Get your score
Does using a sauna help you live longer?
Finnish men who used saunas often lived longer, but no trial has tested whether it adds years.
What you hear: “Using a sauna several times a week adds years to your life.”
What the studies found
In 2,575 Finnish men followed for about 28 years, those using a sauna 3 to 7 times a week had a 14% lower death rate than those going twice a week or less. An earlier report on the same group found deaths of 31% among 4 to 7 times a week users versus 49% among once-a-week users, before adjustment. These are links from watching people, not trials, and come from middle-aged Finnish men only. A review of 40 sauna studies found just 13 were randomised trials, and most of the studies had under 40 people.
Take care: One small study found regular sauna use disrupted sperm production in men, which recovered after stopping.
What you could do
If you enjoy a sauna and are otherwise well, it looks safe to keep going, but don't count on it to add years.
See it in the habit library, with what it means for your own longevity score.
Not medical advice. General information from published studies, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Talk with your doctor before starting a supplement or changing a medicine, especially if you are pregnant, take other medicines or have a health condition.
How we judged it
Partly true: Some truth, but oversold as usually said. We judge the claim as it is usually said online, not the habit itself. Trials assign people at random, so they can show cause; observed studies follow people and show a link, not proof. Last checked: October 2026.
The studies, in their own words
- Kunutsor et al. Eur J Epidemiol 2022
Comparing high vs low FSB, the multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CI) for all-cause mortality was 0.86 (0.76-0.97).
- Laukkanen et al. JAMA Intern Med 2015
295 (49.1%), 572 (37.8%), and 62 (30.8%) for all-cause mortality events.
- Hussain and Cohen. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018
Only 13 studies were randomized controlled trials and most studies were small (n < 40).
More claims, checked
- Partly trueMorning sunlight in your eyes
- Partly trueZone 2 cardio for longevity
- Partly trueCreatine for everyone, brain included
- Not provenCarnivore diet
- Not provenGlucose monitor without diabetes
- Not provenCold plunges and ice baths
One short email when we add new studies or exercises, each with its source. No spam, and you can unsubscribe any time.