10 Best Sauna Benefits For Your Health, According To Doctors

But there’s a lot more where that came from—ahead, experts break down the different types of saunas, the potential benefits, and who should (and shouldn’t!) bring on the heat.

Types Of Saunas

• Wood-burning saunas are the most traditional type of sauna and use fire to heat up the space. “These saunas are typically fueled by dry, seasoned hardwoods like birch, oak, or maple—woods that burn hot, clean, and long, creating a soft, humid heat and a subtle, earthy aroma that many people find grounding,” says functional medicine physician Jaclyn Tolentino, DO.
• Electric saunas produce heat with electricity, “usually through built-in heating elements that warm up rocks or panels,” Dr. Tolentino says.
• Infrared saunas utilize infrared light waves to warm your body up directly without raising the temperature of the air around you, says Dr. Tolentino. They supposedly spark the same effects in your body as a traditional sauna but at a lower temp, she says.

10 Sauna Benefits

1. It may improve your circulation.

Anything that raises your body temperature will increase your heart rate, which in turn increases your circulation, says Denise Millstine, MD, an internist at Mayo Clinic’s family medicine office in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sitting in a sauna is almost like walking on a treadmill at a regular pace, adds Purvi Parikh, MD, an internal medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Because of the heat, your heart has to pump harder to circulate your blood, which means you’re getting some cardio benefits even though all you’re doing is sitting in the heat. Keep in mind, though, the sauna is still no replacement for exercise, which has tons of other health benefits.

2. It may help lower your blood pressure.

In the sauna, “physiologically, much like exercise, your blood pressure [goes up] initially…then, long-term, it results in better management and lowering of your blood pressure,” says Dr. Millstine, particularly lower diastolic blood pressure, per 2025 research in Advances in Integral Medicine. This effect is especially helpful for those with mild to moderate high blood pressure, says Dr. Tolentino.

3. It’s a great way to relieve stress.

Sauna bathing is a regular part of Scandinavian culture as a way to destress and relax, says Dr. Millstine. According to 2024 research in Frontiers in Public Health, women who sat for sporadic 20-minute sessions in a sauna with a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius, or 176 degrees Fahrenheit, experienced less tension, depression, anger, and fatigue when it came to their mental health. If you can easily and frequently integrate sauna sessions into your schedule (bonus points if you can socialize while using it!), the sauna “likely will reduce your stress levels,” Dr. Millstine adds.

4. It can lift your mood.

Because it’s naturally relaxing to be in a sauna, your mood might improve after spending time in one, per a 2022 study in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health that surveyed 1,180 people ages 25 to 74 in Sweden on their sauna bathing habits. “It’s unclear if those benefits are directly related to sauna use or, again, or if it’s simply tied to a healthy lifestyle that involves socialization and relaxation,” says Dr. Millstine. Either way, there seem to be some positive brain and mental health perks to visiting a sauna.

4. It may lead to weight loss.

Saunas can lead to some temporary water weight loss due to sweating, but this shouldn’t be confused with true fat loss, says Dr. Tolentino. Fat loss can occur if you happen to be using a sauna in addition to practicing other healthy lifestyle habits like exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep, she says.

“[Sauna bathing] supports the body in ways that are deeply connected to metabolism—like improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, enhancing circulation, and supporting better recovery and sleep,” Dr. Tolentino explains. “We also shouldn’t underestimate the stress-reduction benefits that, in turn, can also help with weight loss, as supporting the nervous system is a crucial part of metabolic health, hormone regulation, and longevity.” However, purely using a sauna regularly isn’t an effective weight loss method.

6. It can make your skin glow.

Using a sauna can benefit your overall skin health because it helps bring blood flow to the surface of your skin before you start sweating. “Regular sauna use makes the skin more robust—meaning it sort of firms it up—and makes it more elastic, which is good for aesthetic reasons, but also because the skin acts like a general health barrier,” says Dr. Millstine.

It may also help get rid of acne, says dermatologist Erum N. Ilyas, MD. “The steam our skin is exposed to in a sauna has been shown to have two major benefits: improve the hydration of skin and reduce the acne-causing sebum content of our skin,” Dr. Ilyas says. That said, more research is needed on the sauna’s exact scientific benefits on skin.

7. It can reduce joint and muscle stiffness.

The sauna also may be a useful workout recovery tool, since it can help loosen up tense muscles. “The heat can make your muscles more pliable and elastic, so it [can] probably help with workout recovery soreness,” says Dr. Millstine. Sauna use can also help with tension-type headaches, likely because it alleviates the muscle soreness that contributes to them, she adds.

