In Finland, sauna is a real tradition and a sauna session is always done in the same way, with rituals. This article presents the steps of a typical sauna session, as well as the rules to follow. How a sauna session takes place:
Steps and rules to know
Steps and rules to know during a sauna session
Sauna: Proper attire not required
Nudity is the norm in the best infrared sauna because wearing a bathing
suit is considered antihygienic. And any clothing prevents the evaporation of
perspiration.
Also remove your glasses or contact lenses and take off your
jewelry (which could be burned by the heat).
NB: A towel is nevertheless placed between the bench and the
skin to absorb the sweat and protect the skin from the heat of the wood (and
protect the wood from your sweat!).
After the session, you only get dressed when you have
finished sweating.
The steps of the sauna session
- Hot shower with soap (to get into the sauna room clean) then dry off
- First sauna session - Short session of 5 to 10 minutes
- Cold shower or bath (a few seconds are enough) then dry off
- Rest for 10 minutes - Rehydration
- Second sauna session - Long session of 10 to 15 minutes
- Cold shower or bath, then dry off
- Rest of : 10 minutes - Rehydration
Outdoor infrared sauna session can be done 2 to 3 times a week.
The rules to respect
for a good sauna session
- First, listen to your body. Do not force your limits and stop the session at the slightest sign of discomfort!
- For beginners: In traditional saunas, the hot air tends to rise. It is therefore more comfortable to sit on the lower benches.
- Be sure to follow the alternative phases: Heat bath - Cooling - Resting The aim is to keep an internal temperature of 37°C, hence the sweating/cooling process.
- Breathe through your mouth because breathing through your nose can burn your mucous membranes...Take your time! If you are in a hurry, postpone your sauna session until later.Avoid alcohol and heavy meals before the session...No cell phones or electronic devices in the traditional sauna cabin... It makes sense....
You don't do anything during a portable infrared sauna session... you don't talk, you don't move, you don't read. The heat mobilizes all your energy. The best thing is to do nothing at all. In Finland, a sauna session takes place in an almost religious silence.
Don't forget to rehydrate yourself to recover the sweaty water. You can lose up to 1 liter of water during a sauna session!
