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Ethnomedicine is the study of the health-related indigenous knowledge of a particular ethnic group. Unique to the Banjar people is their use of fragrant plants blended by herbalists to treat illness, and the process is known as Batimung. Therefore, this study aimed to identify plants and the parts of aromatic plants used for practicing Batimung. It is a descriptive study with prospective observational data collection using purposive and quota sampling techniques. The number of therapist and user respondents were 5 and 98 people, respectively. The results showed that 27 types of plants were used, where 25 contained terpenoids. The plant parts used are leaves, flowers, bark, rhizomes, roots, fruit, stems and cobs. The approach entails boiling the plant materials and utilizing the resulting steam in the processing. In conclusion, the most widely used aromatic plant parts are the leaves and flowers of Citrus hystrix DC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Body temperature fluctuations induced by acute exercise bouts may influence the intestinal barrier with related effects on epithelial permeability, immune responses, and release of metabolites produced by the gut microbiota. This study evaluated the effects of post-exercise sauna bathing in young men undergoing endurance training on gut bacteria inflammation and intestinal barrier function. Methods: Fifteen (15) untrained males aged 22 ± 1.5 years were randomly assigned to exercise training (ET) with or without post-exercise sauna treatments (S). Participants in the group ET + S (n = 8) exercised 60 min, 3 times per week, on a bicycle ergometer followed by a 30-min dry Finish sauna treatment. The control group (ET, n = 7) engaged in the same exercise training program without the sauna treatments. Blood and stool samples were collected before and after the 4-week training program. Blood samples were analysed for the concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and complete blood counts. Stool samples were analysed for pH, quantitative and qualitative measures of targeted bacteria, zonulin, and secretory immunoglobulin A. Results: Interaction effects revealed no differences in the pattern of change over time between groups for the abundance of selected gut microbiome bacteria and stool pH, zonulin, sIgA, and hsCRP. Pre- and post-study fecal concentrations of Bifidobacterium spp., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Akkermansia muciniphila were below reference values for these bacteria in both groups. Conclusions: The combination of 4-weeks exercise followed by passive heat exposure did not have a measurable influence on targeted gut microbiota, intestinal barrier function, and hsCRP levels in young males. Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered in the clinical trials registry (Clinicaltrials.gov) under the trial registration number: NCT05277597. Release Date: March 11, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent play, Bakunin sauna (2018), written by Uruguayan Santiago Sanguinetti taps into longstanding political ideologies of revolution and current economic discontent in Latin America as they play out through themes and issues surrounding corporate denial. In Bakunin sauna , Sanguinetti highlights a revolutionary cycle focused on an opposition between anarchy and transnational corporate culture, which is characterized in the play as another form of colonization and denial. In the play, a group of three octogenarians (Rosa, Margarita, and Bernardo), who are former IBM employees, seek to kidnap current IBM executive, Ema, with the help of Mijaíl Bakunin, who is mechanically reproduced as a robot powered by artificial intelligence. While Sanguinetti's play revives Bakunin's ideology in an embodied form on the contemporary stage, it also invokes references to both past and current experiments with social anarchism, as well as other left-leaning political movements. Through Bakunin sauna , audiences see how denial was a foundational aspect of colonization and global economic hegemony through empire building, and see how it continues through networks of transnational power held by global corporations in contemporary settings. Spectators also witness the unfulfilled promises of revolution as movements fracture and splinter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists have discovered that small plastic-covered shelters, or "saunas," can help frogs infected with the deadly fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) to cure themselves. The green and golden bell frog in Australia, which has seen its population reduced by 90% due to Bd, was used as a test subject. The shelters, which can be distributed widely, provide enough heat to kill the fungus and potentially save the species from extinction. This approach could also benefit other frog species that are at risk from Bd. However, challenges such as manufacturing and distributing the shelters and obtaining landowner permission may hinder widespread implementation of this method. [Extracted from the article]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?What are the profiles of acute physiological and psychophysical strain during and in recovery