Traditional Sauna: The Format the Research Was Actually Done In
A traditional sauna heats the air with a stove and hot rocks, and most published sauna research was done in this type. In a Finnish study of about 2,300 men followed for roughly 20 years, more frequent sauna use was associated with lower rates of several heart and brain related problems. It is observational research, so it shows a pattern, not a cause.
When people cite "the sauna research," they are almost always citing studies done in traditional saunas. Not infrared. This article explains what a traditional sauna is, what those studies looked at, and why the type of sauna matters when you read the results.
What is a traditional sauna?
An electric heater with a pile of rocks on top warms the air in the room, and the hot air warms you. Pouring water on the rocks makes a burst of steam and raises the humidity for a moment. That steam has a Finnish name, which is the most exotic part of the whole setup.
The air is hot, usually 170-195°F (77-90°C), because heating the air is the whole point. When you compare traditional saunas, the things that differ are the heater power, the voltage (120 or 240), how many people the benches seat, and the wood.
What did the Finnish cohort research find?
The best-known research comes from a long study in eastern Finland. Researchers signed up about 2,300 middle-aged men, recorded how often each used a sauna, and followed them for roughly 20 years. The results appeared in a 2015 paper in JAMA Internal Medicine, a 2017 paper in Age and Ageing, and a 2018 review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
More frequent sauna use was associated with lower rates of several heart and brain related outcomes. Men who used a sauna 4 to 7 times a week showed bigger differences than men who used one once a week. The pattern held after the researchers adjusted for age, blood pressure, smoking, and cholesterol.
Why does the format that was studied matter?
Those studies were done in traditional Finnish saunas: high air temperature, the option of steam, and the session habits of Finnish sauna culture. Infrared saunas heat you differently, at a lower air temperature, usually drier. They are newer, and long-term research on them is still being built. Where infrared studies exist, they tend to be smaller and shorter, and the results for the two types are usually reported separately.
So if you want to match the conditions of the heart research, that points toward a traditional sauna. If tolerability, easier installation, or dry heat matter more to you, infrared is worth considering, with the understanding that its evidence base is younger. A separate article compares the two.
How do you read an observational study?
This research is observational. It shows that a habit and an outcome tend to turn up together. It does not by itself prove the sauna caused the difference.
- People who sauna several times a week may differ from people who never do in ways that are hard to measure, like lifestyle or access to healthcare.
- The participants were middle-aged Finnish men. The size of a link could be different for women, other ages, or other countries.
- The researchers adjusted for many known risk factors, which strengthens the finding, but adjusting is never perfect.
The exact figures are in the protocol guide, with the study design attached, instead of being quoted here as bare numbers.
How are heat and sleep linked?
Warming up and then cooling down is associated with falling asleep faster, through the same drop in body temperature your body uses at night (Harding and colleagues, 2019). That is why an evening session, finished with time to cool before bed, is a common placement. It is a link to falling asleep faster, not a treatment for insomnia.
What does the research not establish?
- It does not show that a sauna treats, cures, or prevents any disease or medical condition.
- The strongest data is observational, and it was collected in traditional saunas, not infrared.
- A sauna is a general wellness device, not medical equipment, and not a substitute for medical care.
Common questions
What is a traditional sauna?
An electric heater with a bed of rocks warms the room's air, and the hot air warms you. Pouring water on the rocks briefly adds steam.
How hot is a traditional sauna?
Usually 170-195°F (77-90°C), higher than an infrared cabin, because the whole point is to heat the air.
What did the Finnish sauna studies find?
In about 2,300 middle-aged men followed for roughly 20 years, more frequent sauna use was associated with lower rates of several heart and brain related outcomes, including after adjusting for common risk factors. The effect sizes are in the protocol guide.
Does the research prove a sauna causes better health?
No. It is observational, so it shows that a habit and an outcome tend to occur together, not that one caused the other. The participants were middle-aged Finnish men.
What differs between traditional saunas when comparing them?
Heater power, voltage (120 or 240), bench layout and seating, and the wood.
Is a traditional sauna better than an infrared sauna?
The long-term studies were done in traditional saunas, so matching those conditions points toward traditional. Comfort and installation limits can point toward infrared, which has a younger evidence base.
Where to start
Heat is one of three inputs. Whether you add it first, or after cold and light, depends on your sleep, recovery, activity level, schedule, and how much heat and cold you already do.
Find My Protocol matches those five answers to a starting point and a week by week plan. It takes about two minutes and does not require a purchase.
References
- Laukkanen T, et al. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2015;175(4):542 to 548. PMID 25705824. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25705824
- Laukkanen JA, et al. Age and Ageing. 2017;46(2):245 to 249. PMID 27932366. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27932366
- Laukkanen JA, et al. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018;93(8):1111 to 1121. PMID 30077204. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30077204
- Harding EC, Franks NP, Wisden W. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019;13:336. PMID 31105512. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105512
For the specific figures from these studies, and the full protocol details, see the protocol guide.
The products sold by Peak Regenerate are sold for general wellness use only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. Talk to your physician before starting any heat, cold, or light exposure routine, especially if you have a heart condition, are pregnant, or take prescription medication. Individual results vary. Peak Regenerate does not provide medical services through this platform.
