Saunas have deep roots in Finland, where they’ve been part of everyday life for generations—used for warmth, cleansing, recovery, and time together. Today, that old ritual has gained new attention, as scientists ask clearer questions about what regular heat exposure may mean for long-term health: what are the long term benefits of sauna, and does sauna increase life expectancy?
Read on to learn what we know so far about sauna for longevity —and how to use heat in a simple, safe way.
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Science-based benefits of sauna for longevity
Much of today’s interest in sauna comes from a widely cited 2021 scientific review by Rhonda Patrick and Tanner L. Johnson. The review brings together the strongest sauna research available, with a special focus on large Finnish population studies—where sauna is a normal habit and researchers have been able to follow thousands of people for many years. When those Finnish results started being shared more broadly, sauna quickly became a hot topic in longevity podcasts and across the wider health and wellness space.
Sauna frequency and longevity
In the Finnish cohort data highlighted in the review, sauna frequency is typically compared with a reference group using sauna about once per week. For fatal cardiovascular disease, the review points to a clear frequency pattern, with relatively large differences between groups: compared with once per week, using sauna 2–3 times per week was associated with about a 27% lower risk, while using sauna 4–7 times per week was associated with about a 50% lower risk.
The review also summaries other notable associations from the Finnish cohort data, again compared with about once per week:
4–7 times per week: about a 66% lower risk of dementia
4–7 times per week: about a 40% lower risk of all-cause mortality
4–7 times per week: about a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
In other words:
According to this review, frequency seems to matter a lot. The Finnish long-term data shows a clear pattern where more regular sauna use is linked with stronger associations and better long-term outcomes. For most people, going to the sauna 4–7 days per week isn’t realistic—but the overall takeaway from these findings is that how often you use the sauna may be an important part of the picture.
Longer sessions, stronger results
In another Finnish study published in 2015, one of the key Finnish cohort papers included in the 2021 review, researchers found that it wasn’t only frequency, how often you use the sauna, that seemed to matter for long-term health outcomes. Duration, how long you stay in the sauna, showed a clear pattern too.
The researchers grouped sauna sessions into:
- under 11 minutes
- 11–19 minutes
- over 19 minutes
The men who usually stayed in the sauna over 19 minutes had about a 52% lower risk of sudden cardiac death compared with those who stayed under 11 minutes. The 11–19 minute group, on the other hand, looked much closer to the short-session group, meaning the clearest difference showed up in the 20-minutes-or-more category.
Types of saunas and their longevity effects
The main differences between sauna styles come down to temperature, humidity, and how strong the heat “dose” is for your body. The classic Finnish dry sauna is the type most often linked to long-term cohort data, while newer research suggests a hot bath can create a very strong heat load, and infrared may feel gentler.
| Type | What it feels like | Longevity benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Dry sauna (Finnish-style) | Very hot, low humidity | Most well-known long-term population data comes from Finnish-style sauna habits. |
| Steam room / wet sauna / “Russian” sauna | Lower heat, very humid | Less direct long-term longevity data than Finnish dry sauna, but still a valid heat habit. |
| Turkish hammam | Warm + humid, often with breaks/rinsing | Strong ritual/relaxation value; not the main setting behind the famous cohort numbers. |
| Infrared sauna | Gentler air, heats more “directly” | Can deliver a milder heat dose in some setups; often easier to tolerate. |
| Hot bath / jacuzzi (alternative) | Full-body heat in water | Can create a strong heat load and is often the most convenient at-home option. |
So what’s the “best” sauna for longevity?
If you choose based on long-term data: Finnish-style dry sauna. If you choose based on convenience and dont have acces to a sauna: hot bath. If you choose based on tolerance: many people prefer infrared.
Longevity sauna protocol: dosing and schedule
In longevity circles, sauna is often discussed as a “dose-dependent” habit: the more consistently you do it, the more health benefits you tend to see in population data. The best-known long-term Finnish observational research links higher weekly frequency of traditional sauna use with lower risk of all-cause mortality and fatal cardiovascular events, compared with infrequent use. At the same time, sauna is not just “sit in heat and hope for the best.” Temperature, session length, hydration, recovery, and your own health status can change how you respond. A smart protocol is one that is consistent, matched to the evidence base (hot, dry, Finnish-style), and built gradually while respecting basic safety guardrails.
Bryan Johnson sauna protocol
Bryan Johnson is an entrepreneur best known for Blueprint, a highly structured health routine where he tests, tracks, and adjusts behaviors based on measurable biomarkers. Sauna wasn’t a top priority for him at first. In his video, he explains why: much of the headline sauna research comes from Finnish populations living in Finland (often alongside cold exposure), and he questioned whether the benefits would translate to his lifestyle—and whether sauna would add anything on top of his daily training.
What changed was his method for adding new interventions. Instead of following trends, he and his team went back to the literature to identify a practical “best protocol,” then treated sauna as a measured experiment: establish a baseline, run a consistent routine, and check what moves after a set number of sessions. That measurement-first mindset is exactly why sauna made its way into Blueprint as a controlled habit with clear inputs and tracked outcomes.
Bryan Johnson’s sauna checklist:
- Frequency: 3–5 sessions/week
- Duration: 15–20 minutes per session
- Temperature: 175–200°F / 80–93°C
- Type: dry sauna (over wet/steam or infrared)
Read the full Bryan Johnson blog here: Bryan Johnson Blueprint protocol
Sauna and exercise – a great match
Sauna and exercise are a good match because they challenge your body in different ways that still “talk” to the same systems. Exercise trains your muscles, heart, lungs, and metabolism. Sauna adds heat stress, which makes your heart work harder and your blood vessels widen to cool you down—so you get a circulation boost without the mechanical load on joints. One study that supports the “stacking” idea is a heat-acclimation trial in trained cyclists: adding post-exercise sauna bathing led to plasma volume expansion (more circulating blood fluid), which is a classic endurance-style adaptation that can support performance and cardiovascular efficiency.
Why is increased plasma volume beneficial?
More plasma volume means more fluid circulating in your bloodstream, which can make blood flow more efficient. It can reduce cardiovascular strain at a given effort and improve heat tolerance by helping your body send blood to both muscles (work) and skin (cooling), which can support endurance.
Can sauna replace exercise?
For most people, no. Sauna can copy some of the cardiovascular side of exercise. Your heart rate rises and blood flow increases as your body works to cool down, which is why sauna is sometimes described as passive cardio.
But it does not replace what movement trains best: strength and muscle, bone density, balance and coordination, and many metabolic benefits that come from contracting and loading muscles. Sauna works best as an add-on or a temporary option if you cannot train, rather than a true substitute for exercise.
How to maximize longevity benefits of sauna
If you want sauna to be a long-term longevity habit, aim for consistency, smart recovery, and low friction. The heat is the stimulus, but the small details decide whether sauna feels restorative or draining. If sauna feels like too much, a hot bath, hot tub, or jacuzzi can be a gentler option and simply an easier go-to for you. It can still warm the body and support relaxation, even if it does not fully match the classic hot, dry Finnish-style sauna stimulus.
Before you add sauna to your longevity routine, consider the following checklist:
| Focus area | Do | Don’t |
|---|---|---|
| Hydration | Drink water before and after. If you sweat a lot or sauna often, add if needed electrolytes to replace sodium and minerals. | Do not rely on water alone if you get headaches, dizziness, or cramps after sauna. |
| Clothing and materials | Use natural materials like cotton, bamboo, or linen. Choose towels and seat covers without plastic backing. | Avoid synthetic clothing and “plasticky” materials in high heat. |
| Head and airway comfort | Use a towel or sauna hat to reduce head heat. Breathe slowly. If the air feels harsh, a lightly damp cloth near the mouth and nose can feel easier. | Do not ignore overheating signals like pounding headache, nausea, or lightheadedness. |
| Cooling down and hygiene | Cool down calmly after. Shower to rinse sweat off your skin, and change into dry clothes. | Do not sit around in sweaty clothes for long after your session. |
| Mindset | Treat it as quiet recovery time. Slow breathing helps many people tolerate heat and relax. | Do not turn every session into a grit test. The goal is repeatability. |
| Aromatherapy | If you use scent, keep it mild and use good ventilation. Patch-test if you have sensitive skin or airways. | Avoid strong fragrances or anything that irritates eyes or breathing. Never ingest essential oils. |
| Timing and training | Sauna can pair well with exercise as a recovery ritual. Keep it lighter after very intense workouts until you know your tolerance. | Do not stack hard training, extreme heat, and low fluids. |
| Safety check | Stop if you feel faint, confused, or get chest discomfort. If you have medical concerns, ask a health professional before making sauna frequent. | Do not push through warning signs or use sauna when sick, dehydrated, or hungover. |
References
- Patrick RP, Johnson TL. Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan. Exp Gerontol. 2021;154:111509. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2021.111509.
- Laukkanen T, Khan H, Zaccardi F, et al. Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):542-548. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8187.
- [YouTube]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TXdgFbABQY (accessed 2025-12-05).
- ScienceDaily. Hot tubs outperform saunas in boosting blood flow and immune power. 2025 Jun 26. Available from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250625232208.htm (accessed 2025-12-05).
- Johnson B. Why Didn’t I Do Sauna Earlier? [Video]. YouTube. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiUM92VDI1Y (accessed 2025-12-05).
- Lee E, Kolunsarka I, Kostensalo J, Ahtiainen JP, Haapala EA, Willeit P, Kunutsor SK, Laukkanen J. Effects of regular sauna bathing in conjunction with exercise on cardiovascular function: a multi-arm, randomized controlled trial. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2022;323:R289-R299. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2022.
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