Sauna therapy is an excellent addition to add to your self care routine. Combining these benefits with the use of CBD can maximize the healing aspects of both regimens. Let’s compare the benefits of CBD and sauna therapy.
What are the benefits of using CBD?
CBD products are used for a wide range of ailments, symptoms and conditions. It can also be used for general wellness and illness prevention.
CBD acts as a:
- Painkiller
- Anticonvulsant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Stress/anxiety reliever
- Antiemetic
- Anticancer Effects
- Promotes Homeostasis
These properties can help alleviate a wide array of symptoms and conditions, including the following:
Cardiovascular Health
Recent studies have indicated that due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, CBD can lower the risk of high blood pressure. Your blood pressure can increase while you are under stress, but some research suggests a dose of CBD can reduce that spike. More research is needed understand this concept further.
Stress Management and Anxiety
It is becoming widely known that CBD is an effective stress and anxiety reliever. A 2010 study discovered that cannabidiol can reduce symptoms of social anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Brain scans of participants showed changes in blood flow to the parts of the brain linked to emotions of anxiety. In this study, CBD not only made participants feel better but also changed the way their brains responded to anxiety,
A 2011 study also found that CBD is effective in reducing social anxiety. In this particular study, researchers focused on CBD as treatment for anxiety associated with public speaking.
A 2015 review of previous studies shows a promise of CBD being an effective treatment for various types of anxiety, including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Pain Relief and Arthritis
A study in the European Journal of Pain demonstrates an animal model to understand if CBD is an effective method to manage pain from arthritis. For 4 days, researchers applied a topical gel containing CBD to rats with arthritis. They found a significant drop in inflammation and signs of pain, without any additional side effects.
Using CBD oil or other topical for arthritis may find relief from joint pain, but more human studies need to be done to confirm these findings.
The same study looked into using CBD for general chronic pain. Researchers concluded that there is significant evidence depicting cannabis as an effective treatment for chronic pain in adults.
Another study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine supports these findings. This research indicates that the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD reduce pain.
It was also discovered that subjects were not likely to build up a tolerance to the effects of (full/broad spectrum) CBD, so they would not need to incrementally up their dosage.
How do these benefits align with sauna therapy? Let’s find out.
What are the benefits of using a sauna?
When a person sits in a sauna, body temperature rises, heart rate increases and blood vessels dilate. This increases cardiovascular circulation in a similar sense as low/moderate exercise, depending on the duration of using the sauna.
Cardiovascular health and longevity
According to research, regular sauna use can help reduce the body’s stress levels in which promotes a healthier cardiovascular system. A 2015 study in Finland investigated the association of frequency and duration of sauna bathing with the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality. This study was conducted over the course of 20 years where researchers followed 2,315 men ages 42 to 60. Participants were categorized by how often they used a sauna, including once a week, two to three times a week, and four to seven times a week.
Results concluded the following: The men who used the sauna two to three times a week were 22% less likely to experience sudden cardiac death than those who only used it once a week. Those who used a sauna four to seven times a week were 63% less likely to experience sudden cardiac death and 50% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who only used a sauna once a week.
More research needs to be done to confirm that there is a definite link between regular sauna use and a decrease in deaths from heart disease.
Mental stress and anxiety relief
Saunas are effective stress alleviators. Thanks to sugar, coffee, lack of sleep, stressed adrenals, and toxic chemical exposure, many people are trapped in the sympathetic or “fight or flight” state of being. Saunas encourage our bodies to fall into the parasympathetic state, allowing us to de-stress, digest, rest, and heal. Much of these effects come from the fact that saunas help our bodies detox these unsupportive chemicals, which helps it return back to it’s normal functioning balance, other known as homeostasis. (Sound familiar?)
Pain Relief
Regular sauna use can increase blood flow to the skeletal muscles, which helps to keep them fueled with glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, and oxygen, while removing by-products of metabolic processes such as lactic acid and calcium ions. This can help recover muscle damage at a faster rate, which helps alleviate pain. Additionally, this helps speed up athletic recovery.
Do you see any correlations here? Combining the use of CBD and sauna therapy truly has the potential to compliment each other’s benefits.
Risks of sauna use
To avoid any health risks while using the sauna, the following precautions are advised:
Drink plenty of water: While using the sauna, it is essential to replace the fluids lost from sweating. It is recommended to drink about two to four glasses of water after using a sauna. It is common to lose about a pint of sweat while spending a short time in the sauna.
Do not use alcohol: Alcohol increases the risk of dehydration, hypotension, arrhythmia, and sudden death.
Watch the time: It is advised to not spend more than 20 minutes at a time in a sauna. First-time users should spend a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes. As they get used to the heat, they can work their way to about 20 minutes.
Avoid sauna if sick: People who are sick should also wait until full recovery before using a sauna. Women who are pregnant or those with certain medical conditions, such as low blood pressure, should seek a physician’s advice before using the sauna.
Supervise children: It is safe for children aged 6 and above to use a sauna, but should be supervised when doing so. It is advised that they do not spend longer than 15 minutes in the sauna.