The sauna may reduce the risk of clots

Adults who go to saunas whenever they have the opportunity to relax may have a new reason to continue this habit as a Finnish study linked regular going to the sauna and reducing the risk of stroke.
The researchers examined data from 1,628 people, aged 63 years on average, and no one had ever had strokes and usually attended the sauna two or three times a week.
After a half-year follow-up of at least 15 years, the study team found that 155 people had strokes. Compared to individuals who used the sauna only once a week, those who went to saunas four or seven times a week were 61 percent less likely to have a stroke during the study period.
The researchers published their studies in a journal of neurology on the Internet.
"Because most strokes can be attributed to high blood pressure, the use of a sauna may reduce the risk of stroke by lowering blood pressure," said lead author Sittor Kunstor of the University of Bristol in the UK.
The sauna could also help reduce the risk of stroke by reducing inflammation, reducing arteriosclerosis and preventing blood flow through the circulatory system, he said in an e-mail.
"The sauna is a safe activity and has many health benefits as well as reducing stress and exhaustion," he said.
Those findings should encourage those who usually go to the sauna regularly to continue.
"People who can do physical activity should not replace it with a sauna. Ideally they should combine the sauna with the physical activity."