8. It may help boost your immune system.

Using a sauna isn’t directly tied to better immunity, but sauna bathing can bring on relaxation and reduce stress, which can support overall immune resilience, Dr. Tolentino says.

Saunas may also help prevent disease in individuals with high-stress occupations, according to 2021 research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health—and sauna usage has also been shown to decrease circulating levels of inflammatory markers, which may benefit your health overall.

9. You may get better sleep.

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If you struggle with sleep, using a sauna consistently may help, says Harvard-trained board-certified dermatologist David Li, MD. According to the previous International Journal of Circumpolar Health study, those who used saunas were more satisfied with their sleep patterns than those who did not. He references a Complementary Therapies in Medicine study in which more than 83 percent of respondents reported improved sleep after using a sauna. People who used a sauna five to 15 times per month also had comparatively higher mental well-being scores. “We know [using a sauna] improves mental health,” Dr. Li says, which can help you wind down to sleep, too.

10. It may improve cardiovascular health.

Research shows that people who regularly use a sauna at least four times a week for 20 minutes have a significantly lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia, notes Dr. Parikh. Sauna bathing may also help increase cardiovascular fitness, per 2022 research in the American Journal of Physiology.

“In those with no underlying cardiovascular disease, sauna bathing may be helpful to modulate the autonomic nervous system and reduce blood pressure,” says Dr. Li. It may also be helpful to improve dilation of the smooth muscles and reduce arterial stiffness, he adds.

Potential Risks Of Sauna Usage

The biggest risks are dehydration and dizziness from the heat, says Dr. Parikh. So always make sure you’re well-hydrated before and after your sauna sesh.

Experts say you should avoid the sauna if:

• You’re sick or have a fever, “as the heat can increase your body temperature, ultimately making it worse,” says Raj Dasgupta, MD, the chief medical advisor for Sleep Advisor.
• You have drugs or alcohol in your system
• You have a cardiovascular condition like a heart condition or high blood pressure, since “the heat can put more stress on the cardiovascular system, leading to more complications,” Dr. Dasgupta says. You may also be at risk if you’ve recently had a heart attack, adds Dr. Parikh.

If you’re pregnant, be sure to consult your doctor first as “excessive heat can potentially harm the fetus,” says Dr. Dasgupta.

How To Use A Sauna

Overall, it is generally considered safe to use a sauna every day, says Jeff Gladd, MD, an integrative medicine physician. That said, it’s not imperative to keep up with a daily practice to reap all the benefits.

Dr. Tolentino recommends beginning with 15- to 20-minute sessions, spacing your sessions a couple of days apart, before eventually building up to daily sessions if you’d like. (But you should consult your doctor to determine the most appropriate frequency and duration for you, especially if you have a chronic condition or take medications, Dr. Gladd adds.) If you ever feel extremely tired, dehydrated, or generally unwell during or afterward, consider cutting down on how often and how long you use a sauna each time.

“Sauna use should feel like a supportive ritual, not a challenge to power through,” Dr. Tolentino says. “The key is to listen to your body—it should feel nourishing, not punishing.”

At-Home Sauna Products We Recommend

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Meet the experts: Michele Bailey, DO, is a primary care physician at Rush University Medical Group. Jaclyn Tolentino, DO, a family medicine physician in Los Angeles and lead functional medicine physician at Love.Life. Denise Millstine, MD, is an internist at Mayo Clinic’s family medicine office in Scottsdale, Arizona. Purvi Parikh, MD, is an internal medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Erum N. Ilyas, MD, is a dermatologist and academic chair of Drexel University College of Medicine Department of Dermatology. David Li, MD, is a Harvard-trained board-certified dermatologist and chief operator at Boston Derm Advocate. Jeff Gladd, MD, is an integrative medicine physician and the chief medical officer at Fullscript. Raj Dasgupta, MD, is a physician and the Chief Medical Advisor for Sleep Advisor.

Emilia Benton is a Houston-based freelance writer and editor. In addition to Runner’s World, she has contributed health, fitness and wellness content to Women’s Health, SELF, Prevention, Healthline, and the Houston Chronicle, among other publications. She is also an 11-time marathoner, a USATF Level 1-certified running coach, and an avid traveler.

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass consumer of social media and cares about women’s rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.  

Ashley Martens is a wellness writer based in Chicago. With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics. Ashley is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor.