As the body works to cool itself, there is a substantial increase in heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate. Blood flow during whole-body hyperthermia is reported to rise from a normal 5 to 7 quarts per minute to as much as 13 quarts per minute.
This benefit was recognized in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association as long ago as August 1981 :"Many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of a Sauna imparts a similar stress on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective, a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories, as regular exercise."
For most healthy people, as well as for most patients with stable coronary heart disease, sauna bathing is well tolerated, safe, and has therapeutic value, according to a study published in The American Journal Of Medicine. A comprehensive review of the world's biomedical literature (1966 to the present) was carried out by investigators from the Department of Internal Medicine and University of Oulu, Finland, and the Division of Cardiology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington D.C. The authors examined the benefits and risks of sauna bathing for healthy adults and children, as well as for patients with coronary heart disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.
A moderately conditioned person can sweat off 250 grams of sweat. While the weight of the water lost can be regained by rehydration with water, the calories will not be. The heart receives a workout similar to a 6-mile run in a 20-30 minutes FIR sauna session and the body perspires the same amount as a 6-mile run. Infrared saunas are perfect for those that do not have time for regular exercise or suffer from injuries that inhibit rigorous activity.
