Combined effect of sauna bathing and cardiorespiratory fitness on the risk of sudden cardiac deaths in Caucasian men : a long-term prospective cohort study

Both cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and frequency of sauna bathing (FSB) are each strongly and independently associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk. However, the combined effect of CRF and FSB on SCD risk has not been previously investigated. We evaluated the joint impact of CRF and FSB on the risk of SCD in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study of 2291 men aged 42–61 years at recruitment. Objectively measured CRF and self-reported sauna bathing habits were assessed at baseline. CRF was categorized as low and high (median cutoffs) and FSB as low and high (defined as ≤2 and 3–7 sessions/week respectively). Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with confide…

Standalone sauna vs exercise followed by sauna on cardiovascular function in non‐naïve sauna users: A comparison of acute effects

Background and aimsSauna bathing and aerobic exercise have each been shown to affect cardiovascular function. However, direct comparisons between standalone sauna bathing and a combination of exercise and sauna on vascular indices remain limited. Therefore, we conducted a cross-over study using matched durations to explore the hemodynamic changes of sauna exposure when compared to a combination of aerobic exercise and sauna exposure.MethodsParticipants (N = 72) with at least one cardiovascular risk factor underwent, on two separate occasions: (a) a 30-minute sauna at 75°C (SAUNA) and (b) the combination of a 15-minute cycling exercise at 75% maximum heart rate followed by 15-minute sauna ex…

Sauna Bathing and Risk of Psychotic Disorders : A Prospective Cohort Study

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> Sauna bathing has been suggested to promote mental well-being and relaxation, but the evidence is uncertain with respect to mental disorders. We aimed to assess the association of frequency of sauna bathing with risk of psychosis in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective population-based study. <b><i>Subjects and Methods:</i></b> Baseline sauna bathing habits were assessed in 2,138 men aged 42–61 years who had no history of psychotic disorders. Participants were classified into three groups based on the frequency of sauna bathing (once, 2–3, and 4–7 times per week). <b><i>Results:</i></b>…

Acute effects of exercise and sauna as a single intervention on arterial compliance

Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and improves risk prediction in men and women: a prospective cohort study.

Background Previous evidence indicates that sauna bathing is related to a reduced risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in men. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sauna habits and CVD mortality in men and women, and whether adding information on sauna habits to conventional cardiovascular risk factors is associated with improvement in prediction of CVD mortality risk. Methods Sauna bathing habits were assessed at baseline in a sample of 1688 participants (mean age 63; range 53–74 years), of whom 51.4% were women. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to investigate the relationships of frequency and duration of sauna use with C…

Sauna bathing reduces the risk of stroke in Finnish men and women : A prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo assess the association between frequency of sauna bathing and risk of future stroke.MethodsBaseline habits of sauna bathing were assessed in 1,628 adult men and women aged 53–74 years (mean age, 62.7 years) without a known history of stroke in the Finnish Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study. Three sauna bathing frequency groups were defined: 1, 2–3, and 4–7 sessions per week. Hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were estimated for incident stroke.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 14.9 years, 155 incident stroke events were recorded. Compared with participants who had one sauna bathing session per week, the age- and sex-adjusted HR (95% CI) fo…

Acute effects of exercise and sauna as a single intervention on arterial compliance

Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing:A Review of the Evidence

Sauna bathing, an activity that has been a tradition in Finland for thousands of years and mainly used for the purposes of pleasure and relaxation, is becoming increasingly popular in many other populations. Emerging evidence suggests that beyond its use for pleasure, sauna bathing may be linked to several health benefits, which include reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive diseases; nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases; mortality; as well as amelioration of conditions such as arthritis, headache, and flu. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on these outcomes have been linked to its effect on circu…

Short-term effects of Finnish sauna bathing on blood-based markers of cardiovascular function in non-naive sauna users

Emerging evidence suggests that sauna bathing is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. However, the biochemical pathways by which sauna bathing might confer its effects on cardiovascular function are not certain. We aimed to study the acute effects of Finnish sauna bathing on various blood-based cardiovascular biomarkers. The study included 102 non-naive sauna users (54% male) with mean age of 51.9 years, who had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Participants underwent a 30-min single sauna session (mean temperature, 73 °C). Biochemical profiling was conducted before, immediately after sauna and 30-min post-sauna. Overall median N-terminal pro…

Combined Effect of Sauna Bathing and Cardiorespiratory Fitness on the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Deaths in Caucasian Men: A Long-term Prospective Cohort Study

Both cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and frequency of sauna bathing (FSB) are each strongly and independently associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk. However, the combined effect of CRF and FSB on SCD risk has not been previously investigated. We evaluated the joint impact of CRF and FSB on the risk of SCD in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study of 2291 men aged 42-61 years at recruitment. Objectively measured CRF and self-reported sauna bathing habits were assessed at baseline. CRF was categorized as low and high (median cutoffs) and FSB as low and high (defined as ≤2 and 3-7 sessions/week respectively). Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with confide…

Recovery from sauna bathing favorably modulates cardiac autonomic nervous system

Objective: Sauna bathing is becoming a common activity in many countries and it has been linked to favorable health outcomes. However, there is limited data on the heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) responses to an acute sauna exposure. Design: We conducted a single-group, longitudinal study utilizing a pre-post design to examine acute effects of sauna bathing on the autonomic nervous system as reflected by HRV. A total of 93 participants (mean [SD] age: 52.0 [8.8] years, 53.8% males) with cardiovascular risk factors were exposed to a single sauna session (duration: 30 min; temperature: 73 °C; humidity: 10–20%) and data on HRV variables were collected before, during and after …

In reply : Sauna Bathing and Healthy Sweating

Sauna exposure leads to improved arterial compliance: Findings from a non-randomised experimental study.

Background Heat therapy has been suggested to improve cardiovascular function. However, the effects of hot sauna exposure on arterial compliance and the dynamics of blood flow and pressure have not been well documented. Thus, we investigated the short-term effects of sauna bathing on arterial stiffness and haemodynamics. Design The design was an experimental non-randomised study. Methods There were 102 asymptomatic participants (mean age, 51.9 years) who had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Participants were exposed to a single sauna session (duration: 30 min; temperature: 73℃; humidity: 10–20%). Pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, heart rate, blood pressure, mean arterial pres…

Marriage Dissatisfaction and the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death Among Men

Conflicts in marriage have been associated with potential risk of cardiovascular disease; however, there is lack of prospective evidence on the association between marriage satisfaction and sudden cardiac death (SCD). We aimed to assess the association between perceived level of marriage satisfaction and risk of SCD. This study employed the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease study, an ongoing prospective population-based study in Finland. Perceived level of marriage satisfaction was assessed in 2,262 men using a well-structured self-administered questionnaire. Multivariable adjusted Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for SCD. During a median …