Could You Benefit From Heat Exposure?

---

As it is starting to get chilly in the mornings I thought I would take this opportunity to touch on the hype around Heat Therapy, Heat Exposure & Saunas! 

Today, I want to share some valuable information, backed by science, in regards to the importance of heat exposure on nervous system regulation, and how heat therapy can help you achieve and maintain optimal health. 

We all LOVE a hot shower at the end of day, but what is it about that scorching hot shower that makes us feel good? Well, there is a method to the madness. 

Heat has been used for centuries and can be applied through various methods, such as hot packs, warm baths, saunas, or heating pads. When heat is applied to the body, it helps to increase blood flow, relaxes muscles, and relieves stiffness. This can be particularly beneficial for the nervous system, and individuals experiencing muscle soreness, joint pain, or tension headaches.

I’d like to hone in on one particular heat therapy, and that is sauna! 

Sauna is all the RAVE at the moment, and considering the tremendous pile of scientific research supporting its health benefits, I can understand why. 

---

6 Health Benefits for Sauna Use:

1. Mimics cardiovascular exercise
   Biological changes to heat causes an increase to blood flow, plasma, stroke volume, and heart rate– which the body perceives as similar to cardiovascular exercise. Thus, deliberate heat exposure mimics cardiovascular exercise. 

2. Decrease cardiovascular mortality
   Because it mimics cardiovascular exercise, it may reduce mortality by cardiovascular events like stoke. 

3. Improves hormone balance
   Heat decreases cortisol output, which increases our ability to produce other sex hormones like testosterone, oestrogen, progesterone

4. Enhances the body
   Heat exposure activates Heat Shock Proteins (HSP) which make makes sure cells of the brain and body don’t misfold. Plus, heat up regulates pathways (FOXO3) related to DNA repair and clearing out of senescent cells 

5. Increases metabolism and fat loss
   Just like cold exposure (11 minutes per week, up to the neck) has been shown to increase brown fat which increases metabolism, Local heat exposure (not to the point of burning) converts white fat to beige fat which leads to systemic increases in thermogenesis, metabolism, and fat loss

6. Deliberate Heat Exposure For Improved Mood & Wellbeing
   The endorphin system is activated when we experience short stress. Dynorphin system: the struggle of heat exposure ultimately activates pathways that lead to an increase in the baseline level of mood and heightened level of happiness and improved mood

---

4 Interesting research articles: 

• Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality and improves risk prediction in men and women: a prospective cohort study (BMC Medicine)

• Endocrine Effects of Repeated Hot Thermal Stress and Cold Water Immersion in Young Adult Men (American Journal of Men’s Health)

• Endocrine effects of repeated sauna bathing (Acta Physiologica Scandinavica)

• Growth hormone response to different consecutive stress stimuli in healthy men: is there any difference? (The International Journal on the Biology of Stress)

• Sauna Bathing and Risk of Psychotic Disorders: A Prospective Cohort Study (Medical Principles and Practice)

• Local hyperthermia therapy induces browning of white fat and treats obesity (Cell)

---

I hope you enjoyed learning about heat exposure and the benefits of it! Would love to hear what you think if you try it.

Much love,

Mads x