• The strong heat of a dry sauna aids recovery after a workout and is a great way to help muscles to relax
• The powerful heat increases the heart rate, much like a cardiovascular workout, and is great for your heart.
• Sweating helps remove dead skin cells and is a gentler way to exfoliate than many abrasive exfoliating skin care products. Just make sure that you take a shower and your skin is clean before you enter the sauna – bacteria and sweat combined aren’t good for your skin.
• Sweating improves blood flow to the skin, also known as cutaneous circulation.
• Sweat from the heat will reduce water retention and increase metabolism– just be sure to keep drinking water to prevent dehydration.

• For some, the steam and the gentle heat might feel like a more relaxing and therapeutic experience. Not everyone wants to turn a sauna into a competition to see who can outlast others in the 100 degrees Celsius! Well, some Finns do turn sauna into a competition, but more about that later.
• Some might find the softer ”löyly” more relaxing and therapeutic. The Wall Combi heater, for example, has a stone cup in which you can add fragrances and essential oils to enhance the experience.
• The steam opens pores, which makes it easier to cleanse and helps skin care products penetrate more deeply into the skin.
• Steam and humid air cause mucosal secretions and opens up airways, thus relieving asthma and congestion.
• Steam and lower heat are a better option for people suffering from rosacea, a skin condition in which blood vessels dilate, causing redness. Rosacea is triggered by sudden heat changes, so for those true fans of sauna Harvia recommend lower heat when sauna bathing.

However, there’s no need to choose between the two. The Wall Combi, has an adjustable integrated steamer for those who prefer the humidity, but can also be used as a traditional sauna heater when the steam function is turned off. It’s a versatile heater that can be adjusted to each’s preference – a handy quality when your sauna companions share different tastes.

Harvia have compiled some of the most important benefits offered by the use of the sauna.

The Finns have always known that going to the sauna is good for you. After the sauna you feel good and relaxed.

Sauna studies show that frequent sauna bathing has many health benefits. These types of studies have been carried out around the world, and Finland has also turned up the heat in science, particularly in recent years.

In other words, Harvia have an even better understanding of the effects of sauna use and why these effects are positive. The soft warmth offers you many health benefits: improved blood circulation and immunity, relief from muscle pain, stress relief, and physical and mental relaxation.

To your health!

Going to the sauna 2 to 3 times a week reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by more than 20% when compared to people who use the sauna once a week. The more frequently you use the sauna, the more you can reduce the risk, even up to 65%.

Those who use the sauna 4 to 7 times a week are over 60% less at risk of dementia

In one of the few studies on the connection between sauna use and sleep, it was discovered that deep sleep increased by over 70% within the first two hours and by 45% within the first six hours. There was a statistically significant decrease in the amount of time spent awake after sauna use.

The best health effects can be attained by using the sauna 4 to 7 times a week at a temperature of approximately 80°C (176°F), for approximately 20 minutes at a time.

• Reduced risk from several illnesses (including coronary heart disease, hypertension, venous thrombosis, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease)
• Improved blood circulation and immunity
• Relief from muscle pain
• Stress relief
• Improved sleep
• Physical and mental relaxation
• Increased social connection
• Offline space

Sauna Hearts You

If you love going to the sauna, so does your heart. Going to the sauna 2 to 3 times a week reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by more than 20% when compared to people who use the sauna once a week. The more frequently you use the sauna, the more you can reduce the risk, even up to 65%.

Harvia have yet to find out the mechanism through which frequent sauna use exactly protects the heart. Heart rate and blood pressure change during sauna use in a manner comparable to physical activity, as the changes in the body are of a similar type. Sauna use can, at least, lower blood pressure and maintain the flexibility of blood vessels.

Enjoy the Steam and Heat of Your Dreams

Why do so many people say that you sleep more deeply after going to the sauna? In one of the few studies on the connection between sauna use and sleep, it was discovered that deep sleep increased by over 70% within the first two hours and by 45% within the first six hours. There was a statistically significant decrease in the amount of time spent awake after sauna use.

Researchers suppose that the process of the body warming up, and then cooling down affects Harvia's hormone activity so that Harvia become sleepy approximately a few hours after going to the sauna.

Do You Have Sauna in the Veins?

Heat affects the body in the same way exercise does: it makes the heart pump more blood. When the surface blood vessels simultaneously expand, the heart’s job actually becomes easier. At the same time, the warming of the tissues releases substances which the arteries and blood vessels of the heart need to function properly.

The heat therapy enabled by the sauna may therefore provide everyone with the benefits of exercise – even persons for whom exercise is difficult or impossible for some reason.

Reduce the Risk of Memory Disorder

Did you know that dementia can be slowed down and even prevented? Going to the sauna twice a week is already enough to reduce the risk of dementia by one fifth compared to those who only use the sauna once a week. Those who use the sauna 4 to 7 times a week are over 60% less at risk of dementia.

These interesting observations pertain to the Finnish sauna specifically. The best health effects can be attained by using the sauna 4 to 7 times a week at a temperature of approximately 80°C (176°F), for approximately 20 minutes at a time.

Nourish Your Skin in Steam

Do you think that frequent sauna use will dry your skin? In truth, it is quite the opposite. Skin metabolism improves when the heat in the sauna multiplies the amount of blood passing through the surface blood vessels. The skin is nourished, retaining moisture more effectively and therefore staying more elastic.

Many people like to go to the sauna daily or almost daily in the summer. This may be a contributing factor for why the skin does not dry as much in the summer as it does in the winter, even for people with dry skin. Frequent sauna use is beneficial for people suffering from psoriasis and many other skin diseases, such as seborrheic dermatitis and an infected eczema.

Loosen up Your Muscles in the Heat

The sauna is a good place to relax strained muscles after a run or going to the gym. But going to the sauna BEFORE you exercise may be an even better method. According to studies, sauna use before strenuous exercise prevents the muscles from becoming sore and increases muscle mobility after the workout.

You should also use the time spent in the sauna to stretch and maintain your joints’ ranges of motion.