Sauna Bathing and Other Health Benefits

Sauna bathing has been linked to improved pain management and other symptoms associated with musculoskeletal disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis. In addition, sauna baths have been shown to improve neurological pain such as tension-type headaches. A single study conducted in Japan suggested that thermal therapy can improve symptoms of depression.

Sauna bathing is also thought to treat or prevent skin disease; however, there is very little robust evidence to support this. Among the research conducted, a study has demonstrated that sauna bathing can produce a positive effect in patients with psoriasis as it can facilitate the removal of hyperkeratotic scales.

Saunas have been shown to produce a range of arbitrary effects, including improvements to health-related quality of life. Evidence for this comes from a cross-sectional analysis of a longitudinal cohort of 524 octogenarians; vitality, social and physical function, and general health was shown to be considerably greater among sauna users compared to two non-sauna users.