Enjoying Traditional Finnish Saunas in Modern Times
The use of Finnish saunas
is one part of Finnish culture that has lasted from way back in the past to
today’s modern era. The design of home saunas has changed, but the essence of
the
sauna has remained unaltered. Advances in technology have made
sauna steam room heaters that are easier to use,
safe and more efficient. In Finland there are now over 1.7 million saunas in use
for a population of 5.2 million and the old tradition of men and women bathing
together in the nude can still be found in some places.
Finnish Designs of Home Saunas
The style of saunas used in Finland is the traditional model that has been used
for centuries. It is essentially a steam room built outdoors from natural
materials such as cedar or pine. In the original Finnish design a fire was lit
under stones in the sauna room with the smoke escaping from a hole in the wall.
In later designs the heater for traditional steam saunas became a wood burning stove that also let the sauna fill
up with smoke. Stones are placed on the top of the stove and when water is
ladled over them the smoke swirls around the bathers before it escapes up the
chimney. The Finns believe that the smoke is essential for enjoying the benefits
that only home saunas can bring.
Enjoying the Finnish Steam Sauna Experience
The first step in using a Finnish style home sauna is to start heating the room with
the wood heater. Once you have the right temperature, you sit on a towel on a
bench in the sauna room until you start to build up a good sweat. The
traditional Finnish method of using steam saunas means that you would then run
out and jump into a cool body of water, such as a lake or a river. Finns also
use birch branches to lightly snap each part of the body to get the circulation
really going.
There is no one correct way to take a traditional Finnish steam sauna. By
following the steps the Finns use, you are on your way to a fulfilling sauna
room experience. These steps include:
- Start by taking a shower to keep the room clean
- When you enter, sit back and let the heat from the heater
permeate the pores of your skin
- Pour water over the stones to add more moisture and heat to
the sauna
- Step out several times to cool off and take a cold shower
in between sweating sessions
- Take time to relax in the steam sauna each time you enter
- Shower a final time and get dressed
You should devote at least 30 minutes, preferable longer, to a
sauna room experience. You might also want to use a moisturizing lotion because
the heat from the wood burning heater and the hot steam may dry out your skin.
The cold shower helps to replicate the Finnish tradition of taking a cold swim after
leaving the sauna room to rejuvenate the skin.
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