Dr Michael Mosley says going to the sauna is reported to cut your risk of heart attack, dementia and strokes by as much as two thirds. A sauna involves sitting in a room filled with steam, and Dr Mosley says it has been shown to be very good for your health.
Writing in MailOnline, the health and wellbeing broadcaster and author said saunas have been shown to reduce the risk of serious illness. He said sitting in a sauna will increase your core temperature and make your heart rate soar. Dr Mosley said: "Having a sauna has many of the same effects on your body as a brisk workout, which could explain why it seems to be good for the heart."
Dr Mosley said a study in Finland found that men who had a sauna most days of the week were 50% less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack. He added: "In a follow-up study, men who reported having frequent saunas were also 66 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia."
Dr Mosley said: "People used to worry that saunas could cause heart attacks and stroke, but if you’re otherwise healthy, the opposite is true." He said a 2018 study by the same researchers in Finland 'found that people who had saunas most days of the week were 61 per cent less likely to have a stroke'.
Dr Mosley said the reasons may be a combination of working out your heart, taking time with others to relax and 'possibly because having a sauna reduces the stiffness of your arteries and thereby reduces your blood pressure'.
He also said studies have shown that having a sauna boosts your mental health. Dr Mosley said to make sure you stay hydrated if you're having a sauna and to check with your GP if you have concerns over your heart health.
