Recently, there has been a surge of interest in sauna bathing and its role in health aspects. However, there are few studies focusing on the association between regular sauntering and the risk of dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Considerably better understood are the effects on the cardiovascular system. This study delves into contemporary scientific research on Finnish saunas, exploring their potential correlation with Alzheimer's disease prevention, their impact on vascular health in adults with cardiovascular disorders, and their association with reducing the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Scientific studies published in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were analyzed, including terms related to Finnish sauna, dementia, COPD and cardiovascular disease. The methodological quality and results of each study were evaluated. Sauna bathing in addition to being a relaxing lifestyle habit, remains a potential additional strategy which can be used in improving cardiovascular function in adults with well-controlled cardiovascular disorders. A limited amount of research has been identified on the correlation between sauna bathing and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and COPD. The accumulating evidence suggests that frequent sauna bathing may reduce the risk or severity of several vascular and nonvascular conditions including COPD and also moderate to high frequency of sauna bathing was associated with lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Further research is required, especially large-scale cohort studies with repeated measurement on sauna to establish the potential mechanisms linking sauna bathing and either memory diseases or COPD and better understand the relationship between sauntering and cardiovascular health. Upcoming studies may become very promising for the development of sauna bathing as a new non-pharmacological treatment or prevention of various diseases and improvement in the quality of life.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) continues to be one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among the general adult population. It occurs due to a lack of sufficient coronary blood flow. Sauna bathing has recently been reported to give cardiovascular benefits that are similar to those from a moderate level of exercise. The proposed benefits include increased vascular function, lower blood pressure, and improved cardiac performance. Thus, sauna therapy could be considered as an adjunctive intervention for patients with IHD. This review assesses the existing clinical research on the therapeutic use of sauna bathing in managing IHD, the physiological pathways contributing to its protective effects, and future research directions. Relevant studies were identified in PubMed and Google Scholar (2015-2025) using keywords such as IHD, sauna bathing, and steam bath. The studies showed that with consistent usage of Finnish or far-infrared saunas, patients with IHD gain better hemodynamic stability, endothelial function, autonomic balance, and anti-inflammatory activity. Observational studies have been most consistent in showing that sauna use produces a favorable impact on the cardiovascular system. However, the results of randomized controlled trials offer rather mixed conclusions. In conclusion, while sauna treatment seems safe and beneficial (especially for patients who are not able to undergo regular exercise), it warrants the need for unitary protocols and larger, longer-lasting trials to both establish its effectiveness and clarify its position in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation.

ging evidence suggests that sauna bathing is linked with several health benefits, including a reduction in the risk of high blood pressure or hypertension [ 5 , 6 ], stroke [ 7 ], neurocognitive diseases [ 8 ], and pulmonary diseases [ 9 – 11 ]. Sauna bathing has also been used in treating musculoskeletal pain [ 12 , 13 ] as well as chronic headache [ 14 ]. The beneficial effects of sauna bathing on these adverse events have been linked to its positive impact on circulatory and cardiovascular function. It has been suggested that regular heat therapy may improve cardiovascular function via improved endothelium-dependent dilatation, reduced arterial stiffness, modulation of the autonomic nervous system, and lowering of blood pressure [ 6 , 15 – 18 ]. We have shown that having frequent sauna baths is strongly associated with a reduced risk of fatal cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality in a general population sample of middle-aged men [ 19 ]. To our knowledge, this is the only available study [ 19 ] on the prospective association between sauna habits and the risk of mortality outcomes. It is therefore unknown whether the additional cardiovascular benefits of frequent sauna bathing are also applicable to women and older individuals. In addition, there is no data on the associations of both weekly frequency and duration of sauna bathing with a risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in populations including men and women. Furthermore, given the strong independent association between sauna bathing and the risk of CVD, there is a possibility that adding information on sauna bathing habits to current CVD risk prediction algorithms might be associated with improvements in the ability to predict CVD risk. The potential utility of sauna bathing for CVD risk assessment has not yet been evaluated, and therefore, this warrants investigation. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between sauna bathing habits (both frequency and duration) and the risk of CVD

Sauna bathing is a form of thermal therapy that has been utilized for generations primarily in the Scandinavian countries as a health tonic to improve well being. Current research into sauna bathing has found that not only is it extremely safe for most people, it appears to have signicant health benefits for the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. These vascular benefits are the most likely reason that regular sauna bathing has been associated with a decreased rate of dementia, lower mortality, and improvements in people with heart failure. Sauna bathing is safe but not entirely witho

Saunas, steam baths, and whirlpools--popular fixtures at health clubs--are safe means of relaxation if used properly. Ignoring the recommendations for moderate, commonsense enjoyment of these baths may expose users to health risks, including sudden death, arrhythmias, and skin infections. A guide to safe use of such baths is presented. (Author/CB)

Sauna refers to passive heat therapy that involves exposure of the body to a high-temperature environment for an appropriately short period, contingent on the therapy’s purpose. Ideally, the therapy aims to raise the internal body temperature by a few degrees, and its effect happens in two phases. The first phase occurs during the first ten minutes, encouraging the body to perspire while maintaining a temperature of around 98.6 degrees. The extra heat is dispersed by increased blood circulation, blood pushing on the skin's surface, and sweating. The body enters the second phase after 10-30 min