Want to give your immune system a quick boost? Take a 30-minute sauna, and white blood cells—the body’s infection fighters—will start flooding through the body.
It’s important to take a cold shower halfway through the sauna session for the greatest benefits, say researchers at the University of Eastern Finland.
This boost lasts only for 30 minutes or so after you step out of the sauna, but it may be just enough to kickstart the immune system into action, especially if you’re fighting an infection.
A sauna can boost every type of white blood cell, including neutrophils and lymphocytes, two important groups of immune cells. Neutrophils are often among the first defenders to respond to an infection, while lymphocytes include cells that recognize specific threats, produce antibodies, and help coordinate immune responses.
Similar responses happen after exercise which can also temporarily increase the number of immune cells moving through the bloodstream, helping distribute them throughout the body.
The researchers tested the benefits of the sauna on a group of 51 people with an average age of 50.
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