#70 - Sauna

Heat sessions include saunas, steam baths, banyas, and other experiences which can vary from wet to dry. This week we will be discovering types of perspiratory facilities, analysing their pros and cons, and choosing the best for you depending on what you like.

Such a simple and quite accessible purification process like a sauna carries great benefits and it could be included in a weekly routine. Combine it with alternated cold showers for maximum benefits.

All the saunas carry very similar benefits.

General benefits of saunas:

• Improved cardiovascular health- anything that increases your body temperature will increase your heart rate, which in turn increases your circulation;

• Better management of blood pressure - much like when exercising, your blood pressure would go up initially and the regular sessions will result in better management of blood pressure.

• Lowered blood pressure - spending time in a sauna can lower your blood pressure. However, you wouldn’t want to go into a sauna if you have uncontrolled blood pressure already.

• Stress relief - sauna bathing is viewed as a way to destress and relax.

• Glow skin - using a sauna benefits overall skin health. Blood flow is brought to the surface of the skin before you start sweating. Skin is more robust, clear, and elastic.

• Relief from stiff joints and sore muscles - great benefits for workout recovery. Sauna session results in loosening tense muscles. Relief from joint pain such as arthritis.

• It can help with tension-type headaches.

• It can help people with chronic fatigue syndrome and improve sleep.

• Strengthen the immune system.

• Detoxification through perspiration - that's one of the most significant benefits.

• Weight loss. You actually burn the calories while enjoying the sauna procedure.

• Restore flexibility. Especially if you practice Hot Yoga, which is done in the hot room.

• The steam soothes sinus irritation;.

• Chest congestion from asthma is also relieved.

"Research showed that people who regularly use a sauna (at least four times a week for 20 minutes) have a significantly lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia."

There are some rules which should be followed for proper usage:

• It's good to drink a glass of water before the session.

• Quick warmup might be a good idea before entering.

• Take off clothes and jewellery. Take a towel to sit on in the sauna. Traditionally in the sauna, we are sitting naked, but in some countries, etiquette says differently.

• Take a warm shower before. It's to make the skin wet and remove perfumes and smells that will become stronger in the sauna. You can also apply some body scrubs for more benefits.

• Dry off the body to speed up perspiration in the sauna.

• When entering and exiting, do it quick to keep the heat inside.

• Place a towel on the bench and sit on it and take it when you leave.

• It's good to start from the lower bench to let the body prepare. In the second round, you can go for a higher one.

• Breath normally, sit or lay down still.

• Spend in sauna desirable time. Usually 10-15 minutes at the time, but if you feel uncomfortable just leave earlier. It's generally good to start slower and prolong sessions in a healthy manner. Observe your body.

• Cool down. It's great to take a nice cold shower, but if you are not ready you can try lukewarm water or simply sit on the bench for some time.

• Respect others. Sauna is primarily a place to relax. You can talk as long it doesn't distribute others. The same goes for stretching when the place is crowded.

• Repeat the sessions of heating and cooling down. Usually, 2-3 times are desirable.

• Make sure to properly hydrate yourself! You sweated out not only toxins but also nutrients, so make sure to fill the gaps.

• It's great to have a massage or simply relax afterwards to complete the process.

• Traditional Finnish Sauna

Let's begin with a traditional Finnish sauna. It maintains some of the highest heat of any sauna. It uses temperatures sometimes as high as 195℉ (90℃), and operated on very low humidity. This can be very overwhelming to someone who is sensitive to heat which is why this isn’t a preferred sauna type.

This specific sauna is wood-lined and is most commonly known as the traditional sauna. Inside the sauna, you can find heated rocks, a bucket of water, and a ladle. Anyone who uses the sauna can control the humidity by adding water onto the rocks. This can change the humidity and steam in the sauna from 20% to 40%. The higher the temperature inside of the sauna the lower the humidity.

As the temperature of the air increases, so does the body. This initiates a cooling process response that moves more circulation to the surface of the skin and which also opens pores to facilitate sweating. As you walk into a dry sauna, your heart rate raises which helps to get the blood circulating as in almost all of the bath systems. One’s metabolism also speeds up temporarily, helping to burn off weight through sweating and fat-burning

For someone who is looking to clear pathways, aid in respiratory system functioning, or clear up cold and flu symptoms, a dry sauna isn't the right choice.

