Can Regular Sauna Use Improve Heart Health in Seniors?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death globally across all population groups. While there are a myriad of risk factors, most can be controlled by lifestyle choices. Smoking is a key risk factor for heart disease, but by quitting or choosing not to smoke you can reduce your risk. You can also adopt healthy lifestyle choices to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which are also primary heart disease risk factors.

Sauna bathing, a therapeutic activity popularized in Finland, has grown recently from a niche wellness fad to a commonly accepted practice for physical and mental health. It has several health benefits, such as promoting muscle recovery and alleviating stress. There's also plenty of evidence suggesting it can boost cardiovascular function, improving heart health and longevity.

Here's what you need to know about using saunas regularly as an older adult.

Heart Health Challenges in Older Adults

Heart disease risk increases with age, which means older adults need to be more proactive with their health. Similarly, older adults also have elevated risk for many of the leading factors that contribute to heart disease, including diabetes and high blood pressure.

As you age, the heart must work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Notably, older adults tend to have slower heart rates than younger adults due to a loss of cells in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's natural pacemaker; a decrease in blood capacity; thickening of the valves; and deposits of lipofuscin, also known as the "aging pigment."

Blood and blood vessels also undergo natural, age-related changes. Combined with poor lifestyle choices, these changes increase the risk of not only heart disease but also complications like abnormal heart rhythms, angina, blood clots, and deep vein thrombosis.

What Happens to Your Cardiovascular System in a Sauna?

The human body reacts similarly to sauna bathing as it does to moderate- to high-intensity physical activity, which makes it a particularly effective passive form of exercise for older adults with limited mobility. Your heart rate elevates, blood vessels dilate to improve circulation, and you sweat out toxins. These changes in your body happen as it tries to cool you off; your vascular system is adapting to the heat stress.

With the heat from the sauna expanding blood vessels, your heart can more easily pump blood and oxygen to the rest of the body, enhancing overall cardiovascular wellness. When combined with an exercise routine, sauna use can have a significant impact on lowering blood pressure.

Sauna Bathing Temperature and Frequency

There are different types of saunas, including infrared saunas and the traditional wood-paneled rooms with electric heaters. Temperatures generally range from 150 – 190 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity between 10-20 percent.

There's no uniform answer as to how often you should visit a sauna, but most experts suggest more than a couple times per week to maximize cardiovascular health benefits. Some studies suggest that sauna bathing four to seven times per week is associated with lower blood pressure and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Typical sauna sessions last between 15-20 minutes, with some people feeling comfortable going up to 30 minutes. The American College of Cardiology suggests that spending at least 19 minutes in a sauna can increase protection against some heart complications by more than 50 percent.

Most experts suggest starting with a few minutes at a time until you get comfortable lasting longer.

Risks and Precautions

Regular sauna use generally isn't considered a health risk, but you should be aware of how your body feels and get out if you start to feel lightheaded or uncomfortable. If this happens, cool down gradually and drink several glasses of water to replenish fluids lost via sweating.

If you are over 70 with relatively high or low blood pressure, you should be more cautious when using saunas. In addition, sauna use might also not be suitable for those with stable heart disease or mild heart failure. It's always best to consult a physician beforehand.

Other Sauna Health Benefits

Beyond supporting cardiovascular health, regular sauna use and other forms of heat therapy have been shown to reduce joint and muscle pain after intense workouts, improve respiratory and immune system function, and promote better sleep.

A 2015 Finnish study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, meanwhile, linked regular sauna use to reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The study, which followed 2,000 adult men over two decades, also found that those who sauna bathed 4-7 times per week had a 50 percent reduction in fatal heart disease risk compared to those who used saunas just once a week.

Regular sauna use can also provide mental health benefits, primarily from the socialization aspect when using a gym sauna or other public facility. In Finland, for example, saunas are a place where people spend time relaxing together—parents use saunas with their kids, events and holidays may be marked by sauna bathing with family and friends, and public saunas bring communities together.