Can The Sauna Burn Calories ?

People who sweat profusely in the gym often hear: "Don't want to run? Go to the sauna, it can also burn calories." As a traditional health-preserving method originated in Finland, the sauna has now become a popular choice for relaxation and stress relief around the world. But can it really "burn fat" like exercise? When you sit quietly in the sauna box, feeling the heat wave coming at you, and sweat flowing down your forehead and back, have you ever thought about how many calories this seemingly simple sweating process actually burns? Today, let's unveil the mystery between sauna and calorie consumption.

The Principle Of Sauna Calorie Consumption

Sauna can consume calories. First of all, it is necessary to make it clear that the core of human calorie consumption is basal metabolism and heat production. When a person is in a sauna environment of 40-80℃, the body will initiate a series of stress responses to maintain a stable core body temperature, and this process does bring additional energy consumption.

Under normal circumstances, a sauna consumes about 50~150 kcal of calories in 30 minutes, but the principles of sauna calorie consumption and transportation consumption are different:

The calorie consumption during exercise mainly comes from muscle contraction, accompanied by the active decomposition of fat and carbohydrates;

The consumption of sauna comes from body temperature regulation: the body dissipates heat by dilating blood vessels, accelerating blood circulation, and secreting sweat. This process will stimulate a slight increase in metabolic rate (usually 10%-15%), but the energy source is more stored in the body. Water and electrolytes, rather than fat.

Factors Affecting Calorie Consumption

• Personal weight is one of the important factors affecting sauna calorie consumption. The general rule is that people who have larger weights consume a lot more calories when they go to the sauna. This is due to the fact that people who have greater weight require more energy in order to perform the essential biological functions of the body such as metabolic and temperature control in the high temperature conditions.
• The temperature of the sauna will also affect calorie consumption. The greater the temperature, more energy the body requires in order to control its temperature, and the more calories consumed. However, an excessive temperature can cause discomfort to the body and could cause health issues. So, when you are enjoying a sauna, pick a suitable temperature and refrain from excessively pursuing extreme temperatures.
• The longer you remain in the sauna longer, the more calories consume. But, it is to be noted that staying in a temperature-controlled setting for long periods of time could cause dizziness, dehydration and other discomfort-related symptoms. It is therefore recommended that the duration of each sauna is controlled to be between 15-30 minutes and then adjusted according to the person's physical condition and tolerance. The increase in heart rate when you sauna can also impact the intake of calories.
• The change in heart rate during the sauna will also affect the consumption of calories. The more obvious the heart rate increase, the more calories are consumed (but healthy people should not deliberately pursue it).

 

Misconceptions About Sauna "Weight Loss"

Although sauna consumes a certain amount of calories, it should be made clear that it mainly consumes water. During sauna, you sweat a lot, and the water consumed is much greater than fat. Therefore, weight loss after sauna is mainly water loss. After replenishing water, the weight will be restored quickly. Therefore, sauna cannot directly reduce body fat and cannot be used as the main way to lose weight.

Sauna cannot replace exercise, and its calorie consumption is much lower than exercise consumption. Exercise can fully exercise the body, enhance cardiopulmonary function, and promote fat burning, while sauna is mainly a way to relax the body and mind. Therefore, sauna cannot replace exercise, and should be used as an auxiliary relaxation method in daily life.

The True Value Of Sauna

Although it is not very effective in "burning fat", the health benefits of sauna cannot be ignored. Several studies have confirmed that long-term regular sauna habits (2-3 times a week) can bring many positive effects:

Cardiovascular protection

Saunas make blood vessels expand and contract repeatedly, just like "vascular gymnastics", which can improve blood vessel elasticity. A follow-up study of 2,000 men in Finland found that people who took saunas 4-7 times a week had a 50% lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease than those who took saunas less than once a month.

Metabolic regulation

Although saunas do not directly reduce fat, they can indirectly improve insulin sensitivity. A 2018 study in the American Journal of Medicine showed that long-term sauna use can help regulate blood sugar levels and play an auxiliary role in preventing type 2 diabetes.

Physical and mental relaxation

High temperature environments can promote the secretion of endorphins ("happy hormones") in the brain, relieve stress and anxiety; at the same time, muscles relax in a warm environment, which can improve soreness and stiffness after exercise.

 

Enjoy Sauna Scientifically: Suggestions For Balancing Health And "Consumption"

If you want to get health benefits from sauna instead of blindly pursuing calorie consumption, you need to pay attention to the following principles:

• Time and frequency of control Limit time and frequency every time, and then exit for 5-10 minutes not more than three times per day, and three or four times per week;
• Refill with salt and water in time: drink a glass of water with electrolytes (such as light salt water or coconut water, or light salt water) following steaming in order to avoid dehydration.
• Particular groups of people are at risk people who have high blood pressure and heart disease and pregnant women, as well as those who are drunk and wounds to the skin that are not treated are advised to avoid saunas.
• The effect is better when combined with exercise: Steaming sauna after exercise can accelerate blood circulation and help excrete metabolic waste, but you need to rest for 30 minutes before your heart rate returns to normal.

 

Conclusion: Don’t Let The Calorie Count Cover Up The Essence of Sauna

Instead of worrying about “how many calories are consumed in sauna”, it is better to face its core value – as an auxiliary way to relax the body and mind and regulate metabolism, rather than a fat loss tool. Wrapped in high temperature and steam, we get not only short-term comfort, but also dual healing of body and mind.