The Science of Sauna & Heat Exposure: Does It Really Work?

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Explore the science behind saunas and heat exposure, from how your body regulates temperature to the potential cardiovascular and health benefits of regular sauna use. Learn about the latest research on heat adaptation, optimal sauna protocols, and how this ancient practice fits into a modern health and fitness routine.
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0:00 - 1:00 Intro
1:01 - 2:14 How Sweating and Core Temperature Impact the Body
2:15 - 3:29 Hypothalamus, Sweat Glands, and Heat Adaptation
3:30 - 6:15 Body’s Response to Heat: Blood Flow and Vasodilation
6:16 - 6:59 How the Hypothalamus Initiates Sweating
7:00 - 7:53 Sweat Gland Adaptation Based on Lifestyle
7:54 - 8:26 How Lifestyle Affects Salt Content in Sweat
8:27 - 9:33 Benefits of Sauna Exposure on Health
9:34 - 10:39 Does Sauna Actually Detoxify the Body?
10:40 - 11:09 Using Sauna for Heat Pre-Acclimation in Athletes
11:10 - 12:11 Comparing Sauna Benefits to Cardiovascular Exercise
12:12 - 13:44 Post-Exercise Sauna for Mild Aerobic Effects
13:45 - 14:29 Understanding the Limitations of Sauna Exposure
14:30 - 14:57 Using Sauna Effectively for Health Gains
14:58 - 15:41 Best Protocols for Maximizing Sauna Benefits
15:42 - 16:34 Final Thoughts on Sauna and the “Big 4” Exercise Protocols!
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Music by Bensound
License code: ERPOXOUMP29NLEO6
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#instituteofhumananatomy #excercise #humananatomy #cardiovascularexercise #cardio #sauna
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Common Questions:
What are the main health benefits of using a sauna regularly?
How does sweating in a sauna help the body manage heat?
What role does the hypothalamus play in regulating body temperature?
How does blood flow change when you're in a sauna?
Can regular sauna use improve cardiovascular health?
How does lifestyle affect sweat composition, like salt levels?
Is it true that saunas can detoxify your body?
What’s the best way to use a sauna for athletic training and heat acclimation?
How does sauna exposure compare to aerobic exercise in terms of fitness benefits?
Can sitting in a sauna after exercise boost fitness gains?
Are there limitations or risks to using a sauna?
What’s the best protocol for sauna use to maximize health benefits?
How long and often should you use a sauna to see results?

[theanatomylab]

Hey all at 8:17 I said, "3-5g/day." I misspoke and it should be what is actually written on screen as "3-5g/hr." Thanks for watching!

[nolikeygsomnipresence]

Please, please, please *always* have Celsius on the screen if you're talking in ºF. There's loads of us who don't use Freedom Units. Thanks! Love your channel.

[finnpeku]

Good presentation, did not care for advertising AG1, but you forgot to mention the rather large Finnish study showing that three times a week 20-min sauna can lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s by up to 66%. I am a Finn living in Santa Monica, CA and naturally I’m the process of building a genuine Finnish sauna on my roof deck. Sauna is the best stress relief

[Yupppi]

As a Finn I feel like I need to weigh in with some thoughts, common sense and anecdotes about sauna. It's a traditional way of relaxing and a reason or excuse to socialise and drink a cold beer. The Finns are the most religious sauna goers in the world (1-7 times a week for 30-60 minutes is considered perfectly normal at 80-120C), yet Finns don't make any special claims about sauna. Cardiovascular diseases are a common national level disease in Finland, despite us using sauna so much, and no doctor will prescribe you sauna as treatment for anything. It's time people stopped treating it as some sort of magic health bullet and fad and try to skip healthy lifestyle by going to sauna. You lose all the benefits of sauna relaxing you if you're all the time stressed about optimising your health with it. You don't go to movies to optimise your health and skip working out.

Have you considered eating a normal diet instead of AG1? I mean you're working with anatomy, surely you know to not fall too deep to supplementation industry's claims.

[feynstein]

Once again, I'd really appreciate it if you could list your sources in the description. Especially the studies you mentioned.

