Are Saunas Considered Safe for High Blood Pressure?

When you have a medical condition like high blood pressure, it’s essential to monitor the activities you take part in. You want to be sure what the things you are doing are safe for your body. For example, as someone with hypertension, you may wonder whether it’s safe for you to use a sauna. If you’re worried that a sauna might increase your blood pressure, you may be in for a surprise.

High blood pressure can be dangerous. It’s a common condition where the force of blood in arteries can create additional health issues. So when it’s discovered that someone has higher than average levels, medical professionals will intervene in hopes of reducing it. Lowering your blood pressure may be a key to living a longer and fuller life.

A blood pressure reading is important to health and should be done at least once every other year starting at 18. Those who are 40 and older, or younger with a high risk of elevated blood pressure, should have a reading done at least once a year.

Now we come to the good news. Saunas are capable of helping reduce high blood pressure. One study shows that men who used a sauna at least four times a week cut their risk of high blood pressure in half compared to those who only used a sauna once a week and that’s only the beginning.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Hypertension or high blood pressure happens when your blood moves through your veins with more force than average. The table below shows the ranges for normal, elevated, and hypertensive blood pressure.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

Many things can cause high blood pressure, including medication, food, age, lifestyle, and genetics. Some of the most common causes include:

• A diet high in cholesterol, fat, or salt
• Use of tobacco or excessive use of alcohol
• Chronic medical conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and kidney issues
• Stress
• A family history of high blood pressure
• Race
• Lack of physical activity
• Being obese or overweight
• Growing older

Early Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Many people who have hypertension do not realize it. This is why it’s essential to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Those who experience high blood pressure symptoms may have nosebleeds, headaches, or shortness of breath.

Unfortunately, these symptoms can often be signs of other medical issues of varying severity. In addition, most symptoms of hypertension are not exhibited until your blood pressure has been higher than average for an extended period.

How Saunas Help With High Blood Pressure

An infrared sauna helps lower blood pressure. These saunas create heat through the use of light. The infrared light directly warms the body instead of heating the air.around you.

When using a sauna, the heat will cause you to sweat. Sweating is associated with improved cardiovascular function. It can improve blood vessel dilation, reduce the stiffness of arteries, and improve blood circulation.

The Mayo Clinic also notes that infrared saunas can cause “beneficial changes in circulating lipid profiles and lowering of systematic blood pressure.”

Lower Hypertension Risk Through Infrared Saunas

The American Journal of Hypertension did a study on sauna bathing and incidents of hypertension in 2017. A group of over 1,600 men between 42 and 60 without high blood pressure were used as the baseline. In a follow-up of about 25 years, 251 incidents were recorded. Those who used a sauna four to seven times a week had a much lower likelihood of experiencing hypertension.

The study concludes by saying that regular use of a sauna results in a reduced chance of hypertension which may be based on sauna use offering decreased cardiovascular risks.

Is It Safe For Someone With Heart Disease?

Yes. A study in the 2002 Journal of American College of Cardiology was done to determine how sauna treatments can improve cardiac function in people with chronic heart failure. Twenty patients were treated in a dry sauna and then kept on bed rest over the course of two weeks. Their responses were compared to 10 individuals who did not use the sauna.

During the two weeks, the clinical symptoms of 17 of the 20 patients improved. A significant decrease in systolic blood pressure was apparently in most of the patients who used the sauna. The participants in the untreated group saw no change.

Saunas Also Lower Risk of Stroke

Another study was done on over 1,600 men and women of 53 to 74 years old without a known history of stroke. Again, groups were split up and used the sauna once, two to three, or four to seven times each week. A long-term follow-up indicated that those who used the sauna at least four times a week had a much lower incidence of stroke compared to those who used it once a week.

How Long should I Use A Sauna

Experts recommend that you use a sauna for about 15 to 20 minutes to help with hypertension. If you experience lightheadedness or feel overly hot, leave earlier. A cool-down process should be used to gradually come down to normal temperatures while drinking water to replenish fluids lost by sweating.

Final Thoughts on Saunas and Their High Blood Pressure Benefits

Whether you have hypertension or want to avoid it, using a luxury sauna on a daily basis should be a part of your health routine. Not only will it make high blood pressure less likely, but it also offers benefits like relaxation, pain relief, and elimination of inflammation.

At Sun Home Saunas, we offer a variety of saunas to choose from. Browse our infrared saunas to find one that fits your lifestyle. If you spend a lot of time traveling, our infrared sauna blanket is an excellent alternative to keep you healthy and well.