from different modes of heating, and to what extent do these diminish after repeated exposure?What is the main finding and its importance?Mode of heating affects the strain profiles during heat stress and recovery. Exercise in the heat incurred the greatest cardiovascular strain during heating and recovery. Humid heat was poorly tolerated despite heat strain being no greater than in other heating modes, and tolerance did not improve with multiple exposures. Heat stress is common and arises endogenously and exogenously. It can be acutely hazardous while also increasingly advocated to drive health and performance‐related adaptations. Yet, the nature of strain (deviation in regulated variables) imposed by different heating modes is not well established, despite the potential for important differences. We, therefore, compared three modes of heat stress for thermal, cardiovascular and perceptual strain profiles during exposure and recovery when experienced as a novel stimulus and an accustomed stimulus. In a crossover design, 13 physically active participants (five females) underwent 5 days of 60‐min exposures to hot water immersion (40°C), sauna (55°C, 54% relative humidity) and exercise in the heat (40°C, 52% relative humidity), and a thermoneutral water immersion control (36.5°C), each separated by ≥4 weeks. Physiological (thermal, cardiovascular, haemodynamic) and psychophysical strain responses were assessed on days 1 and 5. Sauna evoked the warmest skin (40°C; P < 0.001) but exercise in the heat caused the largest increase in core temperature, sweat rate, heart rate (post hoc comparisons all P < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (P ≤ 0.002), and possibly decrease in diastolic blood pressures (P ≤ 0.130), regardless of day. Thermal sensation and feeling state were more favourable on day 5 than on day 1 (P ≤ 0.021), with all modes of heat being equivalently uncomfortable (P ≥ 0.215). Plasma volume expanded the largest extent during immersions (P < 0.001). The current data highlight that exercising in the heat generates a more complex strain profile, while passive heat stress in humid heat has lower tolerance and more cardiovascular strain than hot water immersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sauna bathing, the traditional form of Finnish sweat bathing, has been an inseparable part of Finnish culture and everyday life for thousands of years. Sauna culture has also played such a central role in Finnish diplomacy that the term sauna diplomacy has been coined to describe this intimate relationship. There has been little academic research on sauna diplomacy to date, however. Considering this research gap, this study presents the author's personal experience in the Finnish Foreign Service, as well as interviews with Finnish diplomats and guests of the Finnish embassy sauna in Ankara, Turkey, as illustrations of Finnish sauna diplomacy as a site and form of diplomatic sociability. Through the lens of assemblage theory, it is argued that affective atmospheres of sauna diplomacy are engineered through the coconstitution of human and nonhuman elements, that this process of assembling creates spaces of intimate social interaction that may be manipulated for diplomatic ends, and that there are disconnections and limitations that should be addressed to create more inclusive diplomatic (sauna) spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question to the study?Are primary indices of heat adaptation (e.g., expansion of plasma volume and reduction in resting core temperature) differentially affected by the three major modes of short‐term heat acclimation, that is, exercise in the heat, hot water immersion and sauna?What it the main finding and its importance?The three modes elicited typical adaptations expected with short‐term heat acclimation, but these were not significantly different between modes. This comparison has not previously been made and highlights that individuals can expect similar adaptation to heat regardless of the mode used. Heat acclimation (HA) can improve heat tolerance and cardiovascular health. The mode of HA potentially impacts the magnitude and time course of adaptations, but almost no comparative data exist. We therefore investigated adaptive responses to three common modes of HA, particularly with respect to plasma volume. Within a crossover repeated‐measures design, 13 physically active participants (five female) undertook four, 5‐day HA regimes (60 min/day) in randomised order, separated by ≥4 weeks. Rectal temperature (Tre) was clamped at neutrality via 36.6°C (thermoneutral) water immersion (TWI; i.e., control condition), or raised by 1.5°C via heat stress in 40°C water, sauna (55°C, 52% relative humidity), or exercise in humid heat (40°C, 52% relative humidity; ExH). Adaptation magnitude was assessed as the pooled response across days 4–6, while kinetics was assessed via the 6‐day time series. Plasma volume expansion was similar in all heated conditions but only higher than TWI in exercise in the heat (ExH) (by 4%, P = 0.036). Approximately two‐thirds of the expansion was attained within the initial 24 h and was moderately related to that present on day 6, regardless of HA mode (r = 0.560–0.887). Expansion was mediated by