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Sauna Benefits Your Immune System

Some commonly known sauna benefit include improved blood circulation, enhanced detoxification processes, deep skin cleansing, and stress relief.   Saunas can boost your immune system by raising the body temperature and giving you an “artificial” fever.

Believe it or not, getting a fever is a good sign that your immune system is working, helping to fight infection or eliminate viruses.  Raising your body’s temperature, (by inducing an artificial fever), helps kill bacteria and viruses by increasing white blood cells, antibodies, and other disease fighting agents.  As your body works to lower its temperature, your immune
system is “exercising”, and therefore being strengthened.

This enhanced immune system, combined with improved elimination of toxins and wastes as a result of increased perspiration, will increase your immune system and reduce the stress put on your bodies health.  Since many viruses do not survive well in environments which the temperature is higher than normal body temperature, constant use of a sauna can help kill them before they are allowed to grow. At the very least, the sauna can help to reduce their growth rate, which will also make the healing process faster, and prevent further infection.  In addition, it is possible that damaged cells repair themselves quicker in fever conditions due to an increase in metabolic rate. When fighting a cold, it also helps to opens the nasal passages, assist the sinuses to drain. and relieves minor respiratory discomforts.  By using the sauna does not mean you will never get sick, but repeated use can build your immune system up.

Did you know that regular sauna bathing can both help you stay healthy and, if you’ve already caught a cold, to get well quicker?

The Journal of Human Kinetics recently investigated the effect of sauna use on the immune system, with specific focus on white blood cells, cortisol levels and a number of selected physiological indices in athletes and non-athletes. Participants from both a sauna group and a control group took part in 15-minute sauna sessions until their core temperature had risen by 1.2°C.

After the sauna session, an increased number of white blood cells, lymphocyte, neutrophil and basophil counts could be measured in the white blood cell profiles. This shows that sauna use can help stimulating the immune system. German sauna medical research has also shown that bathing can significantly reduce the incidences of colds and influenza, findings that are also supported by Finnish and German studies showing that regular bathing leads to a 30% less risk of getting a cold or an influenza.

Are you ready for the winter cold season?

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