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How to sauna like a true Finn aka Sauna 101
What is sauna?
Saunas are small, wooden rooms, heated to temperatures upwards of 212 °F (or 100 °C) to produce dry heat, designed to cause the body to sweat. Steam is added to the room by pouring water on heated rocks, a practice known as löyly. There are wood burning saunas, electric saunas, and smoke saunas. I was lucky enough to try all three types of saunas while in Finland and felt like they were all pretty much the same in terms of experience and effect.The health benefits of sauna
Aside from promoting relaxation, the high temperature of saunas increase blood flow throughout your body. This causes a decrease in blood pressure, which promotes cardiovascular health. Saunas are also known to relax sore muscles, flush toxins, cleanse the skin, burn calories, and help fight off illnesses. I actually had a head cold when I arrived to Finland and my Finnish hosts all encouraged me to sauna with a cold to help fight it off. They were also quick to tell me that while sauna is great for a head cold, it is not safe for those with a fever or the flu. Important note: If you have any serious or chronic conditions you should talk to your doctor before going to sauna as what is beneficial to most could be detrimental to you.What to wear in a sauna
True Finns sauna naked when at home or with groups of same-sex friends. I wish I had that Finnish body confidence, but this American wore a bathing suit to every sauna. Going to sauna in a bathing suit or towel is perfectly acceptable in most Finnish saunas. Since I was invited to Finland on a press trip with a bunch of bloggers from around the world, bathing suits were actually encouraged.How long to stay in sauna
If you ask a Finnish person how long you should stay in a sauna, they will always tell you, "as long as it feels good." For me, this was ten to fifteen minutes. For others it could be more or less, but your body will tell you when you've had enough of the heat and it's time to leave. It's recommended to drink a big glass of water after leaving the sauna.How often you should sauna
Finnish people sauna anywhere from weekly to daily. While I wish I could sauna that often now that I'm back at home, I want to try and sauna every time I'm at a spa or gym that has a sauna.Ice swimming: an important step in Finnish sauna
If you want to sauna like a Finn, you don't just sit in the sauna and get hot. You alternate between the hot sauna and a frozen lake/pool/shower to cool you off. Hardcore Finns skip the cold water and just roll around in the snow. (Not kidding!) While it sounds crazy, its incredibly invigorating, and like the original version of cryotherapy. (Just make sure to not dunk your head under water!) Here is a video of me trying ice swimming in Finland for the first time: [mv_video aspectRatio="fluid" key="jo5chyq1c2nocfqcuafw"]It was 26°F!
Please note that while ice swimming has a lot of benefits, it also has a lot of dangers and is not recommended for those with heart conditions or other serious conditions. Please talk with your doctor before trying ice swimming for yourself.
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