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“The concept behind this is commendable,” commented Earric Lee, a physiologist at the Montreal Heart Institute, who, despite not being part of the research, has conducted sauna investigations since finishing his PhD studies in Finland. “Attempting to shift away from pharmaceuticals is a positive direction.” Over 250 million individuals globally suffer from major depressive disorder, with millions not responding to any existing therapies.
This limited study does not definitively establish that sauna therapy can address depression. “Studies with only one group have notable limitations,” Mason acknowledged. The sample size was insufficient to explore different scenarios, such as various heat levels, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) without heat, or a placebo intervention. (Creating a placebo for heat treatment, where individuals are duped into believing they received the actual therapy, is challenging but not impossible— a 2016 hyperthermia study had a placebo group exposed to mild heat, successfully convincing 72% of participants they were undergoing real treatment.)
Nonetheless, these findings strengthen Mason’s belief that heat sessions could alleviate severe depressive symptoms and warrant further investigation. Achieving high remission rates with just eight weeks of CBT alone seems improbable.
Adam Chekroud, an adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University, acknowledges the potential benefits of the hyperthermia regimen but remains doubtful about the results reported in Mason’s study. Specifically, some participants attended weekly sauna sessions in the study, while others attended every two weeks; Chekroud argues that the advantages of a “higher dosage” of heat would become apparent if the intervention were as potent as effective antidepressants. “The placebo effect holds substantial power in mental health,” he remarked.
However, Chekroud acknowledges the importance of these inquiries. “Many treatments for depression originated as experimental approaches,” he noted. Activities like exercise, meditation, and yoga hold promise as effective mind-body techniques. “Exercise is a highly effective intervention,” he stated, referencing his own study published in The Lancet in 2018, analyzing data from 1.2 million individuals.
Drawing parallels between heat therapy and exercise is not entirely unwarranted. Apart from inducing sweat and elevating heart rate, exercise, much like sauna use, demands motivation, planning, and potentially social interaction—components that can influence mood positively. “Returning home after making such life changes can evoke feelings of pride,” Chekroud mentioned. “Psychologically, these are significant similarities.”
Lee, the sauna specialist, also suggests that the heat itself may play a role. The relationship between temperature regulation, mood, and circadian rhythms is well-documented: During depression, this temperature regulation can be disrupted, affecting sleep patterns, which are closely tied to mood.
Intense heat doses might influence temperature regulation and mood, prompting a sort of recalibration. Sauna treatments can trigger the body’s “cooling down” process, convincing it to lower its temperature swiftly. “It tricks the body into accelerating its cooling down mechanism,” Lee explained.
Regardless of the mechanism, heat therapy may offer a more accessible alternative to pharmaceuticals, therapy sessions, or vigorous workouts. “We have evidence that exercise is beneficial for depression,” mentioned Mason. “Getting someone to relax in a sauna for a while is much simpler than persuading them to go for an hour-long run—especially for individuals battling depression.” This applies even more so for people with disabilities.
While Mason’s study is still a few years away—and requires significant funding—before conclusively proving the efficacy of heat therapy for depression, the recent outcomes have boosted her optimism. “A mind-body treatment demonstrating such positive outcomes undoubtedly warrants further examination,” she expressed. “I hope that reviewers and funding organizations will concur.” Her ultimate objective is to accumulate enough compelling evidence for insurance providers to cover practices like sauna therapy, so when individuals with depression consider treatment options, this will be a viable choice.
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