conservation of both sodium and albumin content, with little evidence for these having differential roles between modes (P = 0.706 and 0.320, respectively). Resting Tre decreased by 0.1–0.3°C in all heated conditions, and systolic blood pressure decreased by 4 mmHg, but not differentially between conditions (P ≥ 0.137). In conclusion, HA mode did not substantially affect the magnitude or rate of adaptation in key resting markers of short‐term HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Fire departments have employed far-infrared sauna (FIRS) use as part of post-fire call protocols to address concerns related to carcinogens. The inability of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to fully recover following an emergency call, as demonstrated by heightened sympathetic nervous system activity and delayed parasympathetic nervous system reactivation, has been implicated as a potential factor related to sudden cardiac death. The use of a sauna post-fire call, which has been demonstrated to elevate body temperature, may interfere with the ability of the ANS to fully recover. The purpose of this study was to examine ANS responses to FIRS exposure in firefighters (FFs) with (EX) and without (NONEX) prior maximal exercise. Methods Sixteen career FFs participated in this study. Body temperature (TEMP), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), and blood lactate (La─) were measured at the start of each testing session, following a maximal exercise test (EX only), and immediately after a 15-min FIRS exposure for NONEX and EX. Results In NONEX, TEMP increased (P < 0.001); however, there was no change in HR, HRV, BP, or La─. In EX, BP remained unchanged while TEMP, HR, and La─ were significantly (P < 0.001) greater than baseline following FIRS exposure and HRV was significantly (P = 0.018) lower than baseline. Conclusions These findings indicate that FIRS following maximal exercise did support some ANS recovery, but may interfere with restoration of body temperature and parasympathetic nervous system reactivation, potentially influencing post-call cardiovascular risk in FFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent sauna bathing has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and proposed as a mediator for improved health. Therefore, the aim was to describe and compare sauna bathers with non-sauna bathers in northern Sweden based on their demographics, health and life attitudes, and to describe sauna bathers' sauna habits. Questions on sauna bathing habits were included in the questionnaire for the participants in the Northern Sweden MONICA (multinational monitoring of trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease) study, conducted during spring of 2022, inviting adults 25-74 years living in the two northernmost counties of Sweden (Norr- and Västerbotten), randomly selected from the population register. Of the 1180 participants in MONICA 2022, 971 (82%) answered the question about sauna bathing. Of these, 641 (66%) were defined as sauna bathers. Sauna bathers reported less hypertension diagnosis and self-reported pain. They also reported higher levels of happiness and energy, more satisfying sleep patterns, as well as better general and mental health. Sauna bathers were younger, more often men and found to have a healthier life-profile compared to non-sauna bathers. Additionally, the results suggest that the positive effects associated with sauna bathing plateaued from 1-4 times per month.

Objectives : This cohort study aimed to investigate the potential interplay between systolic blood pressure (SBP), frequency of sauna bathing (FSB), and all-cause mortality risk among Caucasian men. Design : A prospective study was conducted, involving 2575 men aged 42 to 61 years. Baseline assessments included resting blood pressure measurements and self-reported sauna bathing habits. SBP levels were categorized as normal (<140 mmHg) or high (≥140 mmHg), while FSB was classified as low (≤2 sessions/week) or high (3-7 sessions/week). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression analysis, while adjusting for lifestyle factors, lipids, inflammation, and comorbidities. Results : Over a median follow-up of 27.8 years, 1,618 deaths were recorded. In the adjusted analysis, individuals with high SBP versus low SBP showed a 29% increased all-cause mortality risk (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.16-1.43). Similarly, those with low FSB versus high FSB exhibited a 16% elevated mortality risk (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02-1.31). When considering combined effects, participants with high SBP-low FSB had a 47% higher mortality risk (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.24-1.74) compared to those with normal SBP-high FSB. However, no significant association was observed between individuals with high SBP-high FSB and mortality risk (HR 1.24, 95% CI 0.98-1.57). There were potential additive and multiplicative interactions between SBP and sauna bathing concerning mortality risk. Conclusions : This study reveals a potential interplay between SBP, sauna bathing, and mortality risk in Finnish men. Frequent sauna bathing may mitigate the increased mortality risk associated with elevated SBP.

