Not every American knows that saunas are great. As a matter of fact, many have a “not for me” attitude because they believe in the common sauna myths.
Let’s address these myths, so you can feel comfortable in purchasing a Sauna from Black Pines Spas.
Sauna Myth #1 – “Saunas Are Only for Cold Climates.”
Saunas are almost synonymous with the Nordic culture. It is estimated that there are two million saunas in Finland, with a population of 5 million! They enjoy sitting in a steaming sauna when snow is falling outside.
But saunas have long been a part of the Native American culture too, in the form of sweat lodges. The same principals are applied to get the benefits of relaxation and purification (detoxifying the body).
As scientific research on the health benefits of saunas continues to grow, people in all parts of the country – warm climates and cool climates – are taking up this old tradition.
Sauna Myth #2 -They’re Expensive to Operate
People sometimes think that saunas are expensive to operate, but the opposite is true. Let’s take our Hermes Infrared Sauna as an example. It uses 1.725 kilowatts of power. At today’s electricity rates, a fifteen-minute sauna session costs only 42 cents. If you used your Hermes Sauna twice a week, that would add up to $3.38 per month.
Sauna Myth #3 – “I Can’t Put a Sauna in my House!”
Some people imagine a sauna looks like an old fishing shack – not something you’d want inside your house.
But today’s saunas are designed to be an integral part of your home – like our Eos Model Infrared Sauna shown here.
It has a full tinted glass door, an interior reading light, and an iPod connection with built-in speakers.
Sauna Myth #4 – “There are No Real Health Benefits”
Traditional cultures knew what they were doing.
Detoxification
Our bodies are designed to eliminate harmful items in our sweat. While relaxing in a sauna, you can lose a pint of sweat in 15 minutes, and along with it, a lot of unwanted toxins.
An example in the area of heavy metal detoxification is illustrated by this quote from the 1997 Mercury Study Report to Congress:
“Sweating does indeed increase mercury excretion. Probably an hour or two of sauna is the same as 50 mg of DMSA (a pharmaceutical chelator of mercury) every 4 hours for a day.”
Fewer Colds and Healthier Hearts
A study from the University of Vienna, Austria found that sauna bathing significantly reduced the incidence of common colds.
On the cardiac front, Japanese researchers have found that sitting in a sauna is particularly helpful for congestive heart failure.
And a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that repeated sauna treatments improve the functioning of the cells lining the arteries, resulting in improved cardiac function.
Relieving Stress, Muscle Tension, and Arthritis
In today’s world, perhaps the greatest health benefit of saunas is stress relief. It’s nearly impossible to not relax in a sauna, and when your muscles relax, the anxiety goes away.
This “relaxation effect” of saunas helps athletes reduce soreness after a long workout and provides pain relief for arthritis patients.
If you have any questions about home saunas, we’d love for you to give us a call.