The short answer
Possibly, but the evidence is thin. One study of 2,315 Finnish men found those who used a sauna four to seven times a week were 66% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia over 20 years than once-a-week users. It hasn't been repeated in women or other countries, and it can't show the sauna was the cause.
Weak evidence
Small or short studies, surveys, or results that are mixed. How we grade
On this page
What did the study find?
The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease study asked 2,315 healthy Finnish men aged 42 to 60, between 1984 and 1989, how often they used a sauna. Over a median of almost 21 years, 204 were diagnosed with dementia, 123 of them with Alzheimer’s disease.
After adjusting for age, alcohol, weight, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, previous heart attack, resting heart rate and cholesterol, and compared with men who had one sauna a week:
| Sessions a week | Dementia risk | Alzheimer’s risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | 22% lower (could be chance) | 20% lower (could be chance) |
| 4 to 7 | 66% lower | 65% lower |
Why is the evidence only weak?
- One study. As far as we know, no other country has reported the same analysis.
- Only men, all middle-aged and from one region of Finland.
- Small numbers at the top. About 200 men used a sauna four to seven times a week, so the estimate for that group is imprecise.
- Reverse causation. Dementia develops for many years before diagnosis. Men in the early, unseen stages might already have been less likely to take frequent saunas.
- No trial. Nobody has tested whether starting regular saunas changes memory or dementia risk.
Why might there be a real link?
High blood pressure and damage to blood vessels are some of the strongest known risk factors for dementia. Regular saunas are linked with lower blood pressure and fewer strokes, so a benefit for the brain would fit. Relaxation, social contact and better sleep are other possibilities. These ideas are plausible, but untested.
Should you take saunas to protect your memory?
If you enjoy them and they are safe for you, there is no reason not to, and the heart findings are stronger. But the measures with the best evidence are the ones the NHS recommends: stay active, don’t smoke, keep alcohol within limits, eat well, keep blood pressure in check and stay socially and mentally engaged.
Keep reading
- Can a sauna help depression or low mood?
What the trial of whole-body heating for depression found, what sauna users report about mood and stress, and where the evidence stops.
Weak - Does a sauna help you sleep?
Saunas and sleep: what surveys of sauna users report, why heat in the evening might help, and why the evidence is still weak.
Weak - Sauna for muscle recovery and fitness: does it work?
What small trials show about saunas after training, for endurance, recovery and soreness, and how to use one around exercise safely.
Weak
Common questions
Does sauna use prevent Alzheimer's disease?
There is no proof that it does. In the one study that looked, Finnish men who used a sauna four to seven times a week had 65% fewer Alzheimer's diagnoses than once-a-week users, but that is an association in one group of men.
Why might a sauna help the brain?
Researchers suggest it could work through the heart and blood vessels, since high blood pressure and vascular disease raise dementia risk, or through relaxation and better sleep. None of these explanations has been tested directly.
What is proven to lower dementia risk?
The NHS lists not smoking, drinking less alcohol, a healthy diet, regular exercise, keeping weight and blood pressure in a healthy range, and staying mentally and socially active.
References
- Laukkanen T, Kunutsor S, Kauhanen J, Laukkanen JA. Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Age and Ageing, 2017.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Zaccardi F et al. Sauna bathing and incident hypertension: a prospective cohort study. American Journal of Hypertension, 2017.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. Cardiovascular and other health benefits of sauna bathing: a review of the evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2018.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NHS. Can dementia be prevented?nhs.uk
First published 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.