Are saunas actually good for you? Here’s what experts have to say

Experts have confirmed whether saunas are actually good for our health.

Associate Professor of Extreme Environments at the University of Portsmouth, Dr Heather Massey, spoke on The Pat Kenny Show about the beneficial aspects of using saunas.

"There's some research evidence to suggest that using saunas may help people to live longer," she said on the show.

"But we need to be really aware that this research has only looked at their sauna use and not other lifestyle factors that might influence their sort of longevity as well," she continued.

"So, we're still trying to research whether saunas are good for us at this stage."

The doctor confirmed that there is evidence to back up users' experiences of emerging from saunas refreshed and in better moods.

"Science hasn't got the answers yet but it is being worked on," she said. "So, there are a number of small-scale projects that have looked at the use of sauna."

"In those projects they've come up with some positive findings about people's feelings of mental well-being but these are only really small-scale studies and not on a very broad demographic," she explained.

"We don't have enough information to be able to prescribe a duration of sauna but if you're new to sauna, it's definitely worth starting off slowly and going in for short periods of time, five, ten minutes max," she advised.

She added that you should wait until you’ve been in the sauna a few times before extending your stay any longer.