Is there scientific evidence that sauna bathing enhances the health effects of physical activity? - Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.39.58417Keywords
sauna, sauna bathing, physical activity, sauna and exercise, Finnish saunaAbstract
Introduction
Sauna bathing and sport are well-known methods of improving a person's overall health. These activities not only have a positive impact on mental wellbeing, but also have a real effect on improving certain physical parameters such as, for example, blood pressure.
Aim of the review
A summary of the information gathered to date on the health effects of sauna bathing and undertaking physical activity.
Results
The results of the studies cited in this article are consistent: sauna enhances the positive effects of physical activity on cardiovascular function among people with at least one major cardiovascular risk factor and who are not professional athletes.
Conclusions
Although sauna seems to increase the health effects of physical activity one should be aware of the contraindications to its use. Additionally, it is worth conducting more large scale randomized trials to verify this information.
References
1. Valtakari P. The sauna and bathing in different countries. Ann Clin Res. 1988;20(4):230-5. PMID: 3064698.
2. Peräsalo J. Traditional use of the sauna for hygiene and health in Finland. Ann Clin Res. 1988;20(4):220-3. PMID: 3218891.
3. 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. PMID: 30077204.
4. Hannuksela ML, Ellahham S. Benefits and risks of sauna bathing. Am J Med. 2001 Feb 1;110(2):118-26. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9343(00)00671-9. PMID: 11165553.
5. Kukkonen-Harjula K, Kauppinen K. Health effects and risks of sauna bathing. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2006 Jun;65(3):195-205. doi: 10.3402/ijch.v65i3.18102. PMID: 16871826.
6. Kunutsor SK, Khan H, Laukkanen T, Laukkanen JA. Joint associations of sauna bathing and cardiorespiratory fitness on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk: a long-term prospective cohort study. Ann Med. 2018 Mar;50(2):139-146. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2017.1387927. Epub 2017 Oct 16. PMID: 28972808.
7. Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Apr;175(4):542-8. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187. PMID: 25705824.
8. Lee E, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK, Khan H, Willeit P, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. Sauna exposure leads to improved arterial compliance: Findings from a non-randomised experimental study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2018 Jan;25(2):130-138. doi: 10.1177/2047487317737629. Epub 2017 Oct 19. PMID: 29048215.
9. Kruk J. Physical activity in the prevention of the most frequent chronic diseases: an analysis of the recent evidence. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2007 Jul-Sep;8(3):325-38. PMID: 18159963.
10. Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, Borodulin K, Buman MP, Cardon G, Carty C, Chaput JP, Chastin S, Chou R, Dempsey PC, DiPietro L, Ekelund U, Firth J, Friedenreich CM, Garcia L, Gichu M, Jago R, Katzmarzyk PT, Lambert E, Leitzmann M, Milton K, Ortega FB, Ranasinghe C, Stamatakis E, Tiedemann A, Troiano RP, van der Ploeg HP, Wari V, Willumsen JF. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Dec;54(24):1451-1462. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955. PMID: 33239350; PMCID: PMC7719906.
11.Piercy KL, Troiano RP, Ballard RM, Carlson SA, Fulton JE, GaluskaDA, George SM, Olson RD. The physical activity guidelines forAmericans. JAMA 320: 2020–2028, 2018. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.14854.
12. Wilson MG, Ellison GM, Cable NT. Basic science behind the cardio-vascular benefits of exercise. Heart 101: 758–765, 2015. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2014-306596
13. Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M. Effectiveness of high-intensityinterval training (HIT) and continuous endurance training forVO2max improvements: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Sports Med 45: 1469–1481, 2015. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0365-0.
14. Gravelle BL, Blessing DL. Physiological adaptation in women concur-rently training for strength and endurance. J Strength Cond Res 14: 5–13, 2000. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2000)014<0005:PAIWCT>2.0.CO;2
15. Kang J, Rashti SL, Tranchina CP, Ratamess NA, Faigenbaum AD,Hoffman JR. Effect of preceding resistance exercise on metabolismduring subsequent aerobic session. Eur J Appl Physiol 107: 43–50,2009. doi:10.1007/s00421-009-1100-z.
