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Wellness

Why soak? What the science says

Yunho Leeby Yunho Lee

A wooden Finnish-style sauna with curved benches
Photo: Auroom Wellness / Unsplash

01 / Cardiovascular health

50% lower hazard of cardiovascular death

In a Finnish study following 2,315 middle-aged men for approximately 21 years, those who used a sauna four to seven times weekly had a 50% lower adjusted hazard of fatal cardiovascular disease compared with once-weekly users.

An observational association, not proof of prevention.

02 / Blood pressure

47% lower hazard of developing hypertension

Among 1,621 Finnish men initially free of hypertension, sauna use four to seven times weekly was associated with a 47% lower adjusted hazard of developing high blood pressure over a median follow-up of 24.7 years.

An observational association, not a treatment recommendation.

03 / Cognitive health

66% lower hazard of dementia

A Finnish cohort study of 2,315 men found that sauna use four to seven times weekly was associated with a 66% lower adjusted hazard of dementia and a 65% lower hazard of Alzheimer’s disease, compared with once-weekly use.

These findings do not establish that sauna bathing prevents dementia.

04 / Stroke

62% lower hazard of stroke

In a study following 1,628 Finnish men and women for approximately 15 years, sauna bathing four to seven times weekly was associated with a 62% lower adjusted hazard of stroke compared with once-weekly use.

Further research is needed to establish causality.

A note on the evidence

These figures represent relative differences in adjusted hazard estimates, not absolute reductions in an individual’s risk. Most studies examined traditional Finnish saunas, and their findings cannot be assumed to apply directly to Korean jjimjilbangs, hot baths, or other heat experiences.

This article is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Scientific references

The research behind the ritual.

  1. 01 / Cardiovascular health

    Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. (2015).

    Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events.

    JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(4), 542–548.

    https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187

  2. 02 / Blood pressure

    Zaccardi F, Laukkanen T, Willeit P, et al. (2017).

    Sauna Bathing and Incident Hypertension: A Prospective Cohort Study.

    American Journal of Hypertension, 30(11), 1120–1125.

    https://doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpx102

  3. 03 / Cognitive health

    Laukkanen T, Kunutsor S, Kauhanen J, Laukkanen JA. (2017).

    Sauna Bathing Is Inversely Associated with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in Middle-Aged Finnish Men.

    Age and Ageing, 46(2), 245–249.

    https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw212

  4. 04 / Stroke risk

    Kunutsor SK, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen T, et al. (2018).

    Sauna Bathing Reduces the Risk of Stroke in Finnish Men and Women: A Prospective Cohort Study.

    Neurology, 90(22), e1937–e1944.

    https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005606

  5. 05 / Comprehensive scientific review

    Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. (2018).

    Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence.

    Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(8), 1111–1121.

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008

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