Sauna baths help and strengthen the immune system

Helps your body fight off viruses that can enter the body

Use an infrared sauna for 30–45 minutes every day.

Boost your immune system

The heat generated by an infrared sauna stimulates energy at a cellular level, which in turn increases the body’s production of white blood cells. White blood cells act as the immune system’s first line of defence when infection strikes. When a harmful substance enters your body, the white blood cells detect the attack and activate the immune system. It is clear that these tiny cells are of the utmost importance when it comes to the functioning of our immune system. Increased production of white blood cells, stimulated by the use of an infrared sauna, can help the body fight off illnesses more effectively.

Reduced susceptibility to infections

An infrared sauna provides effective heating of the body and activates the immune system. Our bodies are designed for physical exertion and exercise, which have beneficial effects on our health. Similarly, the body experiences increased blood circulation during an infrared sauna session, with numerous positive effects on the heart and blood vessels, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease; above all, however, our immune system is strengthened by infrared sauna sessions. Various studies show that both innate and acquired immunity are enhanced. The number of white blood cells increases, and the production of T and B cells rises.

Weakened immune system

Our immune system can be negatively affected by prolonged stress, lack of exercise, a diet low in nutritional value and lack of sleep. Although using an infrared sauna directly benefits the immune system, it also provides health benefits that effectively counteract these negative effects. Infrared heat increases the production of a hormone that suppresses the stress hormone cortisol and the hormone serotonin, also known as the ‘happiness hormone’, during sauna sessions. This has a beneficial effect on stress, exhaustion and sleep difficulties

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

White blood cell count
The total number of white blood cells and the distribution between the different types of white blood cells varies with age. As we get older, the total number of white blood cells decreases. This makes the elderly population more susceptible to viral infections that the body has not previously encountered and for which the immune system has no memory of the infection. Conversely, if an older person has encountered a viral infection during their youth, they may cope with the infection better than a younger individual, whose immune system has no memory of that particular viral infection. The number of white blood cells in the circulating blood always varies depending on the physiological state. These fluctuations can be rapid, partly because the white blood cells that have remained in the small blood vessels are flushed into the general bloodstream as blood circulation increases. After a meal, for example, the number of white blood cells in the blood increases. Over the course of their lifetime, white blood cells spend only a short time in the circulating blood.

White blood cells

White blood cells are cells in the blood that form part of the body’s immune system, protecting the body against infectious diseases. White blood cells, or leukocytes as they are also known, include granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes, which are present in varying quantities in the body.
These groups of white blood cells have different characteristics and functions. Granulocytes (neutrophils) make up 50–70% of all white blood cells in adults, whilst monocytes are the largest white blood cells in terms of size, but account for only 3–8% of the white blood cells in the blood. Lymphocytes have a lifespan of several years, whilst other blood cells live for only a few days. Granulocytes engulf bacteria, lymphocytes break down bacteria, and monocytes both engulf bacteria and clear away dead tissue. Our body does not fight an illness simply by engulfing bacteria. More is required. That is why there are more specialised white blood cells.

T-cells

T-cells can distinguish between what belongs to the body and foreign substances. There are two different types of T-cells: killer cells and helper cells. The killer cells’ job is to kill the body’s own cells that have been infected by viruses. They also kill cancer cells.
Helper cells coordinate the immune system. When T cells detect a foreign substance, they send signals to the B cells.
The B cells’ job is to produce large quantities of antibodies. The antibodies find their way to the bacteria and attach themselves to their walls. They then puncture the bacteria so that they burst and die.
This continues until the disease is defeated. This happens all the time. It can go on without you noticing, and sometimes you are ill for a long time before the disease is defeated. Sometimes the body fails to fight off the disease at all.

The immune system remembers

T and B cells can produce memory cells. These memory cells remember the virus or infection we have had. This means we cannot get the same illness again, as the body eliminates the threat before anything can happen. That is why you cannot get measles twice, as there is only one virus that causes the illness. Other illnesses can be caused by a wide variety of viruses, so in those cases the memory cells do not help as much as they should.

Good tips for a strong immune system
1. Don’t smoke.
2. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Take regular sauna sessions.
5. Maintain a healthy weight.
6. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
7. Get enough sleep.
8. Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently

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