How Heat Therapy Can Help You Live Longer

by: Donna Wright 

Most of us consider the use of a sauna or a steam room as simply a post workout treat. 

However, it’s more than just a room to sweat while you relax. It’s a tool for longevity that dates back thousands of year to Finnish saunas in addition to Japanese onsens and Native American sweat lodges. 

And while heat can be a comforting, effective treatment for different physical conditions, injuries, muscle pain, and stiffness, it is often looked upon to improve health to an optimum level and maybe even help people live longer and healthier. 

Let’s explore the connection between heat therapy, health benefits, disease prevention, and lifespan. 

What is Heat Therapy? 

Heat therapy, also known as thermotherapy, is the application of heat to the body. The heat activates heat shock proteins in the body that help repair damaged cellular components and protect against oxidative stress, a key factor in aging.  

Heat therapy involves the use of heat to reduce pain. It is often used to relax stiff joints and increase muscle flexibility by targeting a specific area, improving circulation and blood flow. 

Heat therapy is commonly done with saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, hot baths, hot showers, and heating pads. Heat therapy can treat everything from arthritis and pulled muscles to Fibromyalgia and inflammation.  

There are several biological mechanisms that may explain the health benefits of heat therapy. 

The Science: How Does Heat Therapy Work?  

Heat exposure triggers production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) which help repair damaged proteins, protect cellular structures, and reduce oxidative stress. HSPs are molecular chaperones that protect and repair damaged proteins linked to age-related diseases, aiding in the fight against neurodegeneration and cellular aging.  

The heat stress activates autophagy, the body’s natural cellular cleaning system that removes damaged components. The activation of HSPs reduces free radicals to enhance prevention from chronic diseases while increasing the body’s immune response, helping muscles recover quicker, protecting the heart, regulating blood glucose levels, and most importantly preventing cell death.  

In addition, the heat works to improve circulation and blood flow to a particular area due to increased temperature, soothing discomfort, increasing muscle flexibility, and healing damaged tissue. When heat boosts protein production, those proteins play a crucial role in maintaining cellular health and even help to prevent age-related weight gain. Maintaining that cellular health is vital to promoting longevity. 

Let’s now explore a few key health benefits of heat therapy. 

Cardiovascular Benefits of Heat Therapy 

Exposure to heat therapy induces physiological responses that promote cardiovascular health. Here’s something you may not know: The cardiovascular effects of heat therapy in the form of a sauna can resemble the effects of moderate exercise. For example, moderate-temperature sauna use can increase your heart rate to 100 beats per minute, while high-temperature sessions can increase it to 150 beats per minute. These elevations are similar to those observed in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Gradual effects over time may include an increased heart rate, improved circulation, and reduced blood pressure. 

What is the science that backs up this data? Heat causes blood vessels to dilate, a process called vasodilation. When the vessels dilate, circulation improves, vessel function strengthens, and blood pressure lowers. Additionally, heart rate increases. This leads to better overall heart health. Vasodilation also helps to reduce inflammation by increasing blood flow to damaged cells and tissues. 

Heat Therapy Lowers Inflammation in Your Body 

Vasodilation also helps to reduce inflammation. Regular heat therapy can decrease C-reactive protein levels, a key marker of inflammation. Inflammation is a key factor of how the body heals injuries and fights against diseases associated with aging. Keep in mind, when inflammation persists, you risk illness and compromise your longevity. Chronic inflammation is a key driver of many chronic diseases especially associated with aging. So, the more robust the immune system, the better chance you have to optimize a longer lifespan.  

Pain Relief and Healing 

When it comes to pain relief, heat stimulation can activate the body’s thermoreceptors that block transmitting pain signals to the brain by way of the spinal cord. That’s why heat therapy is known to relieve chronic pain and tension headaches. When you think about it, heat therapy in the form of a relaxing pain reliever, can be looked upon as a safer alternative than taking pain medications. Sometimes you just need to take the edge off a painful area, especially persistent pains such as stiffness, cramping, and neuropathy. 

Heat therapy helps with healing because it increases the cellular metabolic rate, speeding up the biochemical reactions involved in healing. With improved circulation resulting from heat therapy, the body smoothly transports nutrients and oxygen to sore muscles and stiff joints. The use of heat specifically helps connective tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments have more flexibility and elasticity, thereby reducing stiffness.  

Heat Therapy Can Reduce Stress 

High stress can be speed up the aging process and be detrimental to your longevity. Heat therapy can help. Heat has been shown to significantly decrease cortisol, a stress hormone. When you experience high levels of stress, cortisol levels surge and may interfere with immune, reproductive, digestive, and growth functions. Heat therapy can naturally help to lower cortisol levels, reducing stress and anxiety, while promoting a sense of well-being. 

Heat Therapy and Mental Health 

Now that you know that heat therapy may reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, you’ll be pleased to know that heat therapy also promotes the release of serotonin, the happy hormone. Serotonin regulates sleep, appetite, anxiety, and emotional well-being. When there's a shortage of serotonin in the brain, it can lead to mental imbalances. Heat exposure prompts the release of serotonin enhancing one’s mental state while helping to reduce feelings of stress-induced anxiety. 

