Can you lose weight if you sauna everyday?

Overview

Table of Contents Show

Wood burning
Electrically heated sauna
Steam rooms
Signs of dehydration
#1 Water Weight
#2 Detoxification
#3 Increased Metabolism
#4 Stress Reduction
#5 Increased Exercise Capacity
Does sauna everyday help lose weight?
How long should I be in the sauna to lose weight?
Can you lose belly fat in a sauna?
What happens if you use a sauna everyday?

In Scandinavia, saunas have long been used as a way to socialize as well as for their many health benefits. And while they aren’t quite as popular in the United States, you can still find saunas in many gyms and community centers.

Saunas are a nice way to relax and have a good sweat, but can they really help you lose weight? The short answer is… sort of.

Researchers still have a lot to learn about how the heat from saunas affects the body.

A sauna is defined as a room that’s heated to temperatures between 150ºF and 195ºF (65.6ºC and 90.6ºC). Finnish-style saunas are considered “dry,” while Turkish style saunas have lots of steam. People typically spend around 15 to 30 minutes in a sauna.

While the temperatures and humidity levels vary, saunas generally work the same when it comes to how your body reacts.

These are the most common types of saunas:

Wood burning

Wood-burning stoves are used to heat sauna rocks. Temperatures are high and humidity is low.

Electrically heated sauna

An electric heater mounted on the floor or wall is used to heat the room. Temperatures are high and humidity is low.

Steam rooms

You might also know these as “Turkish bath houses.” Temperatures are low and humidity is high, at 100 percent.

Infrared

This sauna uses light waves to heat your body without warming the room. The benefits are similar to more conventional saunas.

There is a tiny bit of weight loss happening while you’re in the sauna. That’s because you’re sweating off water weight. Once you begin drinking again, the water weight returns.

The higher temperatures cause your heart rate to increase in a way similar to exercise. But this increase only causes a slightly higher calorie burn than sitting at rest.

The sauna may be able to help you burn some extra calories, but don’t bank on sweat sessions alone to shed pounds. It isn’t an effective tool for real weight loss.

Extreme heat makes your body sweat. When you sweat, you lose fluids. If you lose more fluid than what you’re taking in, you can become dehydrated. There is a risk of getting dehydrated from being in a sauna.

According to Harvard Medical School, the average person loses about 1 pint of fluid during a short time in the sauna. However, if you drink enough water before, during, and after your time in the sauna, you will replace fluids lost by sweating.

Signs of dehydration

Severe dehydration is a medical emergency. It’s important to pay attention to your body and drink plenty of fluids if you use a sauna.

Be aware of these signs of mild to moderate dehydration:

dryness in the mouth
extreme thirst
headache
feeling dizzy or lightheaded
not urinating as frequently as normal

Older adults and people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and heart failure, or those who are pregnant, are at a higher risk of becoming dehydrated.

The high heat levels you experience in a sauna cause your blood vessels to open up and move closer to the skin’s surface. When blood vessels expand, your circulation improves, and your blood pressure gets lower.

Some recent studies have found links between regular sauna use and improved heart health. However, people who have heart issues, such as an irregular heartbeat or recent heart attack, are usually told to avoid saunas.

People with high blood pressure can use saunas, but the American Heart Association (AHA) warns against moving between extreme hot and cold temperatures because it can raise your blood pressure. Also, those on heart medications should check with their healthcare provider before using a sauna.

Studies from Finland, Japan, and Germany have found health benefits to regular sauna use. For healthy adults, sitting in a sauna at temperatures around 190ºF (87.8ºC) is considered safe. If you’re pregnant or have a chronic health condition, you’ll want to consult your doctor first.

If you have a sauna or are considering purchasing one, in addition to the overall health benefits of basking in heat, you can also enjoy weight loss benefits. Using a sauna alone won’t produce dramatic weight loss results but, as part of a healthy lifestyle, can enhance the effects of diet and exercise. Today we’ll explore five ways you can use a sauna to lose weight and, when you’re ready to purchase a sauna for your home or upgrade to a new infrared model, contact Black Pine Spas to see our array of stylish and affordable saunas for your home.

#1 Water Weight

The most immediate benefit of a sauna is water weight loss. Because the intense heat makes you sweat, you’ll lose excess water stored in your body. You can lose up to five pounds in a single session but, as you rehydrate, most of the weight will come back. However, if you need to shed a couple of pounds quickly, a sauna can help. For instance, if you need to drop a couple of pounds for a job, insurance or sports weigh-in or if you need to fit into a snug dress for an event, a sauna offers a quick trim down.

#2 Detoxification

Sweating helps flush the toxins and impurities from your body. But, for most people, our everyday activities don’t generate enough sweat to seriously purge out these unhealthy substances. Sweating also helps flush out heavy metals such as lead, zinc, copper, nickel and mercury that can be absorbed through foods or environmental factors. Detoxification clears out the lymphatic system and helps your body burn fat more effectively, gives you more energy for exercise and can speed up weight loss.

#3 Increased Metabolism

When you’re exposed to intense heat or cold, your body has to work harder and your heart rate will increase by up to 30%. This boosts your metabolism – the rate at which you burn calories. Experts estimate that the high heat of a sauna (around 150 degrees) will boost your metabolic rate by roughly 20%. This effect will last while you are in the sauna and for a couple of hours afterward. To keep the fat burning effects going, try to work up to a 30 minute sauna every day.

#4 Stress Reduction

Stress is a known cause of weight gain and a barrier to weight loss. Tension not only encourages you to eat but increases production of cortisol which makes your body crave calories and makes it tougher to shed pounds. Basking in a sauna helps you get into a meditative state, reduce stress and can release endorphins – the happy hormones that counteract cortisol. Those with lower stress levels are less likely to overeat and more likely to engage in healthy activities.

#5 Increased Exercise Capacity

One of the barriers to effective exercise is your breathing capacity. Time spent in the sauna can help reduce the effects of respiratory problems, increase respiratory function and can increase production of the vasodilator nitric oxide. Vasodilators dilate blood vessels which increases blood flow. This can improve your exercise capacity meaning you can work out more intensely or for longer which, naturally, leads to increased weight loss.

To make the most of the weight loss benefits associated with a sauna, you should start with 15 to 20 minute sessions a couple of times a week and build up to daily sessions. The easiest way to do this is to invest in a sauna for your home. That way you can bask after a stressful day, first thing in the morning to purge toxins before you start your day or any time you want to flush out some sweat, recharge your batteries and boost your health and mood.

Come to Black Pine Spas to check out the wide selection of both traditional and infrared saunas at our Edmonds showroom on Lake Ballinger Way. Or you can call (425) 771-5774 or (800) 896-5405 to schedule an in-home consultation on what size

Does sauna everyday help lose weight?

The sauna may be able to help you burn some extra calories, but don't bank on sweat sessions alone to shed pounds. It isn't an effective tool for real weight loss.

How long should I be in the sauna to lose weight?

Can you lose belly fat in a sauna?

Simply sitting in a sauna can enable you to decrease excess fat is not a reality. A sauna does not allow you to lose weight; it temporarily eliminates quickly replaceable water from the body. In addition, excessive heat makes your body sweat and sweating can make you lose fluid in the form of water.

What happens if you use a sauna everyday?

According to the researchers, saunas are thought to improve blood vessel function, exercise capacity, even lower blood pressure for those suffering hypertension. This new study also suggests there's an even greater benefit like a lesser likelihood of death from heart attack, stroke, and other heart-related conditions.