The Effect of 12 Weeks of Dry and Steam Sauna on Fasting Glucose, Sleep Quality, and Cortisol Hormone in Middle-Aged Men

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of 12 weeks of sauna (both dry and steam) on fasting glucose levels, sleep quality, and cortisol hormone levels in middle-aged men residing in Kermanshah, Iran.  This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test-post-test design with two training intervention groups and one control group and examined all middle-aged men between 45 to 60 years old. Finally, based on the research objectives, 36 men in the age group of 45 to 60 years were chosen as the subjects of the purposive and convenient sampling method. At the end of the familiarization session, the pre-test values ​​of the tested variables (glucose, hunger, sleep quality, cortisol hormone) were measured and then the subjects were randomly divided into three groups including 1) dry sauna 2) steam sauna and 3) control group. Then, the experimental group performed the dry and steam sauna program for 12 weeks. The post-test values ​​in the variables were measured in the same conditions as the pre-test 48 hours after the last training session. One-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni tests were used to analyze the data.  A significant difference was observed between the mean values ​​before and after implementing the dry sauna and steam sauna program in fasting glucose, sleep quality, and cortisol hormone (p≤0.05).  Based on the results, the program involving both dry and steam sauna positively affected glucose. The exercises of the dry sauna program had less impact on sleep quality compared to the steam sauna. The dry sauna program was more influential on cortisol compared to the steam sauna.