Saunas have been around for 1000s of years. The Finnish saunas date back to BC and today Finland has 3 million saunas serving a population of 5 million. Most Finns have a private sauna in their home or apartment building. 90% of Finns take a sauna at least once a week. The ancient Romans and Greeks had a Bathhouse while the Turkish had a Hammam during the Ottoman Empire. Native Americans have sweat lodges. Russian Banyas also date back centuries. The Japanese invented the infrared sauna in 1965. As you see many cultures across the globe have historically used saunas. A post-workout sauna has many benefits for your mind and body as its a great workout for your heart and blood vessels. It has become part of my weekly wellness schedule.
Finland has done a lot of research and studies on the benefits of saunas. They have found that it lowers the risk of cardiovascular issues and inflammation. Frequent sauna use is correlated to less cardiac events and lower mortality. It is a big part of their culture and tradition thus must be a connection why Finland is ranked one of the happiest countries in the world.
Benefits
The top reasons saunas are good for you is because its a great workout for the heart and blood vessels. Sauna mimics exercise for cardiovascular health. The high temperatures in a sauna cause your blood vessels to dilate, which lowers blood pressure. It drains the lymphatic system. Provides rest for the kidneys to help remove heavy metals from the body. You get muscle recovery and growth as well as endorphin release and mood elevation, so you have a better ability to be happy and improve your mood. It reduces inflammation and boosts your longevity so you can expect a longer lifespan.
Skin Benefits
Sauna boosts the way you look with skin rejuvenation. It provides natural skin exfoliation since it causes us to sweat thus it aids in the shedding of dead skin cells and decreases face puffiness. Some people suggest that the heat and sweating in a sauna could stimulate collagen production.
At my gym the typical sauna session is: walk in, fully clothed with shoes. Listen to music or scroll IG for 3 minutes. Get up and walk out. WRONG!
How To Use
Do not bring your iphone into the sauna. The high heat and humidity of a sauna can cause permanent damage to your iPhone, reducing its lifespan and performance.
You want as little clothing as possible so the skin has direct exposure to the sauna heat. A swimsuit or just a towel is best.
Be sanitary and bring a towel to sit on, it ensures cleanliness soaking up your sweat.
Go barefoot or wear shower shoes. Street shoes is just bad etiquette as it tracks in dirt.
Avoid eating 2 to 3 hours before you go.
Drink lots of water before you go.
Rehydrate after the sauna and don’t eat for an hour.
Before entering the sauna, remove any lotions, creams, or makeup. These products can mix with sweat and clog your pores.
Always make sure to remove any metal jewelry, including earrings and rings before entering the sauna. Metal can heat up rapidly and could burn your skin when exposed to high temperatures.
Lying down on the bench is the best position as it keep the body temperature even across the body.
Moisturize your skin after you sauna.
Buy yourself a spa towel wrap so you won't have to deal with towels that are too small.
Timing
The more often I go, the better I feel. I go 4x a week for 10 minutes but working up to acclimatize to stay longer. On the wall of my sauna is a 15 minute hourglass timer filled with sand. I noticed that no one else has even seen it! You flip it over to start counting down the minutes.Where to go
I use the dry sauna at my gym but here are a couple infrared saunas in Washington, DC:
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