Taking a sauna is a fantastic way to relax, but it also has many health benefits that are widely documented.
Sauna bathing is meant to promote sweating, which helps your body flush out unwanted toxins and wastes.
The heat of the sauna helps lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve circulation, which can have profound influences on your health.
If you are interested in trying a sauna, starting with the most traditional type, the Finnish sauna, is a wonderful place to start.
It will give you the essential sauna experience will providing you with the many health benefits of this heat therapy experience.
What is a Finnish Sauna?
Sauna use in Finland is believed to trace back as far as 7000 BC, according to some sources, making it one of the oldest traditions of sweat bathing today.
While other cultures embraced bathhouses and sauna-like bathing, what makes the Finnish sauna so special is that this tradition, which has remained mostly unchanged over thousands of years, is still widely used today.
The Finns have long understood not only the relaxation benefits of using a sauna regularly, but their culture has also valued saunas for their hygiene and health benefits, as well.
As a clean, sterile environment, saunas were often constructed first on a homestead and used as a shelter before the home was built.
Saunas were used not only to cleanse the body but also for giving birth, because they provided heat and warm water, saunas were an essential part of Finnish life before the invention of modern utilities.
Finnish saunas are constructed from untreated, unfinished wood, which was and still is widely available in this country.
During the cold months of Finnish winters, saunas are valued for their warmth and comfort.
But because this tradition has expanded to become a part of the culture of this nation, a Finnish sauna is also quite popular in the summertime because it is a place of relaxation as well as socialization.
A typical Finnish sauna, also known as a dry sauna, is a wooden room that contains several levels of bench seating.
People move from higher to lower benches to regulate their temperature.
Inside the sauna is a stove, which heats the room.
Traditional Finnish saunas used wood-burning stoves, but many modern saunas include electric versions.
A large pile of rocks is placed on top of this stove, and throughout the sauna experience, water is poured over these rocks to add moisture to the air.
This practice, called löyly in Finnish, creates steam which increases the intensity of the heat inside the sauna, making you sweat more.
A typical Finnish sauna ranges between 175- 210 degrees Fahrenheit, and the relative humidity of most saunas is quite low, usually less than 15 percent.
Finnish saunas are different than steam rooms, electromagnetic saunas, and smoke saunas.
How to Properly Use a Finnish Sauna
Whether you are in Finland enjoying a sauna or experiencing a Finnish-style sauna somewhere else in the world, the process for using one is generally the same.
While some procedures, traditions, or “rules” may vary by region or you may have some personal preferences, the primary method is quite simple.
Below, we explore the basic procedure and then dive into a few variations and customs that may be common wherever you are.
If you are using a Finnish style in your own home, you can customize your experience to meet your needs, but when you use a public sauna, it is crucial to understand etiquette.
Saunas are used to promote sweating, which has many health benefits.
The less clothing you are wearing, the less likely your pores will become clogged and that you will sweat effectively.
Most people enjoy a sauna while naked, but if you are uncomfortable doing this, you can cover yourself with a towel.
Everyone should have a small towel upon which to sit inside the sauna, as well, to protect your skin from the hot bench and to prevent oils from your skin staining the wood.
Before entering the sauna, take a cleansing shower to remove any dirt and products form your skin that can clog pores and interfere with detoxification.
The most critical and universal rule for sauna use is to stay inside only as long as you are comfortable.
There is no magic time frame for use, nor should you wait so long you feel ill.
You can leave to cool down and return as many times as you like while trying to relax and enjoy the health benefits of this practice.
A sauna is meant to be a relaxing and leisurely experience, so do not try to cram it in between other duties.
Enter a sauna when you have the time to enjoy it.
A customary practice in Finland is to alternate time in the hot sauna with periods of cold temperatures, which can come from jumping into an icy lake, rolling in the snow, or taking a cold shower.
Alternating between cold and hot can invigorate you and promote circulation, which enhances the experience for many people.
Another Finnish tradition that some people enjoy is to use a small bundle of birch branches to beat gently against your skin.
This activity is perfect for summertime, which the leaves’ oils can relieve insect bites.
The oils released also provide a pleasant scent to your sauna experience.
The thrashing of the skin promotes circulation, which helps energize you, as well.
The sauna is a place to share conversations and relax with other people.
In Finland, it is common for people to hold meetings, work out deals, or to socialize in a sauna.
The sauna is such a part of Finnish culture that most people have one in their home, and many large companies have them for employees to use.
There are several ways to modulate the heat while inside the sauna.
The adding of water to the rocks is one.
Some people like to keep a bucket of water nearby while inside so that they can splash themselves to cool down.
Wearing a special hat on your head can protect your scalp and hair from intense heat, too.
