HEALTH The benefits of sauna

An effortless cleanse


One of the most relaxing indulgences in life is a sauna – but the benefits go way beyond the opportunity to unwind. 
The skin is the largest organ of the body, and the sweat that pours off us during a sauna helps to detoxify the system, taking the pressure of our internal detoxification workhorses – the lungs, kidneys, bowels and liver, and the lymphatic and immune systems.
The benefits don’t stop there – saunas can also help with colds, sinuses, laryngitis and sore muscles. However, the biggest benefits have to do with the skin directly. Over the course of our lives, our skin is subjected to hundreds of chemicals. Worse again, during the winter months we tend to cover up, often with modern synthetic fibres that do not allow the skin to breathe. Saunas help to reopen the pores and cleanse the skin, allowing it to function as it should.
As regards weight loss, you  may find the scales are be a little kinder to you when you emerge from your Scandanavian hide-away, but don’t get too excited: it’s probably just water loss.