The 12 Health Benefits of Sauna for Mental Health

Did you know that saunas have many mental health benefits? Many people know that saunas are good for their physical health and enjoy going there because they're so relaxing.

But now it is becoming increasingly clear that going to the sauna is also very good for your mood, your mental health and your brain in general.

Infrared saunas offer these benefits. But in fact, all types of hot air baths are good. Would you like to use a sauna but haven't done so before?

Then start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you stay there. Respect your body's limits.

Below we give you 13 benefits of traditional and infrared saunas that support your brain health and mental well-being.

If you enjoy saunas, you might experience less anxiety and stress. Research shows that people who regularly take a hot air bath have lower levels of cortisol in their blood. Cortisol is the main stress hormone [1] .

Other research suggests that sweating can help you relax more. This can reduce anxiety and frustration. Many people find warmth pleasurable and generally very relaxing. If it can also reduce anxiety and stress, that's certainly a reason to visit the sauna more often.

Sauna use can also have benefits for ADHD symptoms. Several studies show that regular sauna use can increase norepinephrine [2] . This is a hormone and neurotransmitter important for concentration and attention.

In a study, 11 healthy women spent 20 minutes in a sauna twice a week. The researchers observed an 86% increase in norepinephrine levels.

Besides increasing norepinephrine, the stress caused by heat also makes your body better able to store this hormone for later use.

Scientists believe that sauna therapy could be a good alternative treatment for people with ADHD.

For chronic fatigue, the sauna can also be a great remedy. This condition is very complex. When you suffer from it, you experience a constant lack of energy. The fatigue lasts longer than six months.

Chronic fatigue also affects your concentration, memory, and mood. Sleep disturbances, joint and muscle pain, and digestive problems are also often associated . There has been an increase in the number of people with this condition due to Post-Covid Syndrome.

Saunas may reduce symptoms. Research showed that a daily session in an infrared sauna significantly improved symptoms of chronic fatigue. This meant that participants felt less tired, had less pain, and slept better.

Moreover, other studies show that it also led to a reduction in anxiety and depression. If you struggle with (chronic) fatigue and associated mental health issues, you should definitely try a few sauna sessions.

If you suffer from depression or other mood disorders, you can use the sauna to improve your mental health. In one study, people with major depression received either a sauna treatment or a sham treatment for six weeks. This led to a significant improvement in their symptoms [3] .

The researchers found that the effects were almost 2.5 times stronger compared to standard treatment for depression. Depression is a complex condition, and many different factors play a role. But a specific protein, dynorphin, likely plays a role in these striking results.

Your body produces dynorphins when you experience intense stress (like a sauna or a strenuous workout) and feel uncomfortable. Dynorphins are similar to endorphins, which are much more familiar substances. They're only produced during exercise, and they make us feel good.

Even though dynorphins make us feel uncomfortable, a temporary increase in this substance ultimately makes you more sensitive to endorphins. This ultimately makes you more sensitive to the pleasurable effects of exercise or the sauna.

That's why you can feel great after a workout or sauna session. The effects become stronger the more you do it.

Research also shows that saunas can give you positive feelings. Under the influence of heat stress, your body produces more endorphins, which have a positive effect on your mood [4] . And the advantage is that these changes appear to be semi-permanent. So, saunas can really boost your mental health.

Scientist Jeffrey Lieberman conducted two studies on the effects of saunas on depression. In the first study, participants with severe depression received just one session per week in an infrared sauna, which resulted in a 50% reduction in symptoms.

In a follow-up study, participants used a sauna once. They noted that this had a powerful antidepressant effect. This effect lasted six weeks, something the researcher himself hadn't anticipated. According to Lieberman, the sauna is a safe treatment that can have a long-lasting positive effect.

The sauna can therefore have positive effects on depression. It's a safe and natural way to try to reduce your symptoms.

If you suffer from chronic tension headaches, they can significantly disrupt your life. The pain can be intense, often preventing you from doing what you want. This type of headache recurs frequently (more than 15 times a month).

But the sauna may offer some relief. You can apply this heat therapy yourself and control how long and how intensely you expose yourself to the heat. Give your body time to adjust and see how you react. If it goes well, you can gradually increase your sauna stay.

This may possibly help to reduce the intensity of the headache attacks.

Myelin is a fatty, white substance that surrounds the ends of many nerve cells. It's a layer that helps protect your nerve cells and allows signals between them to travel more effectively and quickly. Myelin is therefore crucial for the proper functioning of your nervous system and, consequently, for your mental health.

In a sauna, your body is exposed to heat. This causes temporary heat stress. Under this influence, your body produces a hormone, prolactin, which promotes the production of myelin.

In a study, healthy young men stayed in a sauna until they were extremely tired. There was a tenfold increase in prolactin. Therefore, the sauna appears to be a good way to stimulate myelin production and support your mental health.

In daily life, you're regularly exposed to all kinds of harmful substances. This includes heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, lead, and arsenic. These harmful substances accumulate and will increasingly burden your body.

They can cause symptoms such as fatigue, skin rashes, painful joints, and brain fog. Heavy metals can also undermine your mental health.

One of the many benefits of the sauna is that the high temperatures make you sweat. Some people don't naturally sweat much. This can cause problems because it hinders detoxification through the skin.

That's usually a good way to eliminate heavy metals. If you don't sweat easily, the sauna can still help your body eliminate these harmful substances.

The sauna can likely also alleviate the mental symptoms of anorexia. This condition involves an intense fear of gaining weight and a desire to be thinner. People try to eat as little as possible and constantly monitor their weight.

Researchers investigated the effects of sauna sweating on anorexia. It appeared to reduce symptoms of depression, stress and hyperactivity [5] .

BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is a protein that occurs naturally in the brain. It also plays a key role in reducing the risk of mental health problems. It also improves mood.

BDNF can do this by protecting and repairing brain cells and stimulating the production of new brain cells. Many researchers consider the substance a natural remedy for depression. It can therefore reduce anxiety and depression.

It can therefore be useful to ensure you have sufficient BDNF in your body. You can use the sauna for this. Research shows that exposing yourself to the heat of the sauna stimulates BDNF production. This is another way in which the sauna can boost your mental health.

If you suffer from chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia, a visit to the sauna may also be worthwhile. When you're in pain, exerting yourself, or experiencing stress, your body produces beta-endorphins. These are natural substances that relieve pain.

The sauna is also a stressful activity. This also causes your body to produce endorphins. Several studies have shown that spending time in a dry sauna leads to a significant increase in beta-endorphins. Therefore, regular sauna sessions can reduce pain associated with fibromyalgia and other painful conditions.

Dementia is a terrifying disease. Not only is it fatal (it's currently the number one cause of death for women), but there's also no cure yet. Anything that can help prevent this disease is, of course, welcome. Sauna therapy can be a good option.

In Finland, scientists followed the health of over 2,300 men for 20 years. The men who went to the sauna an average of 4 to 7 times a week were 66% less likely to develop dementia, compared to men who went only once a week [6] .

So, going to the sauna regularly isn't just very enjoyable, it's also a way to maintain your mental health. And the advantage here is, the more often, the better!

A good night's sleep is also crucial for your mental health and proper brain function. If you have trouble sleeping, a sauna could help.

One of the benefits of going to the sauna is that it may stimulate the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you sleepy in the evening. It helps you sleep longer and more deeply.

Furthermore, a sauna bath before bed can help you relax, both physically and mentally, which can also help with sleep problems.