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Evidence Review

Saunas Research

28 PubMed-cited studies reviewed. Infrared, traditional, barrel, and portable saunas for home use.

Studies & Evidence (28)

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Hamaya R et al.Am J Prev Cardiol(2025)

Non-acute effects of passive heating interventions on cardiometabolic risk and vascular health: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Yamasaki S et al.Complement Ther Med(2025)

Hot spring and sauna use for improving blood lipid profiles: A systematic review and expert consensus on efficacy and recommendations.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Lee E et al.Physiol Rep(2025)

Regular postexercise sauna bathing does not improve heart rate variability: A multi-arm randomized controlled trial.

Frequent sauna bathing inversely associated with all-cause mortality

Laukkanen JA et al.Temperature (Austin)(2024)

The multifaceted benefits of passive heat therapies for extending the healthspan: A comprehensive review with a focus on Finnish sauna.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Schroeder HT et al.Cell Stress Chaperones(2024)

Resolution of inflammation in chronic disease via restoration of the heat shock response (HSR).

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Debray A et al.J Appl Physiol (1985)(2023)

Finnish sauna bathing and vascular health of adults with coronary artery disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Pilch W et al.Int J Hyperthermia(2023)

The effects of a single and a series of Finnish sauna sessions on the immune response and HSP-70 levels in trained and untrained men.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Lee E et al.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol(2022)

Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Hussain JN et al.Complement Ther Med(2022)

Infrared sauna as exercise-mimetic? Physiological responses to infrared sauna vs exercise in healthy women: A randomized controlled crossover trial.

Regular sauna bathing associated with reduced dementia risk

Fukui K et al.PLoS One(2021)

Effects of far infrared light on Alzheimer's disease-transgenic mice.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Wegner A et al.Int J Legal Med(2021)

Death in the sauna-vitality markers for heat exposure.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Choi HS et al.Korean J Fam Med(2020)

Repeated Dry Sauna Therapy Improves Quality of Life in Obese Korean People.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Kominami K et al.Int J Hyperthermia(2020)

Cardiovascular reactions for whole-body thermal therapy with a hot pack and Waon therapy.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Hoekstra SP et al.Exerc Immunol Rev(2020)

Elevating body termperature to reduce low-grade inflammation: a welcome strategy for those unable to exercise?

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Hettiarachchi GK et al.Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol(2019)

Translational and transcriptional responses in human primary hepatocytes under hypoxia.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Brunt VE et al.J Physiol(2018)

Passive heat therapy protects against endothelial cell hypoxia-reoxygenation via effects of elevations in temperature and circulating factors.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Żychowska M et al.Biomed Res Int(2018)

Association of High Cardiovascular Fitness and the Rate of Adaptation to Heat Stress.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Källström M et al.Clin Cardiol(2018)

Effects of sauna bath on heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Mee JA et al.J Sci Med Sport(2018)

Sauna exposure immediately prior to short-term heat acclimation accelerates phenotypic adaptation in females.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Zychowska M et al.Ann Agric Environ Med(2017)

Effects of sauna bathing on stress-related genes expression in athletes and non-athletes.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Bouchama A et al.Sci Rep(2017)

A Model of Exposure to Extreme Environmental Heat Uncovers the Human Transcriptome to Heat Stress.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Ihori H et al.Heart Vessels(2016)

Waon therapy attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and promotes myocardial capillary growth in hypertensive rats: a comparative study with fluvastatin.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Sobajima M et al.Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol(2011)

Repeated sauna therapy attenuates ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction in rats by increasing coronary vascularity of noninfarcted myocardium.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Beever RCan Fam Physician(2009)

Far-infrared saunas for treatment of cardiovascular risk factors: summary of published evidence.

Sauna-induced heat stress upregulates beneficial heat shock proteins

Mozaffarieh M et al.Expert Opin Emerg Drugs(2007)

A novel perspective on natural therapeutic approaches in glaucoma therapy.

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Kukkonen-Harjula K et al.Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol(1994)

Cardiovascular effects of Atenolol, scopolamine and their combination on healthy men in Finnish sauna baths.

Infrared sauna reduces blood pressure in hypertension and heart failure

Tei C et al.J Cardiol(1994)

[Effects of hot water bath or sauna on patients with congestive heart failure: acute hemodynamic improvement by thermal vasodilation].

Regular sauna use associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk

Konttinen MPScand J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg(1987)

Long-term efficacy of coronary artery bypass surgery.

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