Nearly 1 million Americans will suffer from a stroke every year. Strokes are frightening whether they are happening to you or a loved one. It is crucial to seek medical attention as soon as the signs of a stroke are identified and experienced. Given how terrifying and unpredictable strokes can be, it is also important to keep in mind that it may be possible to mitigate the severity of strokes, or avoid them through specific lifestyle changes, including regular sauna bathing.
Recent data from a reputable cohort study has found that taking a sauna 3-7 times a week may prevent instances of stroke, or the risk of future strokes from occurring. Saunas, alongside other lifestyle changes have been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of experiencing a stroke. (1)
Saunas certainly cannot stop a stroke once the symptoms have begun to appear, so if you have any signs of a stroke occurring in your body or in that of someone near to you call 911 immediately as every second counts.
If you have a history of stroke in your family, or would just like to do as much as possible for your health to prevent the likelihood of a stroke from occurring, consider incorporating sauna use into your daily lifestyle as frequently as possible. These lifestyle upgrades should also include the abstinence of smoking, reduction in alcohol consumption, and proper nutrition.
Find out what is happening in your body during a stroke, what lifestyle changes need to occur to help prevent the onset of a stroke, and how saunas may help in the overall avoidance of the manifestation of a stroke.
What is a Stroke?
Strokes can occur at any time, anywhere, and during a variety of activities. Strokes that occur while driving can be some of the most terrifying. Understanding the symptoms of a stroke can help you seek emergency aid as soon as possible.
Roughly 800,000 individuals will suffer from a stroke in the U.S. every year. There are two major types of stroke. The first is called ischemic stroke and occurs when there is a blocked artery that can restrict blood flow to the brain or a specific area of the brain. Most stroke victims experience an ischemic stroke and make up 85% of stroke patients. (2)
The other major type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke and is caused by very different factors. These occur when a blood vessel bursts, or leaks and causes blood to pour into the brain or areas surrounding the brain. Regardless of the type of stroke that you or someone close to you is experiencing, it is vital that emergency aid is sought immediately to avoid severe disability, or death. (2)
Dr Robert Brown Jr. MD from the Mayo clinic describes symptoms of a stroke when he writes in the article entitled ‘What is a Stroke?’
“Sudden trouble speaking and understanding what others are saying. Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body. Problems seeing in one or both eyes, trouble walking, and a loss of balance. Now many strokes are not associated with headache, but a sudden and severe headache can sometimes occur with some types of stroke. If you notice any of these, even if they come and go or disappear completely, seek emergency medical attention or call 911. Don’t wait to see if symptoms stop, for every minute counts.” (2)
While in the midst of a stroke it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention. The reality is that throughout a lifetime there are measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of stroke. Not all strokes can be prevented ( for example: Those with a history of stroke in their biological family, living past the age of 55, genetic predisposition to heart attack), however many cases can be prevented by ensuring that illnesses or habits that may lead to stroke are diminished as much as possible. (2)
Here is a list of diseases, or behavioral habits that can lead to enhanced risk of stroke:
- Being overweight
- Physically inactive
- Drinking alcohol heavily
- Recreational drug use
- Those who smoke
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Have poorly controlled diabetes
- Suffer from obstructive sleep apnea
- Heart Disease (2)
How Can Saunas Help in the Prevention of the Occurrence of Stroke in Some Individuals
It is curious how sauna bathing with weekly frequency, and consistent use over 15 years can actually reduce the risk of stroke. The cohort study published in 2018 by the National Library of Medicine ‘Sauna bathing reduces the risk of stroke in Finnish men and women: A prospective cohort study’ (1) demonstrates conclusively that saunas when taken at least 3-7 times a week can reduce the risk of stroke in both women and men.
The authors write their goal for this study:
“To assess the association between frequency of sauna bathing and risk of future stroke.” (1)
Here is a description of the method used by the researchers:
“Baseline habits of sauna bathing were assessed in 1,628 adult men and women aged 53-74 years (mean age, 62.7 years) without a known history of stroke in the Finnish Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort study.” (1,3)
The authors of the study note that the rate of ischemic strokes went down substantially during the study significantly more than those with hemorrhagic stroke.