If you consider installing a traditional dry sauna it's worth mentioning that it needs much more power to run, usually up to 6 kW in comparison with an infrared model which only uses roughly 1.6 kW.

• Infrared sauna

It differs from a traditional sauna that warms the air around the body. In an infrared sauna waves target the body and warm it from the inside. Infrared waves penetrate a few inches deep, resulting in vigorous perspiration and increased heart rate. Some scientific studies have shown sitting in an infrared sauna is like doing a moderately intense cardio workout. It is not caused by waves themselves like that while you’re inside, but this is the sort of response the body generates which makes you feel like.

Also, it’s believed that infrared saunas produce all these responses and health benefits at temperatures lower than a traditional sauna. It’s also like a solution for people who don’t tolerate heat well. If you’re considering a home sauna for relaxation and as an anti-stress mechanism, an infrared sauna may be one of the accessible options along with other baths of your choice.

Several studies have looked at using infrared saunas in the treatment of chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, headache, type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, and found some evidence of benefit. However, larger and more rigorous studies are needed to confirm these results, so the information should be considered general.

People have been using saunas for centuries since those were invented for all sorts of health conditions. While there are several ongoing studies and research on traditional saunas, there aren’t as many studies that look specifically at infrared saunas, so with time, there is hoped to be more information regarding that.

• Russian Banya.

A regular visit to the banya leads to a general hardening and rejuvenation of the body and improves the quality of life. Its beneficial properties include a powerful healing and prophylactic effect in the fight against colds, nervous system diseases as well as excretory and cardiac systems.

Bathing procedures are performed in the supine position. With a horizontal position of the body, the heat is evenly distributed in the room and correctly affects the human body. Sometimes people use bouquets of herbs, or other leaves to gently slap the body for a better effect on blood circulation in the skin. Procedures should start from the bottom shelf, usually, it’s a wooden bench to sit on, slowly moving to the upper-level benches.

After completing the procedures, it is recommended to cool the body in the tub, pool, or under a cool shower. After the final entry into the steam room, you can thoroughly wash the body from sweat using care products and a washcloth.

Regular bathing procedures increase the strength and elasticity of the ligaments, reduce the likelihood of venous clogging of the veins and headaches. In many cases, there is a significant strengthening of the immune system, an improvement in metabolism, and cellulite reduction.

Thermal procedures in baths like banya reduce the likelihood of atherosclerosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction in men.

• Standard steam bath

Bath procedures have a mild beneficial effect on all systems and organs in the human body.

Steam bath’s temperature is around 120⁰F (48⁰C) built with tiles, glass or acrylic inside of a sealed space. A steam room is a virtually airtight room where steam is fed with the help of a steam generator. A steam bath has a lower temperature with 100% humidity. The humidity makes it feel hotter than the actual temperature is.

Steam rooms are usually finished in ceramic tile and the ceiling must be slanted so that the steam buildup does not drip from the ceiling onto the bathers. The primary goal of steam rooms is to make the bather sweat for detoxification purposes.

Unfortunately, not many studies have been done on steam rooms. However, we can suspect similar benefits as it is in the case of dry saunas. Both saunas and steam rooms increase your skin and core body temperatures, causing various physiological changes, but these changes happen a lot faster and with more intensity, in steam rooms, because your sweating responses are dampened, literally.

• Swedana (Sanskrit -"perspiration" or "to sweat")

Swedana is also called a steam therapy, an Ayurvedic treatment that involves sweating which releases toxins from the body.

As you already know Ayurveda has a lot to offer when it comes to natural therapies. There are many forms of Swedana. A special herbal concoction of the steam is applied and can vary depending on what ailment needs to be treated or upon the Dosha characteristics of the person being treated.

We will focus on describing the most well-known - Bashpa Swedana treatment. The person sits in the steam box which is filled with herb-infused steam. The herbs that are utilised in the steam helps to eliminate the toxins, soften the muscles and support the increase of healthy blood circulation. This ayurvedic therapy helps to push the herbal oil more profoundly through the layers of the skin.

The Bashpa Swedana is most effective when practiced after a full body oil massage because the skin is primed with oil and is more susceptible to absorbing the herbs in the steam. The treatment can be performed either sitting or lying down, and a wet covering should be used around the head and eyes for protection. Warm shower should follow the treatment.

Swedana is often used to prepare the body for further healing processes.

These treatments include benefits as steam bath, adding benefits from herbal concoctions.

