Popular podcast host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently shared fascinating information about sauna use that might make you reconsider your wellness routine. During a conversation on his show, Rogan discussed research from Finland suggesting regular sauna sessions could significantly extend lifespan.
“They found that if you do the sauna four times a week for 20 minutes at 175 degrees, it’s a 40% decrease in all-cause mortality,” Rogan stated, referencing a long-term Finnish study conducted over two decades.
According to Rogan, the benefits extend beyond just longevity. “It’s great for reduction of inflammation and increase of red blood cells,” he explained. “It has a mild EPO effect on your endurance.”
The podcast host, known for his interest in health optimization, shared personal experiences using saunas for recovery when unable to perform his regular cardio routines due to injuries. “Every time I’ve been injured where I couldn’t do cardio, I just did sauna every day and then I’d go back to cardio and it was not that much of a drop-off,” he noted.
Rogan also mentioned learning about sauna benefits from wrestling legend Dan Gable, who told him that Eastern European wrestlers incorporated sauna sessions into their training regimens. “Dan Gable told me that was something he learned in his wrestling days that all the Eastern Bloc guys were doing sauna after training and it’s essentially like static cardio,” Rogan said.
To illustrate his point about the cardiovascular effects, Rogan described monitoring his heart rate during post-workout sauna sessions. “I wear a whoop strap and I’ll go in the sauna after training and I’ll look at my app and I’m at 145 beats per minute just sitting there,” he explained.
The combination of exercise followed immediately by sauna use seems to create a particularly intense effect. “Your body’s already overheated from the workout and then your body’s in 195 degrees and your heart’s just pounding, but it’s like static cardio,” Rogan said.
While Rogan’s claims about the 40% mortality reduction might sound extraordinary, they appear to reference legitimate research from Finland, where sauna use is deeply embedded in the culture. The Finnish population has been studied extensively regarding their sauna habits and associated health outcomes.
For those interested in incorporating this practice, Rogan recommends not only using the sauna for heat exposure but also as an opportunity for recovery. “And then I stretch in there,” he added, suggesting the heat helps with flexibility work as well.
