The History of Saunas

Saunas have been around since ancient times and are still very popular today. The question often arises as to where saunas originated, how they are used, and why they continue to have such a strong presence.

A sauna is a small room or dwelling specially designed for bathers to experience wet or dry heat sessions. A typical sauna session may be a social gathering in which bathers undress and sit or lie down in temperatures greater than 80 C. A sauna bath is not only relaxing but also generates profuse sweating. In fact, the sauna's popularity can be attributed to its many health benefits such as stress reduction, detoxification of the body, an improved immune system and other positive changes.

"Sauna" is world that developed in ancient Finland and means a traditional Finnish bath. The earliest saunas were dug in slopes in the ground and used by the Finns to keep warm during the cold winter months. Stones were heated to very high temperatures and water was poured over them in order to create heat and moisture in the form of steam. Because of the extreme heat, individuals would remove their clothes for comfort.

As time passed, the sauna evolved and began to feature a metal woodstove along with a chimney. Steam vapor was also generated by spraying water onto the heated stones. Air temperature was typically set between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius but on occasion exceeded as much as 90 degrees Celsius.

In order to take full advantage of the sauna, the Finns gathered a bundle of bird branches containing tiny, fresh leaves. This was called a vihta. The vihta was used by bathers to gently swipe the skin in order to stimulate the pores, enhance cell production and improve blood circulation. Another benefit of the vihta was that it gave off a very pleasant scent that stimulated relaxation in the same manner that many of today's aromatherapy products work. In fact, the vihta is still used by some individuals in the sauna.

As previously noted, a sauna is a wonderful and effective way to relieve stress. It accomplishes this in two basic ways. One obvious way is psychological; the heat and steam have a highly relaxing effect. The other way in which a sauna relieves stress is physiological. More potentially harmful chemicals are able to leave the body with the aid of the hot steam. In addition, the formation of new chemicals that are known to cause stress is greatly reduced.

The opening of the pores also makes it easier to remove toxins from the body. Toxins travel through your sweat glands and are released with your perspiration. As noted earlier, a sauna creates a high amount of perspiration and therefore is excellent for detoxification.

Finns utilize saunas on a regular basis, and saunas are lauded throughout Finland as the best, most natural way to cleanse oneself both in body and mind. Then and now, the sauna remains a key component to healthy living in Finland. Families often bathed together in home saunas, and in the past Finnish women often gave birth in saunas.

As more and more Finns moved to other countries, their customs moved with them, including the sauna. Cultures all over the world now enjoy the pleasure of the sauna. Today, many modern saunas have been improved further, from electric saunas to infrared saunas. The popularity of the sauna has only increased, and people from all over the globe now recognize and enjoy the benefits of the sauna.

About the Author

Stop and take a look at what of all the latest information on saunas, sauna heaters, sauna kits and infrared saunas for your home. whether your are looking for an indoor sauna or outdoor sauna we have what you need.

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