Your blood pressure does not drop throughout a sauna visit– it rises, along with your heart rate. This increase is even comparable to the impact of a short, moderate workout. This is the result of a brand-new study carried out by researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Medical Center Berlin (MCB). For their research study, the scientists positioned their individuals both in a sauna and on a bicycle ergometer.
Contrary to the previous presumption, blood pressure does not drop during a sauna session– it rises. And this increase is even comparable to the boost triggered by a short, moderate workout. This is among the conclusions of a recent study carried out by sports researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in collaboration with the Medical Center Berlin (MCB). On separate days, the individuals were sent out to a sauna and put on a bicycle ergometer. In addition to greater high blood pressure levels, an increase in heart rate was measured both during the sauna visit and throughout workout. The study was recently published in the worldwide journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
It is typically presumed that a sauna visit leads to a constant fall in blood pressure. “It was thought that the heat dilates the blood vessels which this decreases the blood pressure,” states Dr Sascha Ketelhut, lead author of the brand-new research study and a sports researcher at MLU. People with low high blood pressure or cardiovascular disorders have traditionally been advised not to use saunas, as a further fall in high blood pressure can lead to fainting. “However, it is very important to distinguish between the acute impacts of a sauna session and the effects that were kept in mind throughout the rest period after the sauna session. Numerous previous presumptions have actually been made about the acute impacts of sauna use, but up until now little research has actually been done,” continues Ketelhut.
The researchers conducted their research study by recruiting 19 volunteers to measure the instant results of sauna usage on the cardiovascular system: The participants were exposed to a 25-minute sauna session, while having their high blood pressure and heart rate determined. Both rose instantly during the sauna check out. After the sauna session, both blood pressure and heart rate began to drop below individual’s baseline levels that were measured prior to the sauna session.
In the 2nd part of the study the participants completed a short exercise program on a stationary bicycle while likewise having their high blood pressure and heart rate examined. “Comparing the 2 conditions, the participants’ blood pressure and heart rate reached the very same levels throughout the sauna session as they did with a load of about 100 watts throughout the exercise test,” states Ketelhut. This reveals that a sauna session is sort of a concern on the body. Still, even people with low high blood pressure might periodically have a shvitz, as Ketelhut says: “Saunas can really be used by anyone who can endure moderate physical stress without discomfort. However, individuals with low blood pressure should beware afterwards, as their blood pressure might then fall below the levels signed up before the sauna check out.”
The observations made by the researchers are supported by previous research studies that focused primarily on the long-term results of sauna use, demonstrating positive results on the cardiovascular system, for example. “A sauna session is a physical strain. Its long-lasting favorable effects resemble sports activities,” explains Ketelhut. Nonetheless, the healthy sweating does not contribute to weight loss: “The effect is too low as there is no muscle activity. Although we reduce weight in the sauna, however these are simply the fluids that we sweat out. One should rehydrate after a sauna session, however,” concludes Ketelhut.
