In November 2017 researchers from the UK and Finland published the results of their study to assess the association of sauna usage with the risk of pneumonia. A total of 2210 men, aged 42-61 years, were included in the study. Information on sauna usage was collected via questionnaire. During an average follow-up of 26 years 375 hospital cases of pneumonia were diagnosed. Results showed that the individuals who had 2-3 and over 4 sauna sessions per week had a reduced risk of pneumonia when compared with individuals who had 1 sauna session per week.
Kunutsor SK et al. Frequent sauna bathing may reduce the risk of pneumonia in middle-aged Caucasian men: The KIHD prospective cohort study. Respir Med. 2017 Nov;132:161-163