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Heat Checked · 2 min · 4 sources

Saunas: what heat does to the heart, and what it doesn't

Sauna near me is searched 40,500 times a month in Australia. The trials show heat lowers blood pressure for a while and helps some heart patients; the bigger promises are still unproven.

A sauna heats the body with hot air, as in a traditional Finnish sauna, or with infrared heaters that warm the skin directly. Australians search for saunas more than any other biohacking practice.

A smoke sauna stove in Utsjoki, Finland
A smoke sauna stove in Utsjoki, FinlandPhoto: MattiPaavola, CC BY-SA 3.0

What the research shows

A 2020 meta-analysis in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing pooled the measurable effects of a single session. Body temperature rose by about 0.94°C and heart rate by about 18 beats a minute, while systolic blood pressure fell by about 5.6 mmHg and diastolic by about 6.5 mmHg. Over repeated sessions, measures of heart function improved, most of all in people whose hearts were weakest to begin with.

A 2018 review in Clinical Cardiology focused on heart failure and found infrared sauna was linked to short-term improvement in heart function, with evidence rated moderate to insufficient. The authors said more research was needed on long-term effects, and on Finnish saunas in particular.

Heat stresses the body. A 2023 review of passive heating found it pushed the nervous system's control of the heart towards the "fight or flight" side in healthy adults.

Yes, but

The large Finnish studies that link frequent sauna use to longer life are observational: they show sauna users live longer, not that the sauna is the reason. For cholesterol, a 2025 review found no change in three trials of older adults. Most trials are small and short.

When to talk to your GP

If you have heart disease, low or uncontrolled blood pressure, are pregnant, or take medication that affects blood pressure or sweating. Don't combine a sauna with alcohol, and drink water.

Sources

  1. Acute and short-term efficacy of sauna treatment on cardiovascular function: a meta-analysis, Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs, 2020
  2. Effects of sauna bath on heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Clin Cardiol, 2018
  3. Hot spring and sauna use for improving blood lipid profiles: a systematic review, Complement Ther Med, 2025
  4. Cardiovascular autonomic modulation during passive heating protocols: a systematic review, Physiol Meas, 2023

Last checked 3 October 2026. Corrections are welcome: details on the about page.

General information, not medical advice. Check with your GP first, especially if you are pregnant, have a heart condition or take medication.

Where to try it

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