The conclusion of this long term study found that regular sauna use over a long period of time reduces the risk of stroke. Here is how the authors concluded their study:
“This long-term follow-up study shows that middle-aged to elderly men and women who take frequent sauna baths have a substantially reduced risk of new-onset stroke.” (3)
The exact reasons why the individuals who took 3-4 saunas per week were less likely to have an ischemic stroke are not fully known. When all of the controllable factors that may increase the risk of a stroke are examined it is found that regular sauna use will often correct most of these, if not all.
Using a Sauna 3-7 Times a Week Helps To Reduce Many Controllable Lifestyle Habits, as Well as Long Term Illnesses That May Lead to Instances of Stroke
- Being overweight
- Physically inactive
- Drinking alcohol heavily
- Recreational drug use
- Those who smoke
- High blood pressure
- Have poorly controlled diabetes
- Suffer from obstructive sleep apnea
- Heart Disease
There is significant data to support the fact that regular sauna use can aid in all of the above mentioned correlative factors that may contribute to the occurrence of a stroke.
Being overweight & Physically inactive
Saunas are known to reduce weight and balance out an individual’s overall body mass index. This is due to the thermoregulatory system of the human body. When heat stress is applied in moderate quantities the body begins to self regulate temperature by engaging the cardiovascular system and this in turn leads to caloric usage, and eventually loss of excessive weight.
The action required by the cardiovascular system during a sauna session mimics that of moderate exercise.
When the central nervous system is out of balance then stress hormones such as cortisol may cause excessive belly weight. Saunas help to regulate the nervous system and as less cortisol is produced so does fat stored in and around the belly begins to shed away.By optimizing an individual’s body weight the risk of stroke in later years goes down.
Substance abuse of any kind increases the risk of stroke. Saunas can aid in the process of smoking cessation. Moreover, once sobriety has been attained by the alcohol and drug user, saunas can help reduce the toxic levels in the body through the mechanism of detoxification. In fact, saunas are being used in rehabilitation centers nationwide to help in the maintenance of sobriety. A lack of overall stress on the body from unhealthy substances may help to prevent instances of stroke.
Drinking alcohol heavily & Recreational drug use & Smoking Cessation
Please do not ever use drugs or alcohol before or immediately after a sauna session.
Poorly controlled diabetes
Sauna use via the hormetic effect of exposure to heat for a short period of time can actually increase insulin sensitivity. While saunas are not a substitute for allopathic treatment of diabetes, their use can help to increase the quality of life for the diabetic as well as reduce instances of diabetic related stroke.
Suffer from obstructive sleep apnea
In many cases sauna can improve cases of sleep apnea, or even correct them altogether. Sleep apnea varies in severity, and many individuals have been able to avoid surgery all together in cases of mild sleep apnea.
Saunas can help lower blood pressure, reduce instances of chronic heart failure, as well as open the arteries leading to and out of the heart. All of these factors will lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Saunas can help with so many lifestyle choices and long term illnesses, and in so doing lower the risk of stroke later in life.
Saunas Are Not a Substitute For Immediate Medical Emergencies
The frightening experience of a stroke or watching a loved one have a stroke cannot be underestimated. Please call 911 if you think that you or a loved one are having a stroke.
It may not be possible to stop all strokes from ever happening; however, there are many things that an individual can do to reduce the risk of stroke. Whether it is simply abstaining from cigarettes, alcohol, and drug use, or simply becoming more active, upgrading nutrition to limit highly processed foods, or adding a sauna to your weekly activities can dramatically help.
Sauna use 3-7 times per week seems to serve individuals in a much more substantial way than simply taking a sauna 1-2 times per week. The cohort study that concluded the effects of frequent sauna sessions and the incidence of stroke is a very reliable study as it followed a large group of individuals over a long period of time. So, if you plan to sauna with the goal of preventing the risk of stroke, please make sure that you are doing this with frequency most weeks out of the year and for several years. If you miss a day, a week, or even a month of sauna do not stress out about it, simply return to your sauna protocol when you are able to.
If you are at a high risk for stroke, work closely with your doctor before beginning your sauna sessions. Stay well hydrated at all times. Certainly, if you believe that you or someone close to you is currently having a stroke, call 911 immediately as seconds can make the difference if the individual remains alive, severely disabled, or not.
Sources Cited:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/multimedia/vid-20530787
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29720543/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36695041/
- https://www.neurology.org/doi/pdf/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005597
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sauna-use-linked-longer-life-fewer-fatal-heart-problems-201502257755