To evaluate the effect of sauna bathing on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a Finnish population-based cohort. A mail survey was sent to a population-based cohort of 50-, 60-, and 70-year-old men in 1994 followed by repeat questionnaires in 1999 and 2004. The evaluation of ten different types of LUTS was based on Danish Prostatic Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1). The weekly frequency of sauna bathing was assessed in the first questionnaire and divided into three subgroups (0–1, 2, and ≥3). The prevalence, incidence, and remission rate of each LUTS was assessed based on the initial and follow-up assessments. In addition, the mean DAN-PSS-1 symptoms score, medication for LUTS, and operative treatment were determined at each time-point. Chi-square test, a linear-by-linear test, and binary logistic regression analysis were used to assess statistical significance. The population-based cohort included initially 3,163, men of whom 1,306 (41.3%) responded to all three questionnaire rounds and were included in the analysis. There was no clear association between sauna bathing frequency and prevalence of the nine LUTS, nor with incidence and remission rates. The only exception was feelings of incomplete emptying, with lower prevalence associated with frequent sauna bathing. There were no clear differences in the medications or operations for LUTS by sauna bathing habits. Based on our results, sauna bathing does not affect LUTS development or natural history in the long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In Perú, HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite widespread access to treatment, the high rate of new HIV infections has remained unchanged over the last decade. Low knowledge of HIV status associated with late diagnosis is a key factor underlying the high HIV incidence observed in this setting, creating conditions for efficient onward transmission. Improving access to HIV testing and prevention services for those at highest risk is an important public health priority. Sex-on-premise venues (SOPVs) – saunas, sex clubs, pornographic movie theaters, hourly hotels, and bars/discos with areas where sex is permitted – may be opportune sites for outreach; however, further research on SOPVs and the populations who frequent them is needed to inform such efforts. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adult MSM in Lima, Perú to evaluate patterns of SOPV attendance, associated sexual risk behaviors, and attitudes toward SOPV-based interventions. Participants were recruited through outreach to social media networks affiliated with local LGBTQ-aligned community groups. Our primary analytic objective was to estimate the association of HIV-related sexual risk behaviors and SOPV attendance. Additionally, we performed exploratory analyses to describe risk behavior stratified by SOPV category and to examine the relationship between SOPV attendance and the use of online platforms to meet sex partners. Results Overall, 389 MSM completed the survey from November 2018 through May 2019, of whom 68% reported attending an SOPV in the last 3 months. SOPV attendance was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviors, including transactional sex, group sex, substance use around the time of sex, and higher number of partners. Over two thirds of SOPV attendees indicated they would accept HIV testing if offered at SOPVs. Conclusions SOPV attendance was common among MSM in Lima who participated in our survey, and SOPV attendees reported significantly greater engagement in sexual risk behaviors related to HIV transmission. Attitudes toward hypothetical SOPV-based interventions were generally favorable. These findings suggest that outreach at SOPVs may be an effective mechanism for reaching a particularly high-risk sub-population of MSM in Perú to deliver targeted HIV testing and prevention interventions.

