Sauna Bathing-An Ancient Past Time
The sauna has been treasured by man since time immemorial, and is still loved today. What is it that makes the sauna such a timeless pleasure?
Saunas are designed to provide either moist or dry heat. 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.
”Sauna” is world that developed in ancient Finland and means a traditional Finnish bath. Stones were heated to very high temperatures and water was poured over them in order to create heat and moisture in the form of steam.Because of the extreme heat, individuals would remove their clothes for comfort.
As time passed, the sauna evolved and began to feature a metal woodstove along with a 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. Spraying water onto the hot rocks helped perfect this experience by adding a soft steam.
Often the Finns would use a ‘vihta’, a bundle of birch branches with fresh leaves, to gently swat themselves and other bathers to improve the experience. This practice not only aids in blood circulation, but adds a pleasant birch scent to the sauna.
Saunas provide stress relief in two ways. One is the natural relaxation you’d experience when spending time in a dry or wet sauna. When the sauna heats your skin, it helps to detoxify your body by making it sweat out more harmful toxins than you would have without its aid. Removing these chemicals helps your body fight stress and feel healthier
Furthermore, your body releases much of the toxins through the pores of your skin while you perspire. As mentioned earlier, the sauna induces sweating that ultimately cleanses the body.
Finns utilize home 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. There was a time in history when members of a Finnish family would bather together in their sauna at home. Another interesting fact about the Finns is that many 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.












