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Research Suggests That Saunas Help You Live Longer
jones_supa writes A study of Finnish men suggests that frequent sauna baths may help you live longer. Previous research has suggested that saunas might improve blood vessel function and exercise capacity, or even lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The new study links long, hot sauna baths with more benefits, including fewer deaths from heart attacks, strokes, various heart-related conditions and other causes. The study tracked 2315 Finnish men for nearly 20 years on average. Most participants used saunas at least once weekly. Those who used them four to seven times weekly received the greatest benefits. The study published in JAMA Internal Medicine wraps up by saying that further studies are warranted to establish the potential mechanism that links sauna bathing and the aforementioned cardiovascular benefits.
Yes, studies show that the amount of time added to one's lifespan by exercising, is spent... exercising.
Not at all the case, actually. I did the math on this once, based on the most conservative estimate of years added to live for moderate-to-intense exercise.
For one thing, it turns out that the best exercise is of fairly short duration. You can get all the strength training you need in 1 or 2 hours a week. Add another hour a week for some moderate aerobics and, make a few other "life hacks" such as a stand-up desk, and you have every likelihood of adding at least 5 years to your life. And we're not talking about those painful last 5 years where you can't do anything, but 5 years of vitality to your productive mid-life. And a good deal more mobility and independence during your last 10 years.
And let's just say you exercised at 3 hrs/week for 50 years, starting at age 30. By the time you are 80, you have burned up a grand total of 1 year exercising. Those other 4 years are gravy.
How about that? the 80/20 principle at work.
The wrong conclusion was drawn from this observational study. Saunas are very stressful. People who are weak can not tolerate many saunas and therefore avoid them. Healthy people don't have a problem with them and take more of them. Saunas didn't make them healthy, saunas just weeded out the unhealthy.
It's similar to the incorrect conclusion that 6 cups of coffee a day prevents diabetes. The truth is that caffeine makes people with blood sugar problems shaky so they avoid coffee. While people with no blood sugar problems can drink a lot of it because it makes them feel good. The coffee didn't prevent diabetes in them, it's just that the non-diabetics are are drawn to coffee and the diabetics avoid it, thus the results of an observational study being interpreted wrong (as most are).
All observational studies are suspect and should not be used as the basis of behavior modification.
Maybe the reason why some Finns get to the sauna more often is because they're healthy enough to get out, or have time enough to get out.
I don't think there's any correlation between a healthy lifestyle and frequent sauna sessions. At least not in Finland where it's clear that not even the most obese men are ashamed of their bodies when they go to the sauna - with a beer (or two) in hand.
As a Finn I disagree with that notion. Only public saunas are gender-specific. Nearly everywhere else where people who know everyone go to sauna regardless of sex, and this includes adults and children, too.