Contrary to what scientists previously thought, during a sauna, your blood pressure as well as your cardiac frequency do not decrease … but increase! This is what researchers from the Martin Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg have discovered in collaboration with the Medical Center Berlin (Germany). In a study, published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine of June, they even explain that this increase is comparable to that observed during a short and moderate workout.
“Heat was believed to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure, develop in a press release lead research author Dr Sascha Ketelhut. People with low blood pressure or cardiovascular problems have traditionally been advised not to use saunas as a further drop in blood pressure can cause fainting. “ But it seems that this heat bath ultimately has benefits for heart health.
Sauna or sport, the same levels
Scientists recruited 19 volunteers to see the immediate effects of sauna use on the cardiovascular system. The participants did this in 25-minute sessions, during which their blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. Both indicators rose immediately during the session. But after that, they started to drop, to levels lower than those measured before entering the sauna.
Likewise, the participants carried out sports sessions on an exercise bike. “By comparing the two conditions, the blood pressure and heart rate of the participants reached the same levels during the sauna session as during a test session with a load of about 100 watts”, explains Dr Sascha Ketelhut. Thus, a heat bath can be used by anyone who is able to tolerate moderate physical stress. However, for hypotensive people, pay attention to the post-session, where blood pressure can fall sharply.
No weight loss
The findings of this new study corroborate previous research that has already demonstrated the positive long-term effects of sauna on the cardiovascular system. “A sauna session is a physical constraint. Its long-term positive effects are similar to those of a sports activity”, confirms the researcher.
However, spending hours in heat baths in the hope of refining is a lure. “The effect is too weak because there is no muscle activity, he continues. Although we lose weight in a sauna, we only wick away perspiration. “ Indeed, it is only a water loss and not a real loss of fat. So do not count on the sauna to replace the session in the room … and remember to rehydrate!
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- The Japanese sauna, an infrared detox treatment
- Sauna: how to enjoy it safely
