Get Hot & Healthy in Westport this Winter

Christmas is over and the dark months of January and February are upon us.

For many, these months can be the toughest of the year.

November and December have the excitement of Christmas and holidays to get you through, but January and February offer very little to motivate.

Dark mornings lead into dark evenings and cosying up in front of the TV with large hearty meals seems the best option.

However, there is one very simple and very healthy habit you could introduce into your life this Winter which will keep any unwanted pounds off, help you sleep better and keep body, mind and skin feeling fresh and that is …. an evening Sauna.

Below are 10 reasons why you should introduce an evening sauna into your Winter routine.

10 Reasons Why Saunas are Healthy

1. Saunas Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

Unbelievably, the main source of most diseases in the modern world today stem directly or partially from stress.

Studies show that stress negatively impacts our health and not surprisingly people who visit saunas regularly often cite stress reduction as its main benefit.

Sitting in a sauna can be relaxing in many ways.

The warmth relaxes your body’s muscles
Sauna’s are quiet spaces to be alone with thoughts without distraction
Sauna’s improve blood circulation
Sauna’s stimulate the release of endorphins.

Endorphins are your body’s all-natural “feel good” chemical.

Using a sauna 2 to 3 times per week reduces the risk of cardiac incidents (heart attacks) by 27% and 4-7 times per week reduces the risk by 50%.
Regular sauna use reduces the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).
Long-term sauna use results in healthier arteries.
One 15 minute sauna session can increases the heart rate similar to aerobic exercise to a range between 120-150 beats per minute.

2. Saunas relax muscles, soothe aches and pains, help joints and help your body recover after intense exercise

The intense heat from a sauna causes the body to release endorphins.

Endorphins help relieve pain from joints, arthritis and general muscle stiffness.

The sensation of endorphins being released into your body can also be quite relaxing helping aid in a deeper sleep which again greatly aids in body recovery.

The high temperature also causes blood vessels to dilate which increases blood circulation.

An increase of blood flow throughout the body helps speed up the body’s natural healing process.

High heat also helps release lactic acid and other toxins which may be trapped in stiff muscles from stress or physical exercise.

Sauna’s help stimulate growth hormones by 150-250% after a single sauna session which help in strength training and recovery time.
Sauna’s reduce muscle atrophy.
Studies show that 3 weeks of regular sauna use increased run time to exhaustion in male distance runners by 30%.

3. Saunas Improve Your Sleep

Vast research shows the benefits of sleep with regards body recovery.

However, not all sleeps are the same.

The deeper the sleep the greater the rejuvenation and faster the recovery speed in accelerated tissue repair.

Using a sauna in the evening increases the likelihood of achieving a deep sleep state.

While using the sauna your body temperature increases and endorphins are released.

Upon leaving the sauna your body temperature and the release of endorphins will slowly begin to fall inducing a calm and relaxing state throughout mind and body as you near bedtime.

4. Saunas Eliminate Toxins and Detoxify our Bodies.

Our bodies absorb toxins such as lead, copper, zinc, nickel and mercury daily.

One of the best ways to clean these toxins from our system is to have a deep sweat.

A deep sweat is not the sweat we have when crammed into a subway or stressed at work. A deep sweat occurs when our heart rate is elevated.

A deep sweat can only be achieved through intense exercise or sauna (heat).

Many of us do not deep sweat on a daily basis and this becomes even more difficult during the Winter months.

Due to the high heat of the sauna the endless benefits from a deep sweat can be enjoyed.

5. Saunas Relieve Stress

There are endless studies which show the relationship between a healthy body and healthy mind and vice versa.

Introducing Sauna use into your weekly routine helps relax the body and therefore the mind helping you cope with daily stresses.

Constantly relaxing and drinking water in a warm quiet place helps reduce the build up of smaller issues.

The reduction of this build up of smaller stress bites offers an overall reduction in the risk of depression and anxiety.

The improved cardiorespiratory fitness also greatly contributes to the therapeutic effects of the sauna.

6. Sauna's Reduce the Risk of Alzheimers

A 20-year study conducted with more than 2,300 participants at the University of Eastern Finland by Dr. Jari Laukkanen revealed regular sauna use lowered the risk for Alzheimer’s and Dementia by 65%*

*Regular sauna use was approximately 4 to 7 times per week for 20 minutes.

7. Saunas Reduce the Likelihood of Catching a Cold

Research shows that saunas reduce the chances of catching a cold.

The high heat helps the body produce white blood cells more rapidly which helps to fight colds and viruses.

Saunas can of course also fight the symptoms of sinus congestion from colds as hot steam is a great way to clear nasal passages and airways.
(Tip: Add Eucalyptus oil for an added punch)

8. Sauna's Keep Your Skin Looking and Feeling Fresh

You can use all the skin creams in the world, but nothing helps your skin look and feel fresher than sweating.

Your skin is the bodies largest organ and sweating keeps it in a healthy working condition.

Deep sweating cleanses your skin of toxins and rinses bacteria out of your sweat ducts.

This results in old skin cells being replaced by new skin cells which give your skin that fresh glow.

9. Saunas Help You Lose Weight

Sauna’s help burn calories but will occur most notably in people in poor shape.

While sauna’s can help you burn calories, its main benefit is in helping one maintain a healthy weight.

Intense sweating does require high amounts of energy.

Studies show an average person can sweat approximately 300 calories in one 15 minute sauna session.

More importantly, the increase of your heart rate and the release of oxygen increases the likelihood of drinking water.

Drinking more water helps regulate hunger and reduces the desire to eat large meals late in the evening.

10. Saunas Help the Mind

The sauna is the perfect environment for open and intimate conversations with family or friends.

However, it can also be a private, personal area of relaxation and meditation.

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Paul Feeney

Founder of The Bodhi Business Academy at The Bodhi Business Academy

The Bodhi Business Academy offers the design, development and implementation of your Brand, Website, Sales Page & Email Marketing System, all in less than 90 days.