We don't consider that in other parts of the world the sauna began its history as a magical place that accompanies people at all stages of life. It is a symbolic place of cleansing or shaping identity. What is a dry sauna and how to use it?
It was the frosts affecting people living in areas where polar night lasts for several months that caused the birth of the sauna. Such a heated small room was meant to compensate Finns for the lack of sun. However, when we delve into history, it turns out that the sauna has many more meanings. It is estimated that there are so many saunas in Finland that all citizens of this country could bathe in hot baths simultaneously. The sauna is already an element of national identity.
Ancient beliefs assumed that the sauna was regularly visited by the dead who came there to warm up. Another legend assumes that an elf called Saunatonttu inhabits the sauna. This small elf is the guardian of the sauna living in corners not visible at first glance. Even then, the belief in the health benefits of the sauna was nurtured, where rituals of expelling diseases, treating pain or infertility were performed. It was also a place for childbirth and washing the bodies of the deceased.
Read also: Types of saunas and their use
The Finnish sauna is a wooden cabin with benches also made of wood, where the highest temperature prevails. It can reach even 120 degrees Celsius, which, due to differences in air humidity, is impossible to achieve in a steam sauna. The humidity in a dry sauna is about 15% or less, while in a steam sauna it can reach 100%. The conditions in a dry sauna are ensured by heated stones, which are not sprinkled with water.
The rules for using the Finnish sauna are similar to those of a steam sauna. In both, swimwear is not worn as it could burn the body, but in a dry sauna, one can wrap oneself in a towel. Taking a towel to the steam sauna makes no sense because it will be completely wet after a moment. This means that people who are more modest about nudity should choose the dry sauna. What are the other rules for using the sauna?
In the sauna, above all, we must consider that we are not alone there, but we do not share it only with the elf, but also with strangers. Therefore, hygiene rules must be observed. Both before and after a sauna visit, you should wash yourself, remembering that our skin will remove toxins from the body due to the heat. Footwear should be left at the entrance. We should go to the sauna in the evening when we no longer have a day full of activities ahead of us. It is best not to use it not only before but also immediately after physical exertion.
You should neither enter the cabin hungry nor completely full. It is best to use it once a week, which is enough for all its beneficial effects to take place. One session in the sauna should last from 5 to 15 minutes, after which you should take a break to cool down. Then you can return for another session. After leaving the sauna, a 20-minute rest should be taken. What advantages does the sauna offer us? Can sauna use be harmful?
Read also: Steam sauna — how to use it? Advantages, properties, and effects
The dry sauna brings the best effects to people with increased back muscle tension, bronchial asthma, or rheumatoid arthritis. The Finnish sauna promotes the improvement of the circulatory system, heart function, and blood pressure regulation. Besides these advantages, the sauna reduces stress. The dry sauna causes increased sweating, and with sweat, the body removes accumulated toxins. The body cleanses itself in this way and metabolism improves. For this reason, many people consider the sauna a method for weight loss.
However, there are contraindications to using this place. The Finnish sauna should primarily be avoided by elderly people, children, and pregnant women. Likewise, people with a current cold or with tuberculosis or acute asthma. Ulcers, cancers, heart failure or coronary artery disease, glaucoma, or epilepsy are also conditions that exclude sauna visits.
