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Bath and sauna: what are the health benefits?
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
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Baths are considered one of the methods of hydrotherapy. The essence of the method is the effect of high temperature on the surface of the body and respiratory organs. The action of baths is aimed at eliminating functional shifts in the body (in particular, increasing the reserves of the cardiorespiratory system, microcirculation, immune reactivity).
[ Types of baths
- Russian bath. The air in the steam room is saturated with water vapor, forming fog; the air temperature is 40-50 °C.
- The Roman bath is heated by dry hot air, which is supplied to the floor or to openings in the walls.
- Turkish (Arabic) bath. The air temperature in the steam room is 40-50 °C, humidity is regulated by heating water in boilers.
- Finnish bath (sauna). Air temperature is 70-100 °C, the temperature difference between the floor and ceiling is 60 °C, relative humidity is 10-15%.
Dosed contrast effects of hyperthermal and cold irritants stimulate the activity of thermoregulatory mechanisms, which improves the body's adaptation to changes in external temperature.
Moderate hyperthermia causes profuse sweating, amounting to 200-2100 ml. Potassium, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, and iron ions are released with sweat. The loss of water, ions, lactic acid, urea, and amino acids is individual.
Weight loss under the influence of a sauna, associated mainly with fluid loss, is used for dehydration of the body in hydrophilia, obesity and for weight loss in athletes. A single sauna exposure increases the basal metabolic rate by an average of 20%, this effect lasts for 60 minutes.
The alternating effect of heat and cold trains the autonomic nervous system. At the beginning of the procedure, the tone of the parasympathetic division increases, and with an increase in body temperature - the sympathetic division. After cooling, after some time, the trophotropic phase begins again, i.e. the predominance of the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. Thus, both parts of the autonomic nervous system are activated, which ultimately improves the adaptive capabilities of the body. The stimulating effect of the sauna on the endocrine glands is generally recognized: after the sauna, changes occur in the content of adrenocorticotropic hormone, the levels of somatotropic and luteinizing hormones increase, but the content of thyroid-stimulating hormone does not change. In healthy people, after the sauna, the activity of plasma renin, angiotensin II, aldosterone, growth hormone and androstenedione increases.
Changes in cardiovascular function are considered a reaction to heat stress. The high temperature of the sauna leads to dilation of cutaneous arterioles, arteriovenous anastomoses and a decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance. Systolic pressure in some cases, especially in the elderly, increases, sometimes does not change or decreases. Diastolic pressure always decreases.
Health effects of sauna
The anti-stress and sedative effect of the sauna is noted. The main motive for visiting the sauna for 86% of people is emotional and mental relaxation. The sauna causes a feeling of mental comfort, relaxation, decreased excitability and improved sleep. During the night's sleep, the EEG showed an increase in the deep sleep phase up to 45%, a reduction in the period of falling asleep. The reduction of mental stress is accompanied by a decrease in muscle tension, which is important in the rehabilitation of patients with borderline mental disorders.