Immediate aftereffects of the Finnish sauna on psychomotor performance and mood

Abstract

Studied the psychological aftereffects of the Finnish sauna on complex psychomotor performance and subjective feelings of 20 healthy male volunteers, (mean age = 24 yr.). Ss were given a battery of tests (e.g., the Digit Symbol subtest of the WAIS and an adjective mood checklist). Results indicate that the effects of sauna bathing on performance that required rapid and adequate psychomotor adjustment did not differ from those of merely washing oneself. Slight differential effects on mood, however, were discovered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)