PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT ON THE BODY IN THE SAUNA BATH

—RELATION OF SAUNA BATH TIMES AND BODY FUNCTIONS—

Abstract

Recently, the popular usage of the sauna bath has been greatly increased but this is not necessaeily based upon scientific ground.
This investigation has been made on the most ideal usage time with special emphasis on duration of time in the actual sauna room.
The usage pattern, in view of the times of taking the sauna room and the cold water, has been established.
And then the influences on the body function were measured.
The usage pattern were as follows (Repetition were all 3 times)
(1) 5 minutes stay in the sauna and 1 minute in the water
(2) 7 minutes stay in the sauna and 1 minute in the water
(3) 7 minutes stay in the sauna and 2 minutes in the water
(4) 10 minutes stay in the sauna and 2, 5 minutes in the watar
The result were as follows
1. The usage pattern (1) gave the good result for the function of whole body reaction time, patellar-tendon reflex time, maximum power of vertical jump.
Another usage pattern (2), (3), (4) gave the wrong result for those function.
2. There were no remarkable differences blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature among the usage pattern (1), (2), (3), (4) .
3. Oxygen intake in the usage pattern (2) gave a large value than the usage pattern (1) .
In the view of the energy expenditure, it was recognized that the usage pattern (2) was the best usage.