You’ll often hear phrases like “Detoxify and Lose Weight” and “Sweat Out Toxins and Lose Weight” when it comes to saunas. This is because the excessive sweat produced during sauna sessions may help flush out toxins from the body.
Enhanced sweating isn’t just for detoxification or weight loss; it’s also greatly beneficial for skin health. Sweating opens up the pores and facilitates the natural process of dead skin cell removal, leading to skin rejuvenation. Regular sauna sessions can therefore contribute to a healthier and more radiant complexion.
Research suggests that sauna use may also help improve certain skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. The benefits are probable due to the intensive cleansing effect of sweating and the increased blood circulation (5).
Better Sleep and Mental Health
Beyond physical health, saunas can also contribute to mental health. The warm atmosphere of a sauna creates an ideal environment for stress relief and relaxation.
The extreme heat first and the cooling after a sauna can mimic the temperature decline that naturally happens in the body before sleep. As a result, saunas improve sleep patterns.
A study by Putkonen and Elomaa observed that the sauna session increased the amount of deep sleep significantly. During the first two hours, the amount of deep sleep increased by over 70%, while during the first six hours, it increased by 45% (6).
How To Use a Sauna?
To make the most of your sauna practices, it’s essential to know some guidelines. Whether it’s your sauna session’s frequency or duration, pre, and post-sauna care, or necessary precautions, being mindful of these guidelines can enhance the fitness sauna results and ensure a healthier journey.
Frequency and Duration
The length of your sauna sessions plays a critical role in getting the most out of your sauna experience. Prolonged heat exposure can have adverse effects. A typical sauna session often lasts around 15-20 minutes, but this can vary depending on the individual’s tolerance and the type of sauna used. It’s recommended to start with shorter periods and gradually increase them as your body adapts to the heat.
Taking breaks during your sauna sessions can help your body adjust and prevent overexposure to heat. These cooling down periods are integral to help ensure a balanced heat exposure, maximizing the benefits of sauna weight loss.
The frequency of sauna use should be decided based on your body’s response and health condition. While some may comfortably incorporate sauna sessions into their every day routine, others might prefer going three times per week. Listen to your body and adapt your schedule accordingly.
Pre and Post Sauna Care
An integral part of any dry sauna journey is staying hydrated. Sauna sessions cause excessive sweating, resulting in substantial body fluid loss. Therefore, hydrating well both before and after your sauna sessions is critical to avoid dehydration.
Immediately after a sauna session, allow your body to cool down a bit before taking a cold shower or going outside in the cold. This process helps restore your body’s normal temperature.
Eat nutrient-rich foods after your sauna sessions and allow your body to recover effectively and maintain a healthy energy level.
Precautions and Considerations
Certain health conditions may not be compatible with the intense heat exposure of a sauna. These include:
- heart diseases,
- low or high blood pressure,
- respiratory issues,
- certain skin conditions.
Always consult with your healthcare provider before integrating sauna sessions into your fitness regimen.
Listen to your body during your sauna sessions. Dizziness, extreme discomfort, rapid heartbeat, or excessive thirst are some red flags. If you experience any symptoms that seem off, it’s advisable to leave the sauna immediately and seek medical attention if the discomfort continues.
Always remember that healthy weight management is a long-term commitment that involves:
- a balanced diet,
- regular physical exercise,
- overall lifestyle modifications.
Conclusion
A big attraction to saunas lies in the wish to lose weight through sweating. As we’ve discussed, this weight loss mainly results from water loss due to sweating rather than direct fat loss. Therefore, you should balance going to a sauna with other weight management strategies like regular workouts and a healthy diet.
Other than weight management, regular sauna use offers many other health benefits. From improved cardiovascular health to better skin health, a sauna helps you in many more ways than just losing weight. Not to forget the relief from stress and anxiety it offers. Much better sleep too! So why wait? Step into the warmth of the sauna and step up your health game! Remember, it’s not about replacing your existing fitness routine but about complementing it with the magic of a sauna.
Use saunas responsibly, always listening to your body for clues and possible problems. Remember to properly heat up and cool down, and not to stay longer than you can take. Always remember, in case of any underlying health conditions, it’s best to reach out to your healthcare provider before using a sauna.
Literature sources:
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clin Proc. 2018 Aug;93(8):1111-1121. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008.
- Kivimäki M, Virtanen M, Ferrie JE. The Link Between Sauna Bathing and Mortality May Be Noncausal. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Oct;175(10):1718. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.3426.
- Podstawski R, Boraczyński T, Boraczyński M, Choszcz D, Mańkowski S, Markowski P. Sauna-induced body mass loss in young sedentary women and men. ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:307421. doi: 10.1155/2014/307421.
- Kivimäki M, Virtanen M, Ferrie JE. The Link Between Sauna Bathing and Mortality May Be Noncausal. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Oct;175(10):1718. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.3426.
- Hannuksela M, Väänänen A. The sauna, skin, and skin diseases. Ann Clin Res. 1988;20(4):276-8. PMID: 3218900.
- Putkonen PT, Elomaa E. Sauna and physiological sleep: increased slow-wave sleep after heat exposure. In: Valtakari H, Collan Y.P, editors. Sauna studies. Helsinki: The Finnish Sauna Society; 1976. Sourced from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10989710/.