Moving up higher benches exposes you to hotter temperatures, also.
Repeatedly going from the hot interior to the cold exterior or shower is common in Finland.
Do so as many times as you feel comfortable.
After you have finished, be sure to take a cleansing shower to remove all the sweat from your body.
Get dressed only after you have thoroughly cooled down.
It is also common to enjoy a cold beverage after sauna use with your friends.
Staying hydrated is important before, during, and after sauna bathing, as you sweat out essential liquids and electrolytes during this experience.
Additional Notes on Sauna Etiquette
It is usually not advised to wear a bathing suit while inside a sauna.
Your suit can contain chemicals, including chlorine, which may react adversely with the hot temperatures inside the sauna.
Most public saunas are separated by gender, regardless of where you are in the world.
In instances of co-ed saunas, you can always use a towel to maintain modesty.
In Finland and many other cultures, mixed-gender saunas are usually only used by families.
Most people like to relax in a sauna, so try to keep talking to a minimum or talk in muted tones.
Best Accessories for Finnish Saunas
Some people need very little to enjoy their sauna experience while others like to customize theirs with accessories.
Regardless of your preference, there are some staples of sauna use that everyone should have.
For example, the benches inside the sauna are hard and flat.
To make them more comfortable for laying down, you can purchase backrests and headrests that make using your sauna more comfortable.
There are even specially designed cushions and pillows to enhance your comfort while inside the sauna.
Having a well-stocked supply of large, absorbent towels is also a necessary sauna accessory.
Turkish towels are a popular choice because they are lightweight, absorb water easily, are large enough to wrap around the body, and are soft and comfortable to use.
All dry saunas should have a bucket and ladle, too, for pouring water onto the hot stones.
Having a timer and a thermometer inside the sauna can help you keep track of time and ensure you do not overheat or stay inside too long.
Having a place to hang your towel and robe just outside the sauna is also extremely helpful.
Because some people like to read while inside, having a storage area for magazines and other reading materials can be very handy.
Many enjoy the use of essential oils with their sauna experience, which enhancing the bath by including aromatherapy.
You can purchase special oils for sauna use, or you can use the birch branches previously discussed.
If your sauna is outside, you will want a place to step upon exiting the sauna that keeps your feet clean and dry.
An entrance mat or raised platform gives you somewhere to stand while you get dressed, too.
To keep your sauna clean, you should gently scrub the benches with water at the end of your sauna.
Keeping a special scrub brush for this purpose hanging inside ensures this chore will get done.
With just a light scrub, you can remove any oils, sanitize the area, and leave knowing your sauna will be ready for you on your next visit.
Precautions
A sauna uses high heat and forces your body to perspire.
While this generally well tolerated by most people, there are some who should use caution when using a sauna.
These are the general precautions that you should consider before using a sauna.
- Do not use a sauna after eating a heavy meal or after drinking alcohol.
- Be sure you are sufficiently hydrated before entering the sauna.
- You can eat and drink after your sauna but stick to light snacks or a small meal until a few hours after you exit.
- Be sure to continue drinking water for the remainder of the day after you leave the sauna.
- If you have cardiovascular disease, you should discuss sauna use with your doctor before trying it.
- Those with hypertension should not alternate between extreme temperatures very quickly.
- Those with low blood pressure should exercise caution while using a sauna, which can reduce your pressure even further.
- Those with medical conditions, like kidney disease, which place you at risk for dehydration should exercise extreme caution.
- If you notice that you are feeling dizzy or nauseous, you should exit the sauna immediately, cool down, and drink plenty of fluids.
- Drinking alcohol before sauna use can cause problems with your blood pressure and heart rhythm and can increase your chances of dehydration or death.
- You should not use a sauna more than once in a 24-hour period, as this is linked to a higher incidence of sudden death.
- If you are new to sauna use or have not been inside one in some time, limit your exposure during your first session. Spend perhaps 10 minutes inside before exiting. Do not spend more than 20 minutes inside unless you are well acclimated to the hot temperatures.
- Do not use a sauna if you are sick, pregnant, or recovering from an illness.
- Children under six may use a sauna but only while supervised. They should not be inside for more than 15 minutes at a time.
Final Thoughts
The Finnish sauna is one of the oldest bathing traditions that is still being widely used today.
Finnish or dry saunas are constructed using traditional, wooden materials and include a stove that heats the air inside.
Sitting inside the sauna can be a personal and custom experience for each person, but for the Finns, it is a deeply embedded part of their culture and heritage.
The dry sauna experience involves sitting in heated air to induce sweating, which forces wastes and pollutants from your system.
The more you sweat, the more toxins you are releasing through your pores.
Saunas are safe to use for nearly everyone, especially when you exercise common sense before, during, and after use.