The Basics Of Saunas... History And Benefits

Saunas have their origins from the Finland, where saunas are just a normal part of life, as indicated by the fact that there is essentially one sauna for every household. It is just like saying every family in America has a car, that is simply how much apart of Finnish culture saunas are. As a matter of fact, before modern public health care and nurseries, it was common for Finnish women to give birth in saunas, due to the sterile environment. Before we move onto the benefits of a sauna, let’s first quickly cover the two different kinds of sauna.

First, a dry sauna works by having special stones heated and placed inside the room, which raises the temperature of the room. A steam sauna is the exact same, except that water is poured onto the heated stones, thus creating steam. The dry sauna heats only the air of the room while the steam sauna heats the air and raises the humidity of the room.

Now onto the crux of the matter, the health benefits of a sauna, dry or steamed. Basically the benefits of a sauna are derived from the heat generated in the room. The benefits of both kinds of sauna are essentially due to the high temperatures that really benefit your body.

When the temperature is raised to such levels, you will perspire, and that alone can increase the circulation of the blood due to blood vessels opening more thus promoting healing. Not only will you enjoy the relaxing of your body as all of your pores open and allow toxins and such to be released from your body, but steam saunas can also help improve respiratory problems as well.

As you can see, both types of saunas have benefits for your health. However you should consult your doctor before you simply jump into a sauna as the high temperatures can be dangerous for those with certain health problems. 

Thanks to the Finnish, we are now able to share in the beneficial qualities of both a dry and steam sauna. The health benefits are numerous and are a simple solution to aid the body in recovering from different ailments as well as a good way to relax and reduce stress. It is clear that the Finnish discovered the social and health benefits of their saunas long ago, and that even with all of today’s medicines, sometimes a few sessions in a hot steamy room are just what the doctor ordered.