When you think about a sauna, you might picture a group of people in plush white robes relaxing in a steamy room at a luxury resort.
When you think about cold plunges, you might picture a group of Chicagoans jumping into Lake Michigan in the middle of January.
In reality, some people take sauna baths and cold plunges on a regular basis — not just while they’re on vacation or participating in an icy Chicago tradition. Saunas and cold plunges both promise health benefits, from reduced muscle pain to improved heart health to relief from depression. At the same time, they can also be risky.
So, are they too risky — or do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Let’s Start with Saunas
Saunas expose you to high temperatures for a short period of time. The traditional sauna type is the Finnish sauna. A Finnish sauna is set to at least 150ºF and the humidity level is usually between 20% to 40%. (Note: The benefits and risks discussed in this article are based on studies of Finnish saunas, as these are the most widely studied type.)
Saunas can be great for your health.
The benefits of saunas go much further than relaxation. Sauna bathing triggers responses in your body, like changes in hormone levels, higher skin temperature, and increased pulse. You may experience short-term health benefits, including:
- Reduced muscle soreness and pain
- Improved range of motion in your joints
- Better quality of sleep
- Lower blood pressure
While research is still limited, studies suggest that regular sauna use is linked to:
- Reduced risk of high blood pressure, sudden cardiac death, or death from heart disease
- Protection against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Better lung function
- Improvements in symptoms of fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and headache disorders
Heading Into a Sauna?
There’s a safe way to get your sauna on:
- Keep sauna sessions at about 15 to 20 minutes max
- Avoid alcohol before going in
- Don’t use a sauna if you’re sick
- Leave the sauna if you start to feel unwell
- Hydrate afterwards — drink 2 to 4 glasses of water
Saunas aren’t right for everyone. It’s generally recommended that you avoid saunas if you:
- Are pregnant
- Are a child
- Use transdermal medication patches, like nicotine patches
- Recently had a heart attack
- Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Have a pre-existing cardiovascular condition, such as:
- Heart failure
- Severe aortic stenosis
- Unstable angina pectoris
Since saunas temporarily decrease blood pressure, use caution if you already have low resting blood pressure.
Also read: “Heart Disease Risk Factors: How Much Control Do You Have?”
For certain heart conditions, opinions are mixed. For example, some recommend that people with high blood pressure avoid saunas, while others say that it is safe. If you have a heart condition, your best bet is to talk to your provider first.
Ready to talk to your provider about if saunas or cold plunges are right for you? Make an appointment with a Duly Health and Care primary care provider.
What About Cold Plunges?
Cold plunges are when you immerse yourself in cold water or ice. The practice has been common for years among athletes during post-workout recovery, as a way to soothe sore muscles and reduce inflammation. But it’s recently become much more popular among the general public.
There might be benefits of cold plunges.
Most of the benefits that people rave about are based on personal experiences or small, preliminary studies. That doesn’t mean that cold plunges can’t be beneficial — it just means it hasn’t been proven yet. In fact, many researchers believe that die-hard cold plungers are onto something. Based on cold plungers’ experiences and early research, potential benefits of cold plunging include:
- Improved mood
- Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Relief from sore muscles
- “Training” your brain to better manage its response to stress
- Improved metabolism, blood pressure, and immune system
But there are also risks to cold plunges. What’s more clear than the benefits of cold plunges are the risks — and in some cases, they can be life-threatening.
Plunging into cold water (50ºF to 60ºF) can potentially cause cold shock — a series of responses that include sudden and quick increases in your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. During cold shock, you might involuntarily gasp for air while underwater, and you can drown in just seconds.
Beyond the immediate risk of cold shock, immersing yourself in cold water may lead to:
- Hypothermia: A rapid drop in body temperature that makes it difficult to move or think clearly.
- Frostbite: Injury that can cause permanent tissue damage and even lead to amputation.
- Irregular heartbeat
- Heart attack
- Heart muscle damage
People who already have heart disease are particularly at risk, so most experts highly recommend against taking the plunge if you have a heart condition.
If you’re going to take the plunge, be safe.
There are steps you can take to lower your risk of serious consequences from cold plunges:
- Get your body used to cold water by gradually increasing the amount of time you spend in the water.
- Don’t jump in. It’s safer to start only going chest- or waist-deep
- Once you get out, immediately change into warm clothes, have a warm beverage, and move near a space heater. Don’t plunge if you don’t have supplies for rewarming on hand.
Also, never do a cold plunge by yourself. It’s best to do them when there is medical personnel nearby who can help if there’s an emergency.
Also read: “Cold-Weather Exercising: How to stay active outdoors during the winter months”
The Takeaway: Talk to Your Provider First
Sauna baths and cold plunges may offer health benefits, but they can also be risky — particularly if you have a medical condition like heart disease or are pregnant. Always talk to your provider to see if saunas and cold water are safe for you.
Health Topics:
-
As a fellowship trained Sports Medicine physician with residency training background in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, my foundational practice goals are to not only to help you find the root cause of your symptoms, but focus on how we can get you back to the activities you love. Whether thats returning to sport as a high level athlete, training as a weekend warrior, playing with grandchildren, or even just get back day to day activities without pain, our physician - patient relationship will center around how we can return you to "functioning" at high levels. To do so, I always base our management decisions on the highest possible evidence based treatments where we will work as a team to make the most educated, patient first medical decisions.
