Sauna Bathing
How to take a sauna bath
Warming up a sauna with an electric heater takes normally 45-60 minutes. The
electric stoves are always on and ready for bathing.
Take your clothes off and take a shower before entering the sauna.
There is no one right way to take a sauna. Above all you should be in good
company, so that you can enjoy the experience in peace. One usually goes to
the sauna naked, but you can wear a bathing suit or towel if you feel more
comfortable.
Enter the sauna and sit on the upper bench. You may want to use a small towel
to sit on.
Sit back for a few minutes and let the heat permeate your body and open the
pores of the skin.
You may adjust the air moisture by throwing water on the stones of the heater.
The steam will make the room feel hotter.
Step into the changing room to cool down, maybe take another shower.
You may go back to the heat a few times, taking your time to relax and enjoy
the warmth.
Finally shower to clean yourself from the sweat.
Allow yourself to cool and dry properly before clothing yourself.
To get the most of the sauna, you will need:
At least half an hour of time, preferably an hour or more, so you have ample
time to relax.
A large towel to dry yourself
A smaller towel to sit on
A moisturising lotion for after the sauna
A bathrobe to wear while cooling down
The temperatures in a sauna are of the order of 60 to 100 degrees Celsius.
Splashing water on the benches has a cooling effect, since the evaporating
water will take heat out of the air.
A cool, refreshing shower during or after the sauna completes your relaxation.
Sauna has beneficial effects
According to most studies, sauna stimulates the immune system to work more
efficiently.
Sauna bathing can also alleviate pain and improve joint mobility in patients
with rheumatic disease as well as produce short term improvements in pulmonary
function for patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis.
Some studies have suggested that long-term sauna bathing may help lower blood
pressure in patients with hypertension and improve the left ventricular ejection
fraction in patients with chronic congestive heart failure.