Sauna sweat seshes could keep your blood pressure low, science says

Heading to the sauna isn’t just a great way to detox or relax—it’s also an easy way to manage your blood pressure, says new research.

In the study, 1,621 men—none of whom initially had high blood pressure—were divided into three groups based on time they spent in the sauna (once a week, two to three times a week, or four to seven times a week). After 22 years, researchers found 15.5 percent of the participants had high blood pressure—but the more time the men spent in the sauna, the better the outcome.

The risk of high blood pressure was 24 percent lower for the men who went to the sauna two to three times a week, and nearly 50 percent lower for those who went four to seven times a week.

The risk of high blood pressure was 24 percent lower for the men who went to the sauna two to three times a week, and nearly 50 percent lower for those who went four to seven times a week.

So what made the men who sweat it out more often healthier than those who didn’t go as often? According to the press release, when the body temperature rises, blood vessels widen, the function of the endothelium (which lines the interior surface of the blood vessels) improves, the body relaxes, and you sweat—all things that help lower blood pressure.

Because it’s such an easy way to help give your heart a healthy boost, what are you waiting for—a special someone for a steamy date night?

Here’s how to have an ultra-detoxifying sauna experience. And if you’d rather head to a salt room, they have some impressive benefits too.