How to Use Saunas for Immune Health
In today’s stressful, fast-paced, and polluted world, using saunas for immune health is more important than ever. With their deep-rooted history and proven health benefits, using saunas is a powerful method to enhance immune health. But the health benefits of saunas don’t stop there!
Continue reading to learn how saunas improve immune health and the best practices for implementing them in your wellness routine.
Why You Need a Strong Immune System
Our immune system is our body’s defense mechanism. It’s constantly working to protect us from harmful invaders like bacteria, viruses, and toxins. But in today’s fast-paced world, our immune system is often compromised by stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, and environmental pollutants.
A weakened immune system makes us more susceptible to infections, chronic illnesses, and even autoimmune disorders. But boosting your immune system is not just about avoiding illness. It’s about enriching your overall quality of life, increasing energy levels, and improving long-term health.
The Science of Using Saunas for Immune Health
The health benefits of saunas come from the physiological effects that high temperatures have on your body. When you sit in a sauna, your body’s temperature rises, mimicking a fever—our body’s natural immune response to infection.
This artificial fever triggers numerous immune-enhancing processes. One of these processes is the production of white blood cells, which are crucial in fighting off infections.
Understanding the Immune System
The Body’s Defense Mechanism: How Immunity Works
The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against harmful invaders. Our main defense system is white blood cells, which identify and neutralize pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
The immune response is triggered by antigens—substances that the body recognizes as foreign. Once an antigen is detected, the immune system releases various cells to attack and destroy the invader.
Factors That Weaken the Immune System
Several factors can weaken the immune system, making it less effective at protecting our body. Some of these factors, such as our diet and sleep hygiene, are within our control. Others, like certain toxins in our environment, are out of our control. But we can always choose to optimize our health despite these external factors, and one of the ways we can do this is using sauna for immune health.
Chronic stress is a major culprit, as it leads to the overproduction of cortisol—a hormone that, in excess, can suppress immune function. Poor nutrition, especially a diet low in essential vitamins and minerals, can also impair our immune response. Lack of high-quality sleep is another significant factor, as the body repairs and regenerates immune cells while we sleep.
Environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins and pollutants, can further degrade immune health by causing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Signs Your Immune System Needs Support
There are several signs that your body may benefit from strengthening your immune system. Frequent infections, such as colds and flu, are a clear indicator that your immune system is not functioning optimally. Another sign of a deficient immune system is chronic fatigue, even after adequate rest.
Other signs of a compromised immune system include slow wound healing, frequent digestive issues, and increased stress levels. If you notice any of these symptoms, it might be time to take steps to support your immune health.
What Happens to Your Body in a Sauna?
When you enter a sauna, the heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues. Your heart rate increases, similar to the effects of moderate exercise.
As your body temperature rises, you begin to sweat. This natural (and essential!) process cools your body and eliminates toxins. Combining heat, better blood circulation, and sweating provides a powerful detoxifying effect.
How Saunas Boost Immune Health
Heat Therapy: A Natural Immune System Activator
The heat generated in a sauna serves as a natural way to activate your immune system. By raising the body’s core temperature, saunas mimic the effects of a fever—our body’s natural response to infection. This rise in core temperature triggers the production of white blood cells and other immune cells that play a crucial role in defending our body against pathogens.
Along with stimulating the production of white blood cells, regular sauna use stimulates the production of monocytes. This study shows that “Overheating the human body leads to elevated activity of monocytes.” It continues, “Monocytes and neutrophils represent the body’s first line of immune defense against contagious microorganisms.”
Simply put, regular sauna use strengthens our body’s first line of defense from external pathogens.
The Role of Heat Shock Proteins in Immunity
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins produced by cells in response to heat stress, such as the heat we experience during a sauna session. These proteins play a vital role in protecting cells from damage, particularly during times of physical stress.
Heat shock proteins help to refold misfolded proteins and repair damaged cells, allowing your immune system to function optimally. Heat shock proteins improve the immune system’s ability to not only recognize pathogens but to respond to them as well. Regular sauna use increases the production of HSPs, thus boosting the resilience of our immune system.
Detoxification: Sweating Out Toxins in the Sauna for Immune Health
One of the most well-known benefits of sauna use is detoxification. This study states that “sweating has been recognized by the medical community as an effective and safe method for detoxification.” Simply put, the more you sweat, the greater the rate at which your body expels toxins.
These toxins can include heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, as well as environmental chemicals like BPA and phthalates. Saunas support the immune system’s ability to function effectively by reducing the levels of toxic chemicals in our bodies.
Enhanced Blood Circulation and Immune Function
Saunas are known to enhance blood circulation, which plays a critical role in immune function. Increased blood flow helps transport immune cells to areas of the body where and when they are needed most.
This increased circulation also delivers more oxygen and nutrients to tissues, supporting their health and function. The enhanced delivery of immune cells and nutrients means that the body is better prepared to respond to infections and heal from injuries. Thus, regular sauna use can be a valuable tool in maintaining a strong immune system.
When blood flow is optimal, it ensures that the body’s tissues and organs receive a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients. This supports immune function and promotes the removal of waste products and toxins.
The Connection Between Respiratory Health and Immunity
Respiratory health and immune function are closely intertwined, as the lungs are one of the body’s first lines of defense against airborne pathogens. Maintaining their health is crucial for preventing infections.
By improving respiratory function, saunas support the body’s ability to fight off respiratory infections and maintain overall immune health. But regular sauna use doesn’t only positively affect respiratory fitness.
In fact, this study found that a “combination of high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and frequent sauna bathing confers stronger long-term protection on all-cause mortality outcomes than high CRF or high frequency of sauna bathing alone.” In other words, strong cardiorespiratory fitness, when combined with frequent sauna use, lowers your chance of dying from all causes!
The heat and steam from saunas can also help to reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract. The hot air from the sauna also opens our alveoli—tiny branches of air tubes in the lungs, where the lungs and the blood exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide while inhaling and exhaling.
Implementing a Sauna Routine to Improve Your Immune System
How Long Should a Sauna Session Last?
Many of the studies cited in this article used sauna sessions lasting between 10 and 20 minutes. Sometimes, they used multiple rounds with a five-minute cool-off session (spent outside the sauna) between rounds in the sauna.
Andrew Huberman recommends sessions lasting anywhere between five and 30 minutes. As always, pay attention to your body. If you begin to feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous, get out of the sauna immediately and cool off.
How Often Should I Use the Sauna for Immune Health?
The bottom line is you can use the sauna as often as you like (or your schedule allows). This study states, “Repeated sauna use acclimates the body to heat and optimizes the body’s response to future exposures,” suggesting that ongoing and regular sauna use has cumulative health benefits over time.
For general health purposes, Andrew Huberman recommends a total of one hour per week, split over two to three sessions.
Check out our Listings page to find a conveniently located sauna location near you.
How Hot Should the Sauna Be?
Most infrared saunas tend to have temperatures ranging from 120 to 150°F, while traditional saunas tend to have temperatures ranging from 150 to 195°F. But some protocols call for temperatures even higher than that.
If you’re just beginning your sauna protocol, begin with less “extreme” temperatures. Increase the temperature as you get more comfortable withstanding the heat. With that said, you’ll begin to see the most health benefits from saunas at 150°F and above (for traditional saunas) and 120°F (for infrared saunas).
