Sauna bathing is booming in Australia. Once considered a luxury experience or only a Nordic tradition, saunas are now part of the everyday for many Australians. They’re commonly found in gyms, hotels, leisure centres, and even in homes.

A traditional Finnish sauna is usually a wooden room heated to between 70°C and 100°C. People sit or lie inside to expose their bodies to high temperatures, typically in very low humidity. This dry heat helps prevent scalding. Sessions usually last 10–20 minutes, often with breaks in between to cool down.

Many people use saunas to relax, improve their sleep, and for supposed health benefits often promoted on social media.

People also go to saunas as a social experience.

But what does the science say about the health benefits of sauna bathing? And are there any risks?

Saunas have been used for centuries, particularly in Finland. Now, research is beginning to confirm many of the health benefits that have long been touted.

Heart and blood pressure

When you’re in a sauna, your body reacts to the heat by increasing your heart rate and widening blood vessels near the skin surface. This process, called vasodilation, helps move warm blood to the skin so heat can escape.

As a result, the heart works harder –

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