If you have been paying attention to the news you may have come across the plethora of stories about the rise of anxiety rates in the USA and worldwide. The University of Berkley has found the number of young adults who reported suffering from anxiety disorders has doubled since 2008. An online poll from the American Psychiatric Association discovered that 39% of Americans are more anxious now than they were only one year ago. Finally, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America 70% of Americans say they face anxiety and stress daily.
While there is no one pinpointed cause of our anxiety, there is certainly a rush to find a solution. While many people are aware of using meditation, adequate sleep, and a proper diet, there is one more overlooked tool to help people combat anxiety that science is only now beginning to understand: you guessed it, sauna use.
Sauna has been demonstrated to help thyroid function. Thyroid health is essential in managing our anxiety levels. In fact, people are sometimes misdiagnosed as having more serious disorders such as being bi-polar. People with anxiety disorders were shown to have a higher prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies.
Saunas help to release cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid from the body. Detoxifying is necessary because of the released toxins’ detrimental impact on thyroid function.
Getting adequate sleep is essential in battling and preventing increased levels of anxiety. This is why it is somewhat of a cruel joke that anxiety itself impacts our ability to actually fall asleep. Luckily sauna has been shown to be a proven sleep enhancer through several studies such as the Finnish Institute for Health Promotion Research. Sauna use before bed can be a great way to unwind and facilitate a better sleep.
Myelin is a little discussed but very important part of our biological makeup. As we suffer from ailments such as chronic stress our myelin sheath gets damaged and this results in us becoming even more vulnerable to anxiety. Saunas have been proven to promote prolactin which in turn produces more myelin growth. If you are already under considerable stress, sauna may be a good preventative measure.
Commonly called BDNF, it has a very important function in the brain to modulate neuronal plasticity while also manages long term memory and anxiety levels resulting from events in our long term memory. Heat stress from sauna has been shown to increase the expression of BDNF, especially in conjunction with exercise (which also increases BDNF).
Usually associated with runner’s high, these are natural opioids produced by the body. Beta-endorphins interact with dynorphin produced through sauna or exercise. It has been proven that dry sauna use produces more beta endorphins than exercise alone. Beta Endorphins help us feel happy, increase our feelings of well being, and make us less anxious.
Many cultures believe that everyone becomes more open and more equal in the sauna, and it is central to socializing. People that move from countries like Finland find themselves missing the communal element of the daily sauna. People that have larger saunas usually find themselves hosting quite a few visitors for regular sessions. People like Wim Hof suggest that one of the greatest parts of sauna use is the facilitation of getting people together and getting them to relax and open up to each other. Socializing is seen as one of the key cures to anxiety.
Usually associated with runner’s high, these are natural opioids produced by the body. Beta-endorphins interact with dynorphin produced through sauna or exercise. It has been proven that dry sauna use produces more beta endorphins than exercise alone.
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