Summary: The Scandinavian winter-swimming culture combines brief dips in cold water with hot sauna sessions, with conceivable effects on body temperature. We study thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) in experienced winter-swimming men performing this activity 2–3 times per week. Our data suggest a lower thermal comfort state in the winter swimmers compared with controls, with a lower core temperature and absence of BAT activity. In response to cold, we observe greater increases in cold-induced thermogenesis and supraclavicular skin temperature in the winter swimmers, whereas BAT glucose uptake and muscle activity increase similarly to those of the controls. All subjects demonstrate nocturnal reduction in supraclavicular skin temperature, whereas a distinct peak occurs at 4:30–5:30 a.m. in the winter swimmers. Our data leverage understanding of BAT in adult human thermoregulation, suggest both heat and cold acclimation in winter swimmers, and propose winter swimming as a potential strategy for increasing energy expenditure.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on the efficacy of intermittent post-exercise sauna bathing to induce heat acclimation and improve markers of temperate exercise performance in trained athletes. Methods: Twenty-six trained runners (16 female; mean ± SD, age 19 ± 1 years, V̇O2max F: 52.6 ± 6.9 mL⋅kg−1⋅min−1, M: 64.6 ± 2.4 mL⋅kg−1⋅min−1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30 min, 9 km⋅h−1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) and temperate (18 °C) exercise tests (maximal aerobic capacity [V̇O2max] and lactate profile) pre and post 3 weeks of normal exercise training plus 29 ± 1 min post-exercise sauna bathing (101–108 °C) 3 ± 1 times per week. Results: Females and males exhibited similar reductions (interactions p > 0.05) in peak rectal temperature (− 0.3 °C; p < 0.001), skin temperature (− 0.9 °C; p < 0.001) and heart rate (− 9 beats·min−1; p = 0.001) during the HTT at post- vs pre-intervention. Only females exhibited an increase in active sweat glands on the forearm (measured via modified iodine technique; F: + 57%, p < 0.001; M: + 1%, p = 0.47). Conversely, only males increased forearm blood flow (measured via venous occlusion plethysmography; F: + 31%, p = 0.61; M: + 123%; p < 0.001). Females and males showed similar (interactions p > 0.05) improvements in V̇O2max (+ 5%; p = 0.02) and running speed at 4 mmol·L−1 blood lactate concentration (+ 0.4 km·h−1; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Three weeks of post-exercise sauna bathing effectively induces heat acclimation in females and males, though possibly amid different thermoeffector adaptations. Post-exercise sauna bathing is also an effective ergogenic aid for both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a series of ten finnish dry sauna bathing on skin temperature following exercise test for elite cross-country skiers and test, if the regular sauna baths induce any changes in physiological or haematological parameters in elite athletes. Ten elite cross-country skiers (21.7 ± 3.1 years, height: 1.79 ± 0.025 m, body mass: 71.06 ± 4.77 kg) participated in this study. They performed two continuous exercise tests, before and after a series of ten sauna baths. During experiment, the superficial temperature distributions, physiological and haematological parameters were measured. The marked temperature drop was visible in upper body and smaller in lower part of body after exercise test. 10 min after experimental exercise test slow return of the skin temperature to pre-workout values was observed in lower limbs unlike upper part of body. Results of this study indicated that passive induced heat acclimation have a moderate, positive effect (above 2%) on plasma volume and a small impact on physiological and temperature responses to exercise in elite athletes. We conclude that ten finnish dry sauna baths can induce weak changes in the superficial temperature distributions following exercise test, a certain decrease in resting heart rate and small increase in plasma volume in the elite cross-country skiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery technology offers one of the most promising replacement strategies for conventional lithium‐ion batteries, but for several serious obstacles remain, such as the notorious polysulfide shuttling and their sluggish reaction kinetics. In this work, it is demonstrated that these problems can be significantly ameliorated via intrinsic lattice defect engineering in carbon‐based sulfur host materials. Specifically, porous carbon nanotube microspheres (ePCNTM) are developed through a scalable spray drying method, followed by a critical water‐steam etching under high temperature. Such "sauna" activation constructs abundant intrinsic topological defects in the carbon lattice, endowing ePCNTM with enhanced sulfur adsorbability and catalytic activity in sulfur redox reactions. In addition, the interwoven and highly porous architecture renders favorable conductivity, homogeneous sulfur distribution, and massive host–guest interactive surfaces. As a result, the ePCNTM‐based sulfur electrodes achieve excellent cyclability with an ultralow capacity attenuation rate of 0.046% per cycle upon 500 cycles, excellent rate capability up to 3 C, and decent areal capacity retention of 3.2 mAh cm−2 after 50 cycles under raised high sulfur loading. Thus, this synergistic approach, combining composite nanostructuring and intrinsic defect engineering, yields highly competitive Li–S batteries, which is also expected to inform advanced material development in related energy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and novel therapies are drastically needed to prevent or delay the onset of CVD to reduce the societal and healthcare burdens associated with these chronic diseases. One such therapy is "heat therapy," or chronic, repeated use of hot baths or saunas. Although using heat exposure to improve health is not a new concept, it has received renewed attention in recent years as a growing number of studies have demonstrated robust and widespread beneficial effects of heat therapy on cardiovascular health. Here, we review the existing literature, with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms that underscore the cardiovascular benefits of this practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saunas are very popular around the world, especially in some specific regions like Finland. Sitting in a temperature of 45-110°C with intervals often including cold baths influence our bodies in different aspects. Apart from being an addition to asthma or depression treatment, it works well as prevention of heart diseases and hypertension. Sauna is also believed to be able to reduce increased blood pressure values. Because of its safety it can be easily prescribed for all patients without few contraindications.