Since we are talking about saunas, I decided to mention Hammam (hamam). It is not exactly "typical" steam or dry sauna, it's more like a washing ritual.

The ritual usually starts with washing yourself first to get dirt from the body, after a session in a sauna (ideally about 15 minutes), a massage with "scrubbing" gloves in a marble bath, a cold shower, washing the skin with a special soap, and a full body massage.

A Turkish bath became popular as a therapy, a method of cleansing, and a place for relaxation during the Victorian era for washing, as well as relaxing.

Traditional Turkish Bath, unlike home baths, is constantly hot and humidity is quite high. The hamam’s hot steam effect helps skin to get rid of dead skin and facilitates the opening of pores. Turkish baths have taken their place among the secrets of beauty of Ottoman women.

Traditional Turkish Hammam bath helps muscles to relax, the body to rest, letting spiritual and physical dirt be purified. In the early period, which is essential even nowadays I agree, cleaning was an important and vital necessity, so people usually went to the baths as there were no bathing facilities in their homes. Going to a hammam was a very common and traditional activity at least once a week.

The whole process takes a minimum of two hours, so when deciding to visit the Turkish bath, you should not be in a hurry. Individual hamam rituals may differ depending on the offer of a given place. That is why, before going to the Turkish bath, it is worth checking what exactly will be waiting for us there.

I don't want to spoiler too much, if you travel to Turkey, it's a must-try.

You already know the main difference between saunas which is a temperature and humidity. Both steam room and dry saunas seem so similar when it comes to effects on the human body and health.

It's interesting as you might think that you are sweating more in a steam room, but the droplets on your body are more likely to be condensed water from the humid air than perspiration.

Both these types of hot baths stimulate blood flow and promote healthy metabolism but some people find it difficult to breathe in the dry heat of a sauna. So people with respiratory problems like sinus congestion and asthma may prefer the moist heat of steam baths.

Which one is better?

It all comes down to personal preference and how your body reacts to the thermal stress of a dry sauna or steam room. There is not enough evidence directly comparing the two types to make a meaningful statement.

Try each of them and find which one is most suitable. Observe how your body reacts to each of the procedures and how you feel, try to note if it’s convenient then you’ll know for sure which one you would visit more often.

Who should avoid a sauna procedure:

• If you have a history of fainting.

• Heart problems. Especially, If you suffered from a heart attack or stroke within the last three months.

• Pregnant women (check with your doctor).

• High blood or low blood pressure.

• People using certain medications which interfere with body's ability to regulate temperature.

It applies to all types of saunas even, though infrared saunas have been found to be fairly safe, you don’t want to take any chances when it comes to your health and safety.

People in older age should be especially mindful and observe the body reactions.

Here are a few things you should know before indulging in your first session:

• Avoid using a sauna if you’ve been drinking alcohol or taking recreational drugs.

• Never fall asleep in the sauna!

• If you feel ill or have a fever, it’s best to wait to use the sauna until you’re feeling better.

• Avoid overeating before the planned sauna session.

• If during the session you feel lightheaded when you stand up. Make sure you get up slowly and sit down once you leave the sauna. Drink water immediately after finishing your session and wait for your body to cool down before doing anything else.

• In extreme cases, some people may experience overheating or dehydration. So keep track of the time you spend in and do not try to test your limits, as soon as you feel that you should no longer stay inside then you should listen to your senses. Listen to your body and respect the signs it might be giving you.

In a conclusion, you should test available options and try to find your favourite sauna option.

Remember that it's important to do it safely. Be mindful, observe your body, keep the proper hydration.

Avoid sauna if you've been drinking alcohol. If you have any medical contradictions it's best to ask your doctor for approval.

Consider adding a sauna or steam bath into your every week/every month routine. It doesn’t have to be often, despite this, think about including such procedures whenever you want.

Consider combining a sauna with a cold shower. It goes as follows: one-time sauna then a cold shower, and do approximately 2-3 rounds. It’s recommended to start from warm water, to get to know your body a little more, this way you will not shock your body too much and too fast. The body will adapt with time. But you already know that ;)

If you want to bring a sauna experience to your home, but don't have enough budget or place, consider purchasing a portable sauna.

So no more excuses, you can also have a sauna session in your room. This type of sauna is usually quite affordable, with an exception of some fancy models.

Most of them are steam sauna, but you can even find infrared in portable options!