All about Finnish Sauna Bathing – Learn the Proper Steps
There is a lot of talk about detoxification and traditional Finnish sauna
bathing. Both infrared and steam saunas are
becoming increasingly popular and it’s a good idea to learn how to use them
properly. Let’s see how the Finns take a sauna and learn from them. After all,
Finland is the home of the sauna and these people have been sweating in them for
a long time.
First of all, ask your doctor to see if a sauna steam bath is recommended for
you. Interestingly enough, one in five Finns owns a sauna and its regular use is
said to be beneficial in many ways, if the procedure is done correctly.
How to Take a Sauna the Finnish Way
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Disrobe – Yep, the Finns take their steam bath in the buff. And don’t
forget to remove your glasses, contact lenses and any metal (jewelry, watches
and such). The metal will get very hot resulting in a nasty burn.
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Take a Shower – Rinsing off before entering the sauna is a tradition.
The Finns don’t use soap at this stage. Enter and take a seat.
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Enjoy the Heat – 10 to 20 minutes of heat and steam is probably all you
can handle. Remember that the upper benches are the hottest. And don’t try to
compete with other sauna bathers to see who can bear the heat for the longest
period.
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Cool Off – The Finns like to roll in the snow, dump a cold bucket of
water over their head or take a bath in the lake. Otherwise, a cold shower
will do.
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Re-Enter – The second session in traditional
Finnish steam saunas involves pouring water
over the heated rocks on top of the heater to produce hot wafts of steamy
vapor. This will make it particularly hot for bathers sitting on the upper
benches.
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Repeat as Needed – Repeat these sauna sessions as often as you like.
The Finns also beat each other with birch branches to improve circulation
during steam bathing.
There you have it: how to take a sauna bath the Finnish way. Read some of the
other articles on this site that will show you how to build your own
home sauna or steam bath from an easy-to-assemble
sauna kit.
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