Saunas for Immune Support: Strengthening the Body's Defenses Against Illness

While falling sick is part of life, you can strengthen your immune system to help your body fight against illness. Today, there are numerous over-the-counter medications and home remedies that you can adopt to make your body less vulnerable to diseases. Yet, one of the most effective methods is the use of saunas. Let’s learn more about saunas and their importance in supporting immunity. But first, what causes a weak immune system?

What Causes a Weak Immune System?

An immune system can be weakened by factors like lack of exercise, excess stress, a lack of sleep, or malnutrition. Some of these triggers are usually unavoidable and that is why you need to take the measures to strengthen your body’s defenses against illnesses.

Apart from boosting your immune system, sauna bathing can facilitate detoxification, alleviate stress, and help you sleep better, providing an overall experience that positively affects your well-being. So, how do saunas help improve your immune system?

·       Boosts the Production of White Blood Cells

Whether you choose a traditional or infrared sauna, the heat of these units naturally stimulates energy, enabling your body to produce white blood cells. These cells are an essential component in your blood and are crucial in defending your body against infections.

When dangerous substances enter your body the white blood cells detect them and regulate the immune system’s response. These cells play a huge role in enhancing your immune system. Sauna bathing triggers a high production of white blood cells, helping your body fight off illness more effectively. 

·       Flushing out Impurities

Saunas have been found to promote detoxification, a process of ridding the body of dangerous toxins. Detoxification promotes balance in the body, helping your immune system function appropriately. It’s important to detoxify your body regularly to avoid health and physical complications like chronic fatigue, diseases, insomnia, and headaches.

A 15-minute sauna session can help your body flush out toxins, hence strengthening your immune system. Using the sauna regularly will free your body from toxins and start noticing a pleasant glow in your skin.

·       Triggering the Immune System

Did you know that the best home sauna can strengthen your immune system by increasing your body temperature and creating an artificial fever? Getting a fever is an indication that your immune system is strong, helping your body alleviate viruses and fight infections.

Raising the body temperature through induced artificial fever from a sauna session allows some immune cells to operate more effectively and efficiently, enabling the body to battle infection. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology opines that exposing the body to high temperatures allows immune cells to destroy tumor and virus-infected cells. 

·       Improved Blood Circulation

Suppose you opt for an infrared sauna. Its heat will penetrate your body to transport oxygen-rich nutrients to the extremities. As a result, poorly circulated areas will receive sufficient nutrients, while toxins will be flushed out through sweating during your sauna session.

Through improved circulation, white blood cells will be transported toward the body's surface to fight disease-causing substances. Besides enhancing your immune system, better circulation is crucial for enhanced functioning of your arteries, muscles, and heart.

·       Enhanced Cellular Regeneration

Cellular regeneration involves replacing or renewing organs, tissues, and cells. It promotes resilience against disturbance or damage in organisms. An infrared home sauna can help strengthen the immune system by activating cell regeneration. This form of regeneration can enable your body to eliminate ineffective, damaged, and old cells and replace them with new ones.

While cells get regenerated over time, the heat from saunas stimulates the process, ensuring all bodily systems run smoothly. Cell regeneration is beneficial, especially in the flu and cold season when the body is vulnerable to frequent attacks. 

·       Promoting Relaxation

If you’re constantly stressed, you’re highly likely to have a weak immune system, making your body vulnerable to illness. As a result, managing your stress levels is important in keeping your body healthy.

It’s worth mentioning that the overproduction of cortisol, which is discharged when you’re stressed, can weaken your immune system’s ability to battle harmful viruses and bacteria. Regular use of the sauna helps balance cortisol levels, relax the mind and body, and support the efficient functioning of your immune system. 

·       Supporting cardiovascular Health

Saunas have been found to aid cardiovascular health. One study revealed that sauna use could help reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Further, using the sauna regularly could increase heart rate and boost blood flow, helping enhance cardiovascular health. In another study, experts said sauna use was linked to a high reduction in the risk of incurable coronary heart disease.

Men who sauna bathed two to three times weekly were 23% less vulnerable to coronary heart complications than those who visited the sauna once weekly. Again, sauna use can improve the immune system by activating heat shock proteins, lowering the risk of infections, and enhancing immune function. Generally, using the sauna regularly can support cardiovascular health and reinforce your body’s defenses against diseases. 

Other Natural Methods of Strengthening the Body’s Against Diseases

Apart from sauna bathing, you can try these natural ways to strengthen your immune system.

·       Exercise Regularly and Hydrate

In addition to facilitating stress reduction and aiding muscle development, physical activity can support a healthy immune system. Moderate-intensity workout deploys immune cells from the bones to the bloodstream. Further, it helps transport immune cells in the bloodstream into the tissues, enhancing immune function.

Your lymph and blood contain immune cells and require water to flow and circulate across the body. As a result, drinking adequate water can help keep you well-hydrated while supporting circulation. The body loses water through sweating, especially during exercise or sauna sessions. Always hydrate to replace lost fluids and support your immune system. 

·       Eat a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet plays a core role in supporting your immune function. Be sure to include healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. According to doctors, feeding your body with sufficient micronutrients in a balanced diet maintains the immune system's homeostasis. The micronutrients include:

• Vitamin C, which you can find in spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries, and oranges
• Vitamin B6, available in potatoes with the skin, green vegetables, bananas, tuna, salmon, and chicken
• Zinc found in dairy products, beans, poultry, red meat, and oysters
• Vitamin E, available in sunflower seeds and oil, safflower oil, peanut butter, almonds, and spinach
• Magnesium found in nuts and whole wheat products

According to experts, the body absorbs vitamins efficiently from dietary sources instead of supplements. As a result, consuming a well-balanced diet is the ideal way of strengthening your body’s ability to fight diseases. 

·       Get Adequate Sleep

Sleep is closely related to strong immunity. Poor quality or inadequate sleep is associated with a high vulnerability to illness. One study involving 164 healthy adults revealed that the group that slept less than six hours was more likely to contract a cold than those who slept more every night.

Resting adequately can boost your natural immunity. If you’re sick, consider sleeping more hours to enable your immune system to fight illness better. Every adult should get at least seven or more hours of sleep every bight, while teens require 8-10 hours of sleep.

If you’re struggling with sleep, consider limiting your screen time to at least one hour before bed. Remember, the blue light emitted from your computer, TV, or phone can interrupt your body’s circadian rhythm. 

Finally

A strong immune system protects your body against harmful cell changes and substances that can cause illness. In addition to the numerous immune boosting methods, saunas have been found to be effective in improving the production of white blood cells, facilitating cell regeneration, and aiding relaxation, hence reinforcing your body’s defenses against illnesses.