[scott-hrhd]

Right. I do both sauna and cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, rowing, 25-50 mile road bike, mountain hiking/climbing). I can vouch for the differences between the cardio experience. I would say this. If you have mobility issues or are warming up for stretching or at the end of resistance training the sauna is a good option but it isn’t a replacement for cardio.

[anewlifestirring]

Thank you for this comprehensive presentation. You have an international audience and giving temperatures more often in Celsius would be convenient.

Also a comparison of infrared / dry heat / humid heat saunas would be interesting.

[alas_poor_Yorick]

Sauna is great for deep relaxation, for me it's the best de-stressing place.

[monkeyfinger]

I've said it before. This dude is a brilliant teacher.

[bobsnabby]

I live in Finland, I have two saunas, indoor and outdoor 😅, almost everyone here have easy access to sauna if they don't have one, but almost all houses and apartment buildings have their own.

[rwstavros]

When I was younger, i was invited to a friend’s family house for dinner. They made homemade greek salad. We hadn’t seen each other for about 5 years. When i ate the salad, i encountered a large garlic clove not wanting to spit it out at the table, so i swallowed it. Later i went for a run and then went to the sauna… everyone else left quickly because the garlic smell in the swear was overpowering 😂

[GS-rrxs]

I love sauna, have built one at home. Where I live it doesnt get colder than 15 C in winter and gets up to 36-39C in summer. I use sauna all year round, at least 3-4 times a week. Its the best place to meditate, listen to a podcast or just chat with someone, who comes inside. Lately I've found that I sleep much deeper after a good sauna.

[veganpeace_ATX]

I been religiously doing a dry sauna 3 to 4 times a week for 34 years (started in 1990). 180 degrees F, completely dry no steam or water on the rocks. Started out going to the gym to do them until mysteriously in the late oughts all the gyms started turning to the heat down in them to low to be effective. I then got an infrared sauna which would go up to 167 degrees F, and it was very good but not as good as a regular sauna that has electric heat coils. Later I got a real one that gets up to as high as 190 or 180 degrees which my husband and I still do 3 to 4 times a week. I usually go inside it and sweat til I need to get out and do that 3 times. Exercising and doing cardio before the sauna does make it feel better at the end. I think one of the main benefits is how well it improves my mental well being. I won't go into it but I've some major trauma happen at different times in my life and I think the relief from sorrow that the sauna temporarily provides after getting out actually saved my life! And not bragging but people often tell me that my skin looks very healthy for a 64 year old. 🙂

[ch.k]

What an amazing episode! Thank you so much for this incredible input. As a biomedical researcher it is just fascinating to me to learn about the anatomy of the human body. Thanks for the physiological insights! Keep going dear IOHA Team!

[Healthnutritionstation-ij]

Great content! I’ve recently started focusing more on my gut health and seeing the benefits. I love how you mentioned the role of probiotics – they’re a game changer!

[i-refuse-to-set-a-username]

Ive been hitting the sauna consistently 4 times a week for over a year, i can confirm i do believe it helps a lot, my skin/ acne is better, my cardio is better, my heat resistance is better (it gets really hot where i live), my recovery is better, my body does sweat a LOT more pretty easily but in general it doesnt smell as bad, i also think its helped a lot with hypertrophy as i always hot the sauna after the gym, and as someone who has some bad sinuses that seem to clog all the time, it helps a ton with that too, my go to to always a minimum of 10-15 and with average of 15-20 and some 30 minute sessions every now and then,

[theydisintegrate]

I've been recovering from adhesive capsulitis over this past year and the only thing that really helped with the pain and tightness was taking baths at 104-110°...it's also a great way to shut off your chronic physiological anxiety for a few hours

[Stuck_on_pause]

I have dysautonomia and heat is very difficult for me to deal with, I get dizzy, breathless and presyncope simply having a shower, so I avoid heat and humidity as much as possible for my own safety. This video was really interesting, thank you.

[sarapanzarella]

I have used the sauna to increase my heat tolerance - it does help. I live in SC but have always had a hard time handling the heat. If I exert myself when it’s hot and humid I can get a headache that lasts all day (yes I pre-hydrate, stay hydrated, take electrolytes) . I found if I am regular in the sauna over winter, then it takes less time for me to stand the heat when it warms up.

[edwghe]

Please use Celsius degrees too in future videos, most non-US people have no idea about Fahrenheit