New Research Strengthens the Case for Sauna and Immune Health
Professor Jari Laukkanen's ongoing research at the University of Eastern Finland continues to build evidence that regular sauna use supports immune function.
Professor Jari Laukkanen's research group at the University of Eastern Finland keeps adding to the evidence base for sauna's health benefits. The latest findings, presented ahead of the World Sauna Forum 2026, focus on the immune system: regular sauna bathers showed lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation) and reported fewer flu symptoms compared to people who don't use saunas regularly.
What the Research Shows
The study involved approximately 100 participants and measured inflammatory biomarkers alongside self-reported illness frequency. The key findings: regular sauna users had lower CRP levels and got sick less often. Elevated CRP is associated with acute systemic inflammation, so lower baseline levels suggest a calmer immune response, not a suppressed one.
This builds on Laukkanen's earlier work, including the landmark Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (published in JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015), which tracked over 2,300 Finnish men for 20+ years and found that frequent sauna use (4-7 times per week) was associated with a 40% reduction in all-cause mortality compared to once-weekly use.
The immune findings are still early, but they're consistent with what the cardiovascular data has been telling us for years: regular heat exposure appears to have broad, systemic health benefits.
Context
Laukkanen has become the most-cited researcher in sauna health science, and his work is frequently referenced by both the medical community and the sauna industry. He is expected to speak at the World Sauna Forum 2026 in Jyvaskyla, Finland (June 9-11).
The immune research is still in its early stages and the sample size is modest. More work is needed before drawing broad clinical conclusions. But the direction is clear and consistent with the larger body of sauna health evidence.
For a deeper look at the newest mechanistic data, including white blood cell and interferon shifts measured during a single heat exposure, see our follow-up analysis of how sauna acutely affects immune cell activity.
Arlene Scott
Senior Wellness Correspondent & Hospitality Consultant
Arlene Scott brings over fifteen years of reporting and consulting experience across energy infrastructure, sustainable design, and thermotherapy-focused hospitality.
Full byline
Arlene Scott is a Senior Wellness Correspondent for SaunaNews.com, bringing over fifteen years of experience at the intersection of energy infrastructure, sustainable design, and thermotherapy. Her work focuses on the physiological benefits of passive heat therapies and the sustainable integration of sauna culture into modern wellness routines.
Arlene's background is rooted in the clean energy transition. She was a founding writer at MicrogridMedia.com, where she covered the technical and economic viability of desalination projects, microgrid deployments, and distributed renewable energy systems. During the mid-2010s, she was a regular contributor to Greentech Media (GTM) during its independent era — prior to the Wood Mackenzie acquisition in 2016 — reporting on the early integration of thermal energy storage and sustainable infrastructure.
Transitioning her focus from macro-energy systems to human-scale wellness, Arlene now applies her technical background to the hospitality sector. She operates as an independent consultant, advising boutique hotels and eco-resorts on the design, energy efficiency, and historical authenticity of commercial sauna and thermal spa installations. Her consulting work ensures that high-end wellness facilities balance traditional Nordic bathing principles with modern sustainable engineering.
Arlene holds a specialized certification in Applied Thermic Wellness from the Nordic Institute of Passive Heat Studies (NIPHS) and is a recognized associate member of the International Sauna Association (ISA). When she isn't reviewing the latest innovations in infrared technology or consulting on a new resort project, Arlene can be found tending to her own traditional wood-fired sauna in the Pacific Northwest. You can read her complete archive of essays on energy, wellness, and sustainable living at www.arlenescott.com.
