Day 86: Surprise! The Sauna
When we moved into our house three years ago, Gary and I didn’t think we’d ever use the sauna that was in the master bathroom. Ours wasn’t operational, but we weren’t too worried about it because sitting in a hot room and sweating didn’t sound all that appealing. We weren’t even sure what they were for.
Recently, we decided we should at least try it out before we made any serious plans to renovate and remove it. After some tinkering and some new parts, Gary worked his magic and got it working (don’t ask me how). Last Sunday we tried it out for the first time.
Wow! The experience itself was more pleasant than I expected. Yeah, it’s hot and sweaty, but it’s a good sweat - like getting cleaned from the inside out. Besides, just sitting quietly together was meditative.
Later that evening, when I had a moment to sit, I noticed something else - I was really relaxed. It felt exactly like the deep calm that I usually get after swimming laps. It lasted all evening.
The next day, I glanced in a mirror and noticed something else - my thin, sensitive skin had a sort of radiant glow - kind of lit up from within, and rosy but not irritated.
I was intrigued.
Health Effects of Sauna Bathing
Sauna enthusiasts have long claimed amazing health benefits from saunas, but there aren’t that many randomized control trials to substantiate them.
A review of forty studies of the benefits of saunas (both RCT and not), however, concluded that the available evidence points to significant health benefits for a number of conditions, especially heart disease, chronic pain, rheumatological conditions, and depression. Many athletes say it reduces post-workout soreness and speeds recovery, and the studies tend to validate that too.
What I noticed about my skin has some support - saunas are supposed to increase blood flow to the skin, improve collagen production, and open pores to allow them to clear. One study showed that regular sauna use improved the skin’s ability to hold moisture and reduced topical oiliness. The calming effect, too, is often remarked upon (though not well understood).
The Verdict
It’s unlikely that science is going to pump millions of dollars into randomized control trials of sitting in a hot room, because no one is going to get a billion-dollar patent on that if they find out it helps.
But, after three sessions now, I’ve gone from wholly disinterested to deeply intrigued. We may renovate around that sauna after all.