One of the questions we get asked the most by our customers is “how do you sauna?”. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy a sauna but here are a few tips to get the most out of your session.
Each tradition / culture has slight variations on how they approach a sauna session whether it be a Finnish sauna, a Russian Banya or a Lithuanian Pirtis. Our saunas are based on a traditional Finnish design and therefore our ‘method’ is also based on the Finnish Sauna process.
1 - Heat up the room
And maybe more importantly the rocks (or let us do it for you). This may involve lighting and maintaining a fire in a traditional wood fired sauna stove or flicking a switch if you have an electric sauna. We often get asked how hot is a sauna? Traditional saunas usually range from 70-90°C. We aim to keep our saunas between 80-90°C.
2 - Wash / rinse
Before you enter the sauna wash and rinse off. Your fellow bathers will definitely thank you for it. It is important to arrive at the sauna clean so taking a pre sauna shower is essential. It is important to make sure you dry off completely as you will sweat quicker this way.
"Sauna is deeply connected to cleanliness" - Emma O'Kelly, The Power of Deep Heat
3 - Sit on a towel
Another must in sauna etiquette is to sit on a towel for hygiene purposes and sauna cleanliness. And pick your spot carefully! The higher you sit the hotter it will be so it is sometimes best to start on the lower benches depending on experience.
4 - Add some water to the rocks
To create some steam (löyly in Finnish) you'll need to add water to the rocks on the stove. This will not actually change the temperature of the sauna but will dramatically increase how hot it feels due to water conducting heat better than air. It is always polite to ask fellow bathers before adding water to the rocks and remember little and often provides a nice even steam, a ladle every 3-5 minutes works well for us.
5 - Sweat it out
You've come to a sauna to sweat! But monitor how your body is feeling. There is no right amount of time to stay in the sauna and will vary depending on the person, the temperature and the humidity. Our saunas are normally 80-90°C and we find a 8-15 minute session is typical. However, it's vital that you listen to your body on the day. You want to feel some level of discomfort but not push yourself. Your heart can be a good indicator as the sauna will elevate your heart rate significantly.
6 - Time for a cold plunge
For maximum benefit, hop in an ice bath or the sea. These extremes of temperature force the body to work hard to maintain homeostasis. Focusing on slow breathing can really help here. Again there is no correct amount of time just important to get comfortably uncomfortable.
"Go to the edge of your comfort zone, as this builds your resilience." – Dr. Marc Cohen, Extreme Wellness Institute
7 - Rest
Allow the body to reach equilibrium after the extremes of the hot and cold. As much as you may want to hop straight back in the sauna after the cold plunge it’s important to allow a bit of time for your body to reset. It’s good to listen to your heart here as it should return to resting heart rate. As a guide the rest period should be roughly the same length as the sauna session.
8 - Replenish with water
Have a good drink of water, and with electrolytes is even better. You’ve just had a good sweat so now is a great time to rehydrate with plenty of water.
9 - Repeat
We tend to find one sauna session is not enough and that 3 rounds feels about right for us. However, pay attention to your own body and feel what is right for you.
This is how we typically enjoy our saunas at Sauna Box. However, priority must be placed on listening to your body, and what it says maybe different each time you go to the sauna. We use a sauna to improve health, build community and promote happiness and this steers how use it.
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