# Sauna and Longevity

In Finland's KIHD study, men who used a traditional dry sauna 4 to 7 times a week had a 40% lower risk of dying from any cause than men who went once weekly, with fatal cardiovascular events down roughly 50% and sudden cardiac death 63% lower. These are observational data, so they show a strong link, not proven cause. The effect held after adjusting for smoking, blood pressure, and diabetes. The strongest results came at 80 to 100°C sessions of 15 to 30 minutes.

What Finnish research shows about sauna frequency, heart health, and living longer

## On this page

- Does sauna actually help you live longer?
- Why does sauna act like gentle exercise for your heart?
- Heat shock proteins and mechanism
- How to use it
- Who should be careful with sauna?

## FAQ

- How often should I use the sauna for longevity benefits?
- Is infrared sauna as good as Finnish sauna?
- Does sauna actually lower blood pressure?
- What are heat shock proteins and why do they matter for longevity?
- Can I replace sauna with a hot bath?

## Sources

- Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, Laukkanen JA. (2015). Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187
- Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK, Kauhanen J, Laukkanen JA. (2017). Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age and Ageing. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw212
- Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK, Zaccardi F, Lee E, Willeit P, Khan H, Laukkanen JA. (2018). Acute effects of sauna bathing on cardiovascular function. Journal of Human Hypertension. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-017-0008-z
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. (2018). Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.04.008
- Lee E, Kolunsarka I, Kostensalo J, et al.. (2022). Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2022
- Ukai T, Iso H, Yatsuya H, et al.. (2020). Habitual tub bathing and risks of incident coronary heart disease and stroke. Heart. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2019-315752
- Kenttämies A, Karkola K. (2008). Death in Sauna. Journal of Forensic Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00703.x
- Deutscher Sauna-Bund e.V.. (2024). Saunarichtlinien und Empfehlungen für Schwangere, Kinder und Risikogruppen. https://www.sauna-bund.de/

_Full guide: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/guide/sauna-longevity_

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/guide/sauna-longevity · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-05-22_