Heat therapy also improves your mood by increasing the release of endorphins into your blood. Endorphins, peptide hormones also known as the "runner's high," are looked upon as natural painkillers and mood enhancers. Heat therapy also increases the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) crucial for brain health and cognitive functions, resulting in better focus, clarity, and mood. 

Heat Therapy and Cognitive Benefits 

Heat therapy also initiates physiological responses that can strengthen cognitive function and offer protection against neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s disease, associated to improving blood flow and reduced inflammation. The heat shock proteins support the repair of damaged cells, preserving cognitive function. 

Brain atrophy (loss of neurons and connections) and inflammation is often associated with cognitive decline during the aging process. Increasing the growth and survival of neurons and stabilizing molecular connections is crucial for optimal brain health. Decreased levels of neurotrophic factors are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. 

Types of Heat Therapy 

Heat therapy is an easy approach to improve health span as there are a variety of different heat therapy methods. Types may fall under three categories: superficial heat, deep heat, and sauna heat therapy. The fundamental differences between them create distinct physiological responses in the body. 

Superficial heat therapy involves treatments that affect only the outer layers of the skin and superficial tissues. This would include use of electric heating pads, warm (not hot) baths, hot showers, a whirlpool/hot tubs, infrared heat lamps, warm compresses, hot packs, hot water bottles, and paraffin wax baths. 

Deep heat therapy generates heat in deeper tissues affecting muscles and joints. As opposed to superficial heat therapy methods that you can administer yourself, deep heat therapy requires professional administration such as therapeutic ultrasound and diathermy. 

Sauna heat therapy involves sitting in a heated room such as traditional dry saunas, infrared saunas, steam rooms, and hot baths. Saunas and steam rooms are often found in gyms and spas. And more often today, they are being installed in private homes. 

Saunas For Heat Therapy 

Saunas have surged in popularity as powerful tools for enhancing longevity and overall health span with the benefits of reducing stress and lowering the disease risks. Traditional saunas use dry heat, with temperatures between 160-200°F (71-93°C), and very low humidity. A sauna typically uses hot rocks, a stove, or an electric heater to heat the paneled room. 

Sauna types include: 

:: Wood-burning saunas  

:: Steam saunas 

:: Electrically heated saunas 

:: Infrared room saunas 

In addition to relaxing sore muscles, regular sauna use can help increase circulation, flush toxins from the body, and help to reduce inflammation, stress, and risks of cardiovascular disease.  

Steam Rooms For Heat Therapy 

Steam rooms, operate at temperatures around 110-115°F (43-46°C) but with 100% humidity. Steam rooms are enclosed spaces that are heated with steam generators. They are ideal for use after workouts for muscle recovery or for pure relaxation in a spa setting. Steam rooms provide unique benefits because of the high humidity. 

Health benefits of steam rooms include: 

:: Workout recovery 

:: Relaxation 

:: Clearing congestion 

:: Easing bronchial symptoms 

:: Improving circulation 

:: Lowering blood pressure 

:: Easing joint stiffness 

:: Improving skin health 

If you don’t have access to a steam room at a fitness center or spa, you can simply, turn home’s bathroom into a makeshift steam room by running a hot shower and letting the steam fill the room. 

Potential Risks of Heat Therapy 

There are certain cases where heat therapy should not be used as it could lead to a higher risk of complications. This includes anyone with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, vascular diseases, deep vein thrombosis, dermatitis, and neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). If you have either heart disease or hypertension, or are pregnant, you must consult with your physician before beginning any heat therapy. 

Additional risks include: 

:: Increased heart rate and blood pressure 

:: Heat exhaustion 

:: Heat stroke 

:: Dehydration 

:: Irritation of existing skin conditions 

:: Interactions with prescription medications 

:: Alcohol use before or during heat therapy 

Before You Turn Up the Heat: Tips for Effective Heat Therapy 

Now that you know the risks of heat therapy and that you need to consider your individual health conditions that may require you to avoid heat therapy, there are some guidelines you want to follow for effective results. 

:: Begin with shorter sessions (5-10 minutes) to build heat tolerance 

:: Don’t exceed 20 minutes of heat therapy per session 

:: Stay well-hydrated and replace electrolytes after sessions 

:: Monitor your heart rate and how you feel during sessions 

:: Listen to your body and adjust accordingly 

:: Cool down properly after heat exposure 

:: Keep a consistent schedule for optimal benefits 

:: Consider your response to different types of heat exposure 

:: Track your ongoing progress and benefits 

As with any other therapy to improve health, you’ll also need to practice other healthy lifestyle efforts to achieve optimal results. Be sure to consult healthcare providers if you have underlying conditions before beginning heat therapy. And remember, if you don’t feel well using any form of heat therapy, stop immediately and seek medical attention if necessary. 

Whether you choose a sauna, steam room, both, or another heat therapy method, regular heat exposure can impact your longevity journey. The key is to do so safely, maintaining consistency, and listening to your body’s responses to different forms of heat therapy.