For those who know anything about saunas, you know that the health benefits are vast, ranging from mental clarity and relief from depressive symptoms to muscular recovery and relaxation.
Well, new research has suggested that saunas may even be more beneficial than we think, potentially playing a role in the management and/or prevention of serious health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and Lyme disease.
In order to illustrate this literature, we’ll be diving into the research and sharing what, in fact, the role is when it comes to such diseases and illnesses. If you or someone you know lives with any of the aforementioned conditions, the sauna may have just become your new favourite treatment tool!
The Role of Saunas for Diabetes
Like most health conditions, diabetes can cause severe stress, both mentally and physically, on the patient suffering. The result of this type of stress can further exacerbate the disease while also causing impaired decisions that can also impact one’s health (i.e. poor dietary choices, lack of exercise, etc).
Sauna use, though likely ineffective at relieving diabetic-specific symptoms, can improve the overall quality of life of the patient suffering. The end result? Improved sleep, relaxed muscles, and decreased stress.
Further, it will also likely cause the individual to make more health-health-conscious decisions that will positively impact diabetic-related symptoms.
The Role of Saunas for Arthritis
Because arthritis is largely a physiological condition affecting the health of joints, sauna use is a likely treatment and management mechanism for relief from pain and discomfort.
Due, in large part, to the extreme heat, saunas stimulate collagen production, thus increasing tissue elasticity, reducing inflammation, relaxing tight muscles, and relieving joints from stiffness. Further, regular sauna use has also been shown to improve blood circulation; just another added benefit for those suffering from arthritis, chronic or mild…
The Role of Saunas for Lyme disease
Though there’s still a lot that we don’t understand about Lyme disease, we do know that it’s a disease that affects the body’s immune system in a variety of ways. Regular sauna use, however, has proven to positively impact the body at a cellular level.
As it pertains to Lyme disease, sauna use is an incredibly effective tool for detoxifying the body, especially post-treatment for those with Lyme disease. Further, it’s also an incredible modality for receiving muscle tension and reducing inflammation; two primary side effects of Lyme disease.
Finally, because Lyme disease greatly impacts the function of the kidneys and liver, Lyme disease patients struggle to sweat out the toxins the same as a seemingly healthy individual can.
Sauna use, however, stimulates sweating to a degree that can be extremely beneficial for Lyme disease patients. Not to mention, it will inevitably improve their quality of life…
A Final Word of Advice
While sauna use has proven to be widely beneficial for a variety of reasons, it’s important to proceed with some level of caution if you’re seeking to use it as an alternative treatment for a more serious health condition like diabetes.
Because of the extreme heat, saunas, when used irresponsibly, can harm the skin and other internal systems, especially for those living with serious health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and Lyme disease.
Before implementing it into your daily health regimen, be sure to consult with your primary care doctor to ensure that it’s an appropriate activity for you.
For those that have been given the green light, you may want to consider taking your health to the next level by investing in your very own personal sauna. If this sounds like you, we here at Salus Saunas have you covered!
Check out our vast selection of saunas here or contact us today to learn more.