Medicine is an ancient science. In the modern sense, the medical profession began to form after bloodletting as a universal way of restoring the balance of bodily juices was replaced by more scientific and less crippling methods. But in medical practice it often happens that new methods of diagnosis and treatment get along with very ancient ones, and some traditional approaches, that previously had no reliable justification, receive solid scientific support. This historic process closely resembles the flow of water in a river: fast in the rapids, slow along the shores and sedentary in quiet creeks, at the bottom of which one can find shabby garbage brought by floods. All this is in a circuit something disappears in the abyss, and something suddenly floats to the surface. The scandal in the USA with the recall of a medicine made from desiccated and dried porcine thyroid gland reminded us that some concoctions, which have been known since the times of ancient Chinese medicine, and drugs that appeared relatively recently thanks to modern pharmacology can easily coexist in clinical practice. With one essential caveat: the quality of such concoctions should be controlled as carefully as the newest drugs. Modern technologies have allowed us to analyze the genome of the inhabitants of our internal organs, that constitute the human microbiome. This made it possible to rehabilitate the concept of dysbacteriosis (dysbiosis), which was previously considered anti-scientific. For example, intestinal bacteria are able to compete with the host organism for selenium and even capable of aggravating its deficiency, as well as modulating the bioavailability of iodothyronines. It is possible that intestinal dysbiosis may be one of the causes of thyroxine malabsorption. All these and much more in this column De Gustibus.

In sauna-associated deaths, the vitality of heat exposure is of great importance. Two case reports address this. First, we present the case of a 77-year-old man who was found dead in the sauna of his family home. When found, the sauna door was closed, and the sauna indicated a temperature of 78 °C. The body had already begun to decay and was partially mummified when it was found. In the other case, a 73-year-old woman was found dead in the sauna by her husband. In this case, the sauna door was also closed. The sauna was still in operation at a temperature of approximately 70 °C. Epidermal detachments were found. In both autopsies and their follow-up examinations, there were no indications of a cause of death competing with heat shock. The expression of heat shock proteins in kidneys and lungs and the expression of aquaporin 3 in skin were investigated to detect pre-mortal temperature influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to compare the hemodynamics of the recovery periods following exercise versus hot water immersion. Twelve subjects (6women, 22.7 ± 0.8 yr; body mass index: 21.8 ± 2.1 kg/m²) exercised for 60min at 60% VO2 peak or were immersed in 40.5°C water for 60min on separate days, in random order. Measurements were made before, during, and for 60-min postintervention (i.e., recovery) and included heart rate, arterial pressure, core temperature, and subjective measures. Brachial and superficial femoral artery blood flows were assessed using Doppler ultrasonography and cardiac output was measured using the acetylene wash-in method. Internal temperature increased to a similar extent during exercise and hot water immersion. Cardiac output and mean arterial pressure were greater during exercise than during hot water immersion (both P < 0.01). Sustained reductions in mean arterial pressure compared with baseline were observed under both conditions during recovery (P < 0.001 vs. before each intervention). Cardiac output was similar during recovery between the interventions. Stroke volume was reduced throughout recovery following exercise, but not following hot water immersion (P < 0.01). Brachial artery retrograde shear was reduced following hot water immersion, but not following exercise (interaction; P = 0.035). Antegrade shear in the superficial femoral artery was elevated compared with baseline (P = 0.027) for 60min following exercise, whereas it returned near baseline values (P = 0.564) by 40min following hot water immersion. Many of the changes observed during the postexercise recovery period that are thought to contribute to long-term beneficial cardiovascular adaptations were also observed during the post hot water immersion recovery period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total sleep deprivation (TSD) is associated with endothelial dysfunction and a consequent decrease in vascular reactivity and increase in peripheral vascular resistance. These effectors compromise the body's ability to thermoregulate in hot and cold