All About Saunas
Sauna bathing is an ancient past time although the activity is quite popular in the modern world as well. What is it that makes the sauna such a timeless pleasure?
The purpose of a sauna is to provide wet or dry heat sessions that promote both relaxation and perspiration. This takes place in a small room where bathers remove their clothing and assume a comfortable position while the hot temperature (greater than 80 °C) penetrates their pores. The opening of the pores and sweating make it possible for impurities to easily be removed from the body. In fact, the sauna’s popularity can be attributed to its many health benefits such as stress reduction, detoxification of the body, an improved immune system and other positive changes.
The word sauna simply means a traditional Finnish bath. In ancient times, saunas were small dwellings dug in the bottom of hills and slopes to keep people warm in winter. The first known saunas were essentially the lowest points dug in a slope in the ground mainly used as dwellings during winters. At the time the sauna included a fireside where stones were heated to very high temperatures. Afterwards, water was thrown on to the hot stones thus producing steam and heat.Because of the extreme heat, individuals would remove their clothes for comfort.
Eventually the home sauna was improved with the addition of a metal woodstove and chimney. Although the temperature was generally set somewhere between 70 and 80 °C, a traditional Finnish sauna could sometimes get as hot as 90 °C. Steam vapor was also generated by spraying water onto the heated stones. The steam vapor and high heat caused bathers to sweat a great deal.
Historically, the Finns used a vihta, a bundle of birch branches with small fresh leaves. They would bind the branches together and use it to gently swat themselves and other bathers.Many bathers continue to practice this today because the vihta stimulates the pores and cells, therefore improving blood circulation. Also, the pleasant birch scent aides in relaxation.
Saunas relieve stress in two ways. One obvious way is psychological; the heat and steam have a highly relaxing effect. .The other way in which a sauna relieves stress is physiological. More potentially harmful chemicals are able to leave the body with the aid of the hot steam. In addition, the formation of new chemicals that are known to cause stress is greatly reduced.
The opening of the pores also makes it easier to remove toxins from the body. Toxins travel through your sweat glands and are released with your perspiration. As noted earlier, a sauna creates a high amount of perspiration and therefore is excellent for detoxification
Finns utilize saunas on a regular basis, and saunas are lauded thoughout Finland as the best, most natural way to cleanse oneself both in body and mind. The sauna was and continues to be an essential aspect of daily life. Families in Finland traditionally bathed together in the sauna at home. It is interesting to note that Finnish women used to give birth in the sauna.
Finnish migration to other parts of the world aided in the dissemination of information about saunas, how they were made and used and their many benefits. This enabled individuals from other cultures to learn about saunas and use them, and it paved the way for future advancements such as electric sauna stoves and far infrared saunas, which became very popular. Today, the sauna is recognized and enjoyed globally, and continues to be enhanced both aesthetically and functionally.