The Emerging Science of Saunas
Sweat houses have been used by cultures for centuries. Now research is supporting claims that they’re good for health.
Finland is a country that boasts over 3 million saunas for some 5.5 million people. Like many Finns, Jari Laukkanen, a medical doctor with the Central Finland Health Care District and cardiovascular researcher with the University of Jyväskylä, has made sauna sessions a daily part of his life. He tries to go once a day, using a sauna inside his home. “Afterwards, it’s like you’re a new person,” he says.
Laukkanen says he gets some of his best ideas in sauna. During one particular session a few years ago, he wondered if there was any scientific basis for his relaxed post-sauna feelings.
He discovered that research into the medical effects of sauna use is somewhat scant. “There are some old studies on sauna, but they were very small, and from years ago,” says Laukkanen. So Laukkanen decided to conduct a series of studies of his own. He’s now produced several medical studies that dive deep into the relationship between regular sauna use and a variety of health benefits, and experts say his work is contributing to an uptick in interest in saunas from wellness seekers around the world.