stress conditions. We investigated heat‐unacclimated young adult men (26 ± 2 years) to determine whether 36 hr of TSD compared to an 8 or 4‐hr sleep condition, would suppress the responses of the autonomic system (body rectal temperature [Tre], heart rate [HR], root mean square of successive interbeat intervals, physiological strain, blood pressure [BP], circulating blood catecholamines, sweating rate and subjective sensations) to whole‐body uncompensable passive heat stress in traditional Finnish sauna heat (Tair = 80–90°C, rh = 30%). Sauna bathing that induced whole‐body hyperthermia had a residual effect on reducing BP in the 8‐hr and 4‐hr sleep per night conditions according to BP measurements. By contrast, 36 hr of total wakefulness led to an increase in BP. These observed sleep deprivation‐dependent differences in BP modifications were not accompanied by changes in the blood plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. However, during sauna bathing, an increase in BP following 36 hr of TSD was accompanied by significant decreases in body Tre, HR and physiological strain, together with a diminished sweating rate, enhanced vagus‐mediated autonomic control of HR variability, and improved thermal perception by the subjects. Our results suggest the impaired ability of the body to accumulate external heat in the body's core under uncompensable passive heat conditions following 36 hr of TSD, because of the TSD‐attenuated autonomic system response to acute heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an ongoing debate on a potential protective role of habitual physical activity and passive heat therapy on the risk of COVID‐19, a respiratory infectious disease that can manifest as severe pneumonia. To explore these putative roles, we evaluated the independent and joint associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and frequency of sauna bathing (FSB) with pneumonia risk in a prospective cohort study of 2275 men aged 42‐61 years at recruitment. Material and Methods: Objectively measured CRF and self‐reported sauna bathing habits were assessed at baseline. CRF was categorized as low and high (median cut‐offs) and FSB as low and high (defined as ≤1 and 2‐7 sessions/wk, respectively). Multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for incident pneumonia. Results: During a median follow‐up of 26.6 years, 529 cases of pneumonia occurred. Comparing high vs low CRF, the multivariable‐adjusted HR (95% CIs) for pneumonia was 0.75 (0.61‐0.91). Comparing high vs low FSB, the corresponding HR was 0.81 (0.68‐0.97). Compared to men with low CRF & low FSB, the multivariable‐adjusted HRs of pneumonia for the following groups: high CRF & low FSB; low CRF & high FSB; and high CRF & high FSB were 0.88 (0.65‐1.20), 0.89 (0.71‐1.13), and 0.62 (0.48‐0.80) respectively. Conclusions: In a general male Caucasian population, a combination of high fitness levels and frequent sauna baths is associated with a substantially lowered future pneumonia risk compared with each modality alone. The implications of these findings in altering COVID‐19 disease or its severity deserve study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zusammenfassung Dass der Mensch Temperaturen von 100 °C in einer Sauna überlebt, hat mehrere Ursachen. Der Wärmetransport durch die heiße Luft ist wesentlich kleiner als im heißen Wasser. Entscheidend ist aber, dass der Körper schwitzt. Er sondert Wasser aus dem Körperinnern an der Hautoberfläche ab, was dem Körper beim Verdampfen Wärme entzieht und dadurch kühlt. Auf diese Weise kann die Hauttemperatur für längere Zeit auf einer Temperatur von etwa 40 °C verbleiben. Bei einem Aufguss wird dieser Mechanismus gestört, weil auf der verhältnismäßig kühlen Haut Wasserdampf kondensiert und dabei noch Wärme abgibt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study focuses on the meanings and experiences that men living in Leicester, UK attribute to the gay sauna, the role of the gay sauna in their sense of identity, and how they construe their sexual behavior in this context. Methods: In 2015, twenty male sauna users participated in a qualitative interview study. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis yielded four themes: (1) identity authenticity in the gay sauna; (2) social connectedness among sauna users; (3) sexual risk and sexual health in the sauna; and (4) protecting the identity functions of the gay sauna. The themes show that engagement with the gay sauna can enhance feelings of identity authenticity and belongingness, and that individuals seek to protect these identity functions of the gay sauna despite recognizing the gay sauna as a "high-risk" environment. To protect identity, the notion of sexual risk is distanced from their own identities. Discussion: Sauna users may experience better psychological health as a result of frequenting the sauna – it may promote identity authenticity and belongingness, and alleviate isolation, loneliness, and depression. The promotion of sexual health information and services in gay saunas may enable us to access individuals who might not ordinarily engage with sexual health services. Social Policy Implications: There must be closer collaboration between sexual health services, sexual health outreach, and gay saunas in the area of sexual health, and identity concerns must be incorporated into the design of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enveloped viruses such as SAR-CoV-2 are sensitive to heat and are destroyed by temperatures tolerable to humans. All mammals use fever to deal with infections and heat has been used throughout human history in the form of hot springs, saunas, hammams, steam-rooms, sweat-lodges, steam inhalations, hot mud and poultices to prevent and treat respiratory infections and enhance health and wellbeing. This paper reviews the evidence for using heat to treat and prevent viral infections and discusses potential cellular, physiological and psychological mechanisms of action. In the initial phase of infection, heat applied to the upper airways can support the immune system’s first line of defence by supporting muco-ciliary clearance and inhibiting or deactivating virions where they first lodge. This may be further enhanced by the inhalation of steam containing essential oils with anti-viral, mucolytic and anxiolytic properties. Heat applied to the whole body can further support the immune system’s second line of defence by mimicking fever and activating innate and acquired immune defences and building physiological resilience. Heat-based treatments also offer psychological benefits and enhanced mental wellness by focusing attention on positive action, enhancing relaxation and sleep, inducing 'forced-mindfulness', and invoking the power of positive thinking and ‘remembered wellness’. Heat is a cheap, convenient and widely accessible therapeutic modality and while no clinical protocols exist for using heat to treat COVID-19, protocols that draw from traditional practices and consider contraindications, adverse effects and infection control measures could be developed and implemented rapidly and inexpensively on a wide scale. While there are significant challenges in implementing heat-based therapies during the current pandemic, these therapies present an opportunity to integrate natural medicine, conventional medicine and traditional wellness practices, and support the wellbeing of both patients and medical staff, while building community resilience and reducing the likelihood and impact of future pandemics.

Enveloped viruses such as SAR-CoV-2 are sensitive to temperature and are destroyed by temperatures tolerable to humans. All mammals use fever to deal with infections and heat has been used throughout human history in the form of hot springs, saunas, hammams, steam-rooms, sweat-lodges, steam inhalations, hot mud and poultices to prevent and treat respiratory infections and enhance health and wellbeing. This paper reviews the evidence for using heat to treat and prevent viral infections and discusses potential cellular, physiological and psychological mechanisms of action. In the initial phase of infection, heat applied to the upper airways can support the immune system’s first line of defence by supporting muco-ciliary clearance and inhibiting or deactivating virions in the place where they first lodge. This may be further enhanced by the inhalation of steam containing essential oils with anti-viral, mucolytic and anxiolytic properties. Heat applied to the whole body can further support the immune system’s second line of defence by mimicking fever and activating innate and acquired immune defences and building physiological resilience. Heat-based treatments also offer psychological benefits by directing focus on positive action, enhancing relaxation and sleep, inducing 'forced-mindfulness', and invoking the power of positive thinking and remembered wellness. Heat is a cheap, convenient and widely accessible therapeutic modality and while no clinical protocols exist for using heat to treat COVID-19, protocols that draw from traditional practices and consider contraindications, adverse effects and infection control measures could be developed and implemented rapidly and inexpensively on a wide scale. While there are significant challenges in implementing heat-based therapies during the current pandemic, these therapies present an opportunity to integrate natural medicine, conventional medicine and traditional wellness practices, and support the wellbeing of both patients and medical staff, while building community resilience and reducing the likelihood and impact of future pandemics.