{"id":203814,"date":"2025-10-09T16:46:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T16:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=203814"},"modified":"2025-10-09T16:46:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T16:46:38","slug":"hot-tubs-vs-saunas-which-one-is-better-for-blood-flow-and-immune-function","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2025\/10\/09\/hot-tubs-vs-saunas-which-one-is-better-for-blood-flow-and-immune-function\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Tubs vs Saunas \u2013 Which One Is Better for Blood Flow and Immune Function?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever debated whether to spend your recovery time sweating in a sauna or soaking in a hot tub, science just made your decision easier. Researchers at the Bowerman Sports Science Center compared three popular forms of heat therapy: a traditional dry sauna, a far-infrared sauna, and hot-water immersion. Let\u2019s see which one delivers the biggest physiological punch.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Hot tubs deliver the deepest heat<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The study<\/a> involved 20 healthy men and women aged around 24. Each participant completed three separate heat sessions:<\/p>\n

Hot water immersion:<\/strong> 45 minutes at 40,5\u00b0C<\/p>\n

Traditional sauna:<\/strong> 3 rounds of 10 minutes at 80\u00b0C<\/p>\n

Far-infrared sauna:<\/strong> 45 minutes at 45\u201365\u00b0C<\/p>\n

Researchers tracked changes in body temperature, heart function, and immune activity before, during, and after each session.<\/p>\n

The results were clear. The hot-tub group showed the biggest rise in core body temperature, about 1,1 \u00b0C on average, compared with only 0,4 \u00b0C in the traditional sauna and virtually no change in the far-infrared sauna.<\/p>\n

Lead author Jessica Atencio explained why: \u201cHot water immersion gives you the most robust change in core temperature because you can\u2019t dissipate heat through sweating. When you\u2019re submerged, the body can\u2019t cool itself as efficiently, and that\u2019s exactly what drives the beneficial stress response.\u201d<\/p>\n

Circulation and immune effects that last<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That internal heat load also translated into a more powerful cardiovascular response. Participants\u2019 cardiac output, the amount of blood pumped per minute, jumped by nearly 4 litres in the hot tub, compared with about 2 litres in the sauna.<\/p>\n

According to Atencio, that rise in blood flow itself is beneficial: \u201cIncreasing body temperature causes an increase in blood flow, and just the force of blood moving across your vessels is good for vascular health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interestingly, only the hot-water sessions triggered measurable immune changes. Levels of the inflammatory messenger interleukin-6 rose modestly after immersion, a normal sign that the immune system had been stimulated. And 24 hours later, participants also showed higher counts of natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells \u2013two key immune defenders.<\/p>\n

Why it matters for health and recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Senior researcher Professor Christopher Minson, who has studied heat therapies for over two decades, sees clear promise: \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind that if people are willing to do some heat therapy, it\u2019s going to align with improved health, as long as it\u2019s done in moderation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regular exercise still offers broader benefits, but Minson points out that for those who can\u2019t, heat therapy may serve as an alternative way to improve circulation and cardiovascular fitness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you repeat these stresses over time, our lab and many others have shown that they\u2019re consistent with improved health,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Far-infrared saunas, often marketed as the most \u201cmodern\u201d option, turned out to be the least effective in this study. Core temperatures barely changed, and cardiovascular and immune systems hardly reacted.<\/p>\n

Which should you choose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both traditional saunas and hot tubs are effective tools, but hot tubs are the more potent option. Aim for around 40 \u00b0C for 30\u201345 minutes to mimic the study conditions. Infrared saunas feel pleasant but are the least effective physiologically. They may still aid recovery through relaxation, but the thermal stress is minimal.<\/p>\n

Hot tubs may have earned their reputation as a luxury item, but science now backs them as a legitimate wellness tool, improving blood flow, priming your immune system, and offering some of the same benefits as moderate exercise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever debated whether to spend your recovery time sweating in a sauna or soaking in a hot tub, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99,"featured_media":203815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[332],"tags":[8712,8710,8713,8711],"global-categories":[3366],"class_list":["post-203814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-and-training","tag-cardiovascular-fitness","tag-hot-tub-vs-sauna","tag-is-hot-tub-healthy","tag-traditional-sauna","global-categories-cycling"],"yoast_head":"\nHot Tubs vs Saunas \u2013 Which One Is Better for Blood Flow?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019ve ever debated whether to spend your recovery time sweating in a sauna or soaking in a hot tub, science just made your decision easier.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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