Our body can burn up to 300 calories during one sauna session. Moreover, many bacteria and viruses cannot survive at temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. This means that staying in a sauna helps us win the fight against them without special effort or medication.
In Scandinavia, on the other hand, the sauna has been appreciated for its ability to relieve tension and reduce aggressiveness and formal barriers. Because of this, it is often a place for business negotiations. But what do we owe this hot room in everyday life?
Every sauna, both dry and wet, brings numerous benefits to our body. Muscle relaxation, accelerated metabolism, and increased production of red and white blood cells – these properties make us more relaxed, less nervous, lose weight without engaging in strenuous exercise or diet, and improve the efficiency of our circulatory system. Therefore, sauna supports the treatment of infections, regenerates the body, reduces stress and nervous tension. Additionally, it is recommended for various rheumatic ailments, skin problems, or circulation-related issues. However, remember that there are also contraindications to using the sauna, and it's worth making sure beforehand that none apply to you. These include clotting problems, atherosclerosis, cancers, post-heart attack states, coronary artery disease, and glaucoma. Temporary conditions of our body also exclude sauna use, for example, menstruation or pregnancy.
It is best to decide to visit a doctor before the first sauna session. Nowadays, also make sure that the sauna you want to use is properly ventilated, disinfected, and equipped with devices to measure humidity and temperature. This way, we take care of our safety. Before entering the sauna, remove warming and thus dangerous jewelry, alcohol, creams, and body lotions. We should go to the sauna at the earliest 1.5 hours after the last meal and at least half an hour after previous physical effort. It is also best to be in the sauna with company in case of fainting.
We do not wear swimwear; the only cover should be a towel. Remember that we sit on it in the cabin, so that no part of the body touches the heated benches. Ideally, right after leaving the cabin, we should cool down by going to the pool or taking a shower. We should also hydrate and rest instead of engaging in any activity. Such a temperature change is a heavy strain on the body, and we should not expose it to greater exhaustion.
At first, we should not use the sauna daily, as it is a new and taxing experience for our body. A more experienced person, if there are no medical contraindications, can use it daily. However, the usage pattern then differs from that which involves less frequent visits. For beginners, a sauna visit once a week is recommended, as this is how long the therapeutic effect lasts after the sauna. The first sauna sessions should last about 5 minutes; over time, as the body adapts, this time can be gradually extended up to 15 minutes. After such a session, the body should be cooled down. If we have ailments that the sauna helps treat, the frequency of sauna use and the duration spent there should be decided by a doctor.
The optimal sauna frequency is 2-3 times a week. Only people whose bodies undergo increased physical exertion, e.g., athletes, may eventually start using it daily. This aims to speed up regenerative processes. Generally, however, daily sauna visits are not recommended. Usually, 2 or 3 sessions per visit are recommended, which means that after the first 5 or more minutes, we leave and cool down the body, then return to the sauna once or twice more with breaks for additional cooling.
The length of sauna sessions should be regulated as much as possible based on our reactions and feelings. Some days, we may feel worse after a shorter time and should not force ourselves to maintain the previously planned duration.