According to a study conducted by a team of Finnish researchers from the University of the East, regularly visiting the sauna could significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The Health Benefits of Sauna!
Men would do well to visit the sauna more often. According to the findings of a Finnish study published in the scientific journal Age and Aging, regular sauna attendance would reduce the risk of dementia. While it was known that this practice was excellent for combating cardiovascular disease, no one had yet made the connection between the sauna and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
To reach this conclusion, researchers carefully examined the medical data of over 2,300 healthy men, aged 42 to 60, over a period of 20 years. Some participants visited the sauna once a week, other two to three times a week, and still others had a sauna session almost every day.
At 66% Lower Risk of Dementia at the end of the study, researchers found that people who visited the sauna every day had 66% lower risk of Dementia compared to men who only went once a week. As for the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, it was reduced by 65%. According to the study's authors, the heat of the sauna widens blood vessels and this improves blood circulation.
''We know that cardiovascular health also affects the brain'' commented Jari Laukkanen, the study's lead author. ''The sense of well-being and relaxation provided by sauna may also play a role.'' Additional studies will be needed to understand the link between the sauna and memory-related diseases fully, as well as to see if the effect are the same in women.
(This information is from one article: Alzheimer's Disease: The Benefits of Sauna, from PassePort Santé)
