Channel 12 published an investigation revealing that the State of Israel finances the security of Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister's son, in a luxury apartment in Miami, as well as the security guards who accompany him on his outings. Among other things, it was announced that one of his pleasures is visiting saunas. What is the effect of the sauna on the body?
Sauna is a thousand-year-old bathing activity that originated in Finland. It involves spending time in steam at a high temperature of 40 to 60 Celsius, while seated on a wooden bunk.
Many studies have tried to trace the effect of the sauna on the human body. The data is inconclusive. Some argued that the sauna could endanger cardiovascular patients due to dilation of blood vessels and increased heart rate. On the other hand, some studies have suggested that, in the long term, bathing in a sauna may help lower blood pressure and improve heart function in patients with heart failure, but even this time the studies were not extensive enough to reach sweeping conclusions.
Some of the medical literature has shown that a sauna may also provide some relief to patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis, and ease pain and improve joint mobility in patients suffering from rheumatic diseases.
A study published in 2017 in the journal Age and Aging and conducted in eastern Finland, the birthplace of the sauna, found that those who visited the sauna four to seven times a week had a 66% reduced risk of dementia and a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer's, compared to those who visited the sauna once a week.
Are saunas dangerous?
Despite the apparent benefits of the sauna, it can cause damage and dangers. For the skin, the sauna may actually make problems worse: for example, those who suffer from psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, may suffer from worsening itching due to dilation of blood vessels, and increased sweating.
The great heat of the sauna also causes the heart rate to accelerate, and may endanger pregnant women and cause serious side effects in those taking various medications. Dangers also lurk in the planks of the sauna benches, on which bathers often sit naked: the planks may transmit fungi and various viruses such as herpes.