It’s the perfect season for going to the sauna. I’m happy! It makes me think back to our trip to Iceland and going to the sauna there! If it’s getting cold and wet outside, our body needs some warmth. It’s not only warm and silent in a sauna, it’s also relaxing if you go there regularly. But watch out – there’s a lot you can do wrong and harm your body. I’ve listed some important tips for going to the sauna in this post.

Going to the Sauna the Right Way:
Sweating and What You Need to Know

» The Finnish Sauna:

By pouring water onto the hot stones in a sauna, you can create a lot of steam to make your body sweat. How long you stay in the sauna is up to you. One session in a Finnish sauna (80 to 110 degrees Celsius) is about 15 Minutes. In most saunas you can find sandglasses to measure the time. Depending on how experienced you are, you can stay longer. You should not spend longer than 20-25 Minutes in the Finnish sauna though.

For blood circulation, you can find birch branches in some saunas, which you can use to whip against your body. You can also buy them in drugstores, health food stores, and in some supermarkets. After going to the sauna, you can jump into cold water or take a cold shower. You need to get used to the difference in temperature, but you will feel like a newborn. After a break of about 20-45 Minute, you repeat the whole process.

» Rules in a Sauna:

If you go to the sauna and want the best results, you will need one thing: a lot of time. The whole process with going in the sauna, showering, going back in the sauna, cooling down, and taking breaks is about 2 hours long – at least. You want to achieve the following: relaxation and doing something good for your body. Take your time and don’t let yourself get stressed. You should also drink between sauna sessions. You lose a lot of water when sweating. So, make sure you drink a lot of water or tea between sauna uses.

» Important Tips & References for Visiting the Sauna:

Before going in the sauna: take a shower! It’s an absolute must! It’s not only more hygienic but you also remove the fat on your skin, which prevents sweating. Wipe off your sweat after one sauna session because dry skin will sweat faster.

If you want to go to the sauna, you should have eaten hours before and not be hungry or full. Make sure to eat something light on the day you want to go the the sauna.

There is nothing worse than new people coming to the sauna, who just come to sit beside you and the other guests (and even touch you!!!) or step on people’s towels! An absolute no-go! That’s why you have to keep your distance of at least 30 cm.

» Sauna without a feeling of shame

I have to admit that it was not easy in the beginning to sit completely naked in the sauna. Not everyone feels good in their own skin and some don’t want to be naked in front of others. Don’t worry, I’m also one of those more self-conscious people but people like us don’t have to waive healthy sweating altogether. Here are some tips for sauna newbies.

Don’t worry about peeping toms in the sauna. Most people just want to enjoy sweating and relaxing. To make that happen, you just have to ged rid of your clothes. It’s normally dark in saunas, so it’s not that awkward. If you still feel awkward, you can use a little towel and wrap yourself in it and go into the sauna – afterwards you can put the towel onto the wood. If you take a bigger towel you can cover your lap.

If you still feel bad, you can choose a sauna that’s seperated by genders. In the beginning I only went to steam baths. You won’t see anything anyway. It’s so steamy, that you can’t even see others. This was perfect for me as a beginner. Just try it!