Key clinical point: Frequent use of saunas was an independent predictor of reduced dementia risk over a 39-year follow-up period.

Major finding: Dementia was diagnosed in 1,805 individuals; after controlling for multiple lifestyle and metabolic risk factors, the hazard ratio for frequent sauna users (9-12 times per month) compared with nonusers or light users (less than 4 times a month) was 0.47 during the first 20 years of follow-up and 0.81 during the full 39-year follow-up period.

Study details: The data come from a prospective cohort study of 13,994 adults aged 30-69 years in Finland with no dementia diagnosis at baseline.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.