The Sauna and its many benefits

A sauna is a bath that uses dry heat to induce perspiration. Unlike a steam bath, a sauna uses very high temperatures to relax muscles and causes profuse sweating to clean pores and foster respiratory wellness. In a sauna, you do not see steam.

Heat helps improve blood circulation and speeds up the body's natural healing processes. It also contributes to a deep cleansing of the skin, helps relieve stress, and promotes a general feeling of rejuvenation. Best of all, it's a therapy that can be administered while reclining so that the neck and back are completely at rest.

Sauna therapy helps to provide instant relief from a stressful day's activities. It relaxes muscles and helps ease tension. As part of an overall wellness program it helps promote physical fitness by increasing the heart rate and cardiac output while helping to lower blood pressure.

Intense sweating achieved in the sauna carries off deeply embedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing and extremely clean. Increasing the blood circulation draws the skin's natural nutrients to the surface, which brings improved tone, elasticity, texture, and colour.

The deep heat of the sauna helps peripheral blood vessels dilate, bringing relief and healing to muscle and soft tissue injuries.

Temperatures can range from 140°F to 190°F and pose a danger for certain individuals.

Always consult with your doctor before starting sauna treatment if you have any concerns.

• Shower first. Yeast on the body grows quickly when skin becomes warm, oily and sweaty (such as after exercise). Normal cleansing typically prevents overgrowth, but if you go directly into a hot environment like a sauna where you continue sweating, there's a greater chance of developing a condition called tinea.
• Keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water before entering a sauna and afterward to replenish fluids lost through sweating.
• 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 (five minutes is a good starting point) 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 out of the sauna and into the changing room to cool down. Maybe take a cool shower.
• You may go back to the heat a few times (try for 10 minutes this time), taking your time to relax and enjoy the warmth.
• Finally shower to clean yourself from the sweat. Cool down and dry properly before dressing.

How long can I stay in there?

Enjoying a sauna is a personal thing; you should always listen to your body and do as you feel best. For a first time I would suggest you stay in for a few minutes, depending on the temperature. After cooling down for a few minutes, go into the sauna again and stay a bit longer, maybe five to ten minutes. When you feel like having another break, feel free to do so. A serious sauna enthusiast once told me he doesn't consider it a proper sauna if it lasts less than an hour and a half, but that's just him...

How many times a week can I use the sauna?

If you are reasonably healthy, you can bathe in a sauna as often as you like without worrying about health effects. Slather on moisturizer afterward. Heat from a sauna can leave skin dry. After your sweat session, rinse off in a cool shower and apply a generous amount of body lotion to damp skin. Try Nivea Body Extra Enriched Lotion with vitamin E.