By Alexandra Thompson Senior Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 17:54 BST, 13 June 2019 | Updated: 17:56 BST, 13 June 2019
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Saunas can be just as exhausting as a workout, research suggests.
A study found spending 25 minutes in a sauna raises a person's heart rate and blood pressure as much as a stint on a rowing machine.
These then fall once the sauna session is over, resulting in 'similar long-term positive effects to exercise'.
However, the researchers added saunas would not help people lose weight because there is no muscle activity involved.
Saunas can be just as exhausting as a workout, research suggests (stock)
The research was carried out by Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany, and led by Dr Sascha Ketelhut, a sports scientist.
Many people assume saunas cause blood pressure to go down, the scientists wrote in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
'It was thought the heat dilates the blood vessels and that this lowers the blood pressure,' Dr Ketelhut said.
People with low blood pressure or heart conditions may even be advised to avoid saunas out of fear a further fall in pressure could make them faint.
'Many previous assumptions have been made about the acute effects of sauna use, but so far little research has been done,' Dr Ketelhut said.
To put this to the test, 19 healthy volunteers had their blood pressure and heart rates measured while they enjoyed a 25-minute sauna session.
Perhaps surprisingly, results revealed both their blood pressure and heart rates rose significantly and continuously while they sat in the sauna.
