2026-04-20 12:02:31

A quick stint in the sauna could give your immune system a subtle but meaningful lift, according to new research.

Scientists in Finland have found that just one 30-minute sauna session can temporarily boost the number of white blood cells circulating in the body – key players in fighting off infection.

The study, which involved 51 adults with an average age of 50, suggests the heat-based ritual may do more than simply help you relax.

Participants took part in a half-hour sauna session that included a short cold shower break midway through. Blood tests revealed that all types of white blood cells increased immediately after the session.

Crucially, two major groups – neutrophils and lymphocytes – returned to normal levels within around 30 minutes.

Rather than creating new immune cells, the sauna appears to mobilise those already stored in the body, sending them into the bloodstream where they are most effective.

Ilkka Heinonen, an Academy Research Fellow at the University of Turku, said: “This may indicate that sauna bathing mobilizes additional white blood cells into the bloodstream from tissues, where they are then redeposited after the session. This kind of periodic release of white blood cells into the bloodstream is beneficial, as once they leave their storage sites, they are better able to patrol the body and respond to pathogens.”

Researchers say this response mirrors what happens during exercise, where the body boosts immune surveillance by increasing the movement of white blood cells.

The team also examined cytokines – molecules that help regulate immune responses – but found no major overall changes. However, there was a twist.

Professor Jari Laukkanen, who led the study, said: “Interestingly, however, the levels of several cytokines changed in relation to how much body temperature rose during sauna bathing. No similar association was observed between white blood cell counts and changes in body temperature.”

While regular sauna use has long been linked to health benefits, experts caution that this research only looked at short-term effects.

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