Saunas have been around since antiquity and are still very popular today. Let’s explore the history of saunas and learn how they work

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. If water is poured on the hot stones, steam is produced which makes the sauna moist. The sauna is loved not only for it’s relaxing properties, but also for improving the immune system and helping detoxify the body.

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 sauna consisted of a fire wherein stones were heated to high temperatures, then doused in water to release steam heat.The heat would be so strong that often people would undress when this was done.

Eventually the sauna was improved with the addition of a metal woodstove and chimney. In traditional Finnish saunas the temperatures within often exceeded 90 degrees Celcius. 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.

In order to take full advantage of the sauna, the Finns gathered a bundle of bird branches containing tiny, fresh leaves. This was called a vihta.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.

As previously noted, a sauna is a wonderful and effective way to relieve stress. It accomplishes this in two basic 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 by releasing chemicals from the body. When your skin heats up during a bath, large quantities of chemicals that cause stress are expelled from the body. Thus, in addition to reducing the amount of chemicals in the body, the sauna bath also slows the formation of chemicals.

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. Then and now, the sauna remains a key component to healthy living in Finland. Families often bathed together in home saunas, and in the past Finnish women often gave birth in saunas.

When the Finns migrated to the different parts of the globe they shared their knowledge of sauna designs and customs. They taught other cultures about the sauna’s health benefits which helped the sauna to evolve further. Eventually, this led to the development of electric sauna stoves and far infrared saunas which became quite popular. Since then various cultures around the world have been recognizing, adopting and improvising the sauna.

Tags: dry sauna, Finnish dry sauna, Finnish sauna, sauna, sauna health benefits