16. Kang J, Ratamess N. Which comes first? Resistance before aerobicexercise or vice versa? ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal 18: 9–14,2014. doi:10.1249/FIT.0000000000000004.
17. Luurila OJ. The sauna and the heart. J Intern Med. 1992 Apr;231(4):319-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1992.tb00938.x. PMID: 1588253.
18. Laitinen LA, Lindqvist A, Heino M. Lungs and ventilation in sauna. Ann Clin Res. 1988;20(4):244-8. PMID: 3218895.
19. Kauppinen K. Facts and fables about sauna. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1997 Mar 15;813:654-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb51764.x. PMID: 9100952.
20. Crinnion WJ. Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant- induced and other chronic health problems. Altern Med Rev. 2011 Sep;16(3):215-25. PMID: 21951023.
21. Ketelhut S, Ketelhut RG. The blood pressure and heart rate during sauna bath correspond to cardiac responses during submaximal dynamic exercise. Complement Ther Med. 2019 Jun;44:218-222. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.05.002. Epub 2019 May 2. PMID: 31126559.
22. Lee E, Willeit P, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK, Zaccardi F, Khan H, Laukkanen JA. Acute effects of exercise and sauna as a single intervention on arterial compliance. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020 Jul;27(10):1104-1107. doi: 10.1177/2047487319855454. Epub 2019 Jun 8. PMID: 31177835.
23. Leicht AS, Halliday A, Sinclair WH, D'Auria S, Buchheit M, Kenny GP, Stanley J. Heart rate variability responses to acute and repeated postexercise sauna in trained cyclists. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Jul;43(7):704-710. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0581. Epub 2018 Feb 14. PMID: 29444412.
24. Stanley J, Halliday A, D'Auria S, Buchheit M, Leicht AS. Effect of sauna-based heat acclimation on plasma volume and heart rate variability. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2015 Apr;115(4):785-94. doi: 10.1007/s00421-014-3060-1. Epub 2014 Nov 29. PMID: 25432420.
25. Lee E, Kostensalo J, Willeit P, Kunutsor SK, Laukkanen T, Zaccardi F, Khan H, Laukkanen JA. Standalone sauna vs exercise followed by sauna on cardiovascular function in non-naïve sauna users: A comparison of acute effects. Health Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 1;4(4):e393. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.393. PMID: 34622026; PMCID: PMC8485612.
26. Lee E, Kolunsarka I, Kostensalo J, Ahtiainen JP, Haapala EA, Willeit P, Kunutsor SK, Laukkanen JA. Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2022 Sep 1;323(3):R289-R299. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2022. Epub 2022 Jul 4. PMID: 35785965; PMCID: PMC9394774.
27. Nes BM, Janszky I, Wisløff U, Støylen A, Karlsen T. Age-predictedmaximal heart rate in healthy subjects: the HUNT fitness study.Scand J Med Sci Sports 23: 697–704, 2013. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2012.01445.x.
28. Bouchard C, Daw EW, Rice T, Pérusse L, Gagnon J, Province MA, Leon AS, Rao DC, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH. Familial resemblance for VO2max in the sedentary state: the HERITAGE family study. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Feb;30(2):252-8. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199802000-00013. PMID: 9502354.
29. Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Alonso A, Beaton AZ,Bittencourt MS, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2022Update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation145: e153–e639, 2022. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052
30. Tei C, Tanaka N. Thermal vasodilation as a treatment of congestive heart failure: A novel approach. J Cardiol 1996;27:29-30.
31. Nguyen Y, Naseer N, Frishman WH. Sauna as a therapeutic option for cardiovascular disease. Cardiol Rev 2004;12:321-4.
32. Eisalo A, Luurila OJ. The Finnish sauna and cardiovascular diseases. Ann Clin Res 1988;20:267-70.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jagoda Elias , Wiktor Biesiada, Marlena Zubiak, Krzysztof Błaszków, Sara Szydłowska, Dominika Kaźmierczak
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 145
Number of citations: 0
