Regular sauna bathing can help to prime your immune system to fight off infection.⁣
When you expose your body to the heat of a sauna, your body temperature rises. This triggers a number of physiological changes, including an increase in heart rate, blood flow, and sweating. It also increases the production of white blood cells and other immune cells. 

By regularly exposing your body to the heat of a sauna, you can help your body to become more accustomed to the process of raising its temperature. This can help to prepare your immune system for when it needs to fight off a virus or infection.

 

1) Increases White Blood Cell Count:

White blood cells are essential for a healthy immune system. They play a role in defending the body against infection and disease.

Sauna treatments have been shown to increase the production of white blood cells, which can help to boost the immune system and make it more effective at fighting off infection and disease.

In addition to increasing white blood cell production, sauna treatments have also been shown to:

• Improve the function of white blood cells: Sauna treatments can help to improve the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria and other foreign invaders. 

• Increase the circulation of white blood cells: Sauna treatments can help to increase the circulation of white blood cells throughout the body, which allows them to reach the site of an infection more quickly. 

 

2) Reduces Inflammation:

There are a number of ways that inflammation can weaken the immune system. For example, inflammation can: 

• Damage white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting infection.
• Disrupt the communication between different cells of the immune system.
• Create an environment that promotes the growth of bacteria and other pathogens.

Sauna treatments can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body by: 

• Increasing blood flow: Sauna treatments cause the blood vessels to dilate, which increases blood flow throughout the body. This increased blood flow helps to deliver anti-inflammatory compounds to the tissues.


• Reducing oxidative stress: Sauna treatments can help to reduce oxidative stress, which is a type of damage to cells caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress can contribute to inflammation.


• Increases production of heat shock proteins: Heat shock proteins are proteins that are produced by the body in response to stress, such as heat. Heat shock proteins have anti-inflammatory properties

 

3) Improves Circulation:

Sauna treatments improve circulation by increasing heart rate and blood vessel dilation, delivering nutrients and oxygen to cells more efficiently.
Improved circulation has a number of benefits for the immune system, including 

• Delivery of nutrients and oxygen: Nutrients and oxygen are essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. Improved circulation helps to deliver these essential substances to the cells more efficiently.

• Removal of waste products: Waste products from cellular metabolism can build up in the tissues and impair the function of the immune system. Improved circulation helps to remove these waste products from the tissues and improve the function of the immune system. 

• Transport of immune cells: Immune cells travel throughout the body to fight infection and disease. Improved circulation helps to transport immune cells to the site of infection or disease more quickly. 

 

4) Reduces Stress Levels:

When the body is stressed1 it releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can suppress the production of white blood cells1 which are responsible for fighting infection and disease.

In addition, stress can disrupt the communication between different cells of the immune system.


Sauna treatments can help to reduce stress levels in a number of ways:

• The heat from the sauna helps to relax the muscles and mind.

• Sauna treatments can help to promote the release of endorphins, which have mood-boosting and pain-­relieving effects. 

• Sauna treatments can help to improve sleep quality, which is essential for stress reduction.