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I was reading through my thread about my life in Finland and I realized I haven't answered a question about Sauna's.

Well, I realized it is not going to be a small post and chose not to change my Lifelog into a different direction and hence gave the Sauna it's own thread. A Spin-off if you will.

What is a Sauna.

First of all...



sauna || noun

a room or small building, often with wooden walls, that is heated to a high temperature and in which people sit for their health. A sauna is a small room designed to provide dry or wet heat sessions. The temperature in a sauna typically ranges from 70°C to 100°C.



While it's typical usage is for relaxation, there are various health benefits as listed below:
- Improved circulation: The heat helps to dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow.
- Stress reduction: The relaxing environment of a sauna can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Pain relief: Saunas can help to relieve muscle and joint pain.
- Improved sleep: The relaxation and improved circulation can promote better sleep.
- Skin benefits: The heat can help to open pores and improve skin health.

There are different types of saunas, including:

Wood-burning saunas: Heated by burning wood, they have high temperatures and low humidity.
Electrically heated saunas: Similar to wood-burning saunas but use an electric heater.
Infrared saunas: Use special lamps to heat the body directly, usually at lower temperatures.
Steam rooms: Different from saunas, they use moist heat with high humidity

The History of the Sauna: A Finnish Tradition

The sauna, a beloved Finnish tradition, has a history dating back thousands of years. While its exact origins are somewhat shrouded in mystery, archaeological evidence suggests that saunas were in use in Finland as early as 5,000 years ago.

The earliest saunas were known as "smoke saunas" due to their lack of chimneys. These primitive structures were often dug into the ground and heated by a fire that directly warmed the stones inside. The smoke from the fire would fill the sauna, giving it a distinct smoky aroma and creating a unique atmosphere.

Over time, saunas evolved into more sophisticated structures. Chimneys were added to improve ventilation and reduce the amount of smoke, leading to a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. The design of the sauna also became more refined, with wooden walls and benches providing a cozy and inviting environment. This more refined version is what we see in most homes in Finland.

The Finnish Sauna: A Cultural Cornerstone.

Saunas are deeply ingrained in Finnish culture, serving as a place for relaxation, social interaction, and even spiritual renewal.



The traditional Finnish sauna is a small, wooden room heated by a wood-burning stove. The temperature inside can reach upwards of 80°C , and humidity levels are typically low.

A typical sauna session, which most Finn's follow religiously, involves the following steps:
Pre-heating: The sauna is heated to the desired temperature.
Sweating: Participants enter the sauna and sit on a wooden bench. They may choose to use a whisk (vihta) made of birch or oak branches to gently massage their skin.
Cooling down: After sweating, participants take a cold plunge into a lake, river, or shower. This helps to regulate body temperature and improve circulation.
Relaxation: The final step involves resting and enjoying the feeling of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Here's a quick Guide to Surviving a Sauna-

https://youtu.be/tjRkpIqhCLg?si=CVU2BCjdujGy5oIJ

Sauna Sauna everywhere

Sauna's are literally everywhere in Finland.
Home's, Hotels, Gyms, Sports Clubs, etc. are usual suspects.

Finlands obsession to Sauna's has no bounds.

on a Truck -



on a Ferris Wheel -





on a Trailer-



in a Van-



On a boat-



heck, even in a Burger King !!




Sauna Etiquette
There are a few important rules of sauna etiquette:
Nudity: It is customary to be naked in the sauna. Although off late it has become acceptable that one takes a small towel along with to cover privates.
Hygiene: Shower before entering the sauna to remove dirt and sweat.
Silence: Saunas are often places of quiet contemplation. It is said to avoid loud talking but then, if friends hang out, how can that be silent. Esp. after some beverages'.



Whisk etiquette: If using a whisk, be gentle and avoid hitting others.

Saunas Beyond Finland
While saunas are most closely associated with Finland, they are also popular in other countries, including Russia, Estonia, and Sweden. In recent years, Finnish saunas have gained popularity in North America and other parts of the world.
Saunas can now be found in homes, gyms, spas, and hotels around the world. While the sauna experience may vary slightly from country to country, the core principles of heat, steam, and relaxation remain the same.
Where the true understanding of a Sauna is unclear, Steam Rooms are passed off as Sauna's too. I've seen this in some Gym's in Bangalore a long time ago.

My Tryst with the Sauna

Orientation

My first time ever in a Finnish Sauna was in the early days of the time I used to live in Vaasa, Finland and my customer, now my family friend, invited me to Sauna in their factory office after work. Up until then, I kept imagining it to be nothing but a steam room like that one's I was used to in India. So, when he asked 'are you familiar with the Sauna?' I said ' Of course'.

I was not prepared at all for what was expected. Most Asian Men & Women are very uncomfortable with their bodies and hence getting butt naked in a public setting doesn't come easily. My friend noticed this discomfort of mine, smiled and said it was ok to go in with a towel wrapped around. With this little 'allowance', I got my first orientation to a piece of Finnish Culture.

It is not often that Sauna's are mixed for Men and Women but mixed Public Sauna's do exist and some office's that have Sauna's do have mixed Sauna's. Little did I know that that factory-office Sauna that I was invited to was one and the next time I went there with my friend, there was a woman there which made it very awkward for me to start with but eventually, over the next few sessions, I got ok with.

Making it a habit

Most apartment buildings have common Sauna's for a block which one needs to book in advance. Didn't really bother with it for some time but the usage of Sauna continued for us at the Gym. We started to love the relaxation at a Sauna after an hour at the gym everyday and it soon became a habit for us. So much so that the next time we choose to move houses, it was because the place we lived-in didn't have a Sauna inside the house and we picked one that did. Ever since, Sauna has become second nature to us which includes my 8 yr old daughter. Should hardly be a surprise since she has been going to one since she was 3.

Socializer.
While in the US, I started to learn golf to use it for socializing with my customer(s). However, in Finland, Sauna's do a better job. Popular myth is that Finn's don't talk and are not Social. Try socializing with them in a Sauna - this myth goes out the window immediately.
Finn's are very proud of their culture and hence appreciate it a lot if a non-Finn accepts their culture and that, right there, is an excellent way to socialize.
Golf is Golf. It is a sport and not a cultural aspect and hence doesn't cut much ice in Finland.

I have had several business discussions in Sauna's and I have made friends out of customers from these Sauna meetings.

Heck, my daughter's friends' parents are now my friends too and I get their invites for 'Boys evening in the Sauna' which has further expanded my personal social network.

What I don't do is dip in frozen lake(s) or roll in the snow. Many of my Sauna meets have been in Winter where Finn's, after heating up in the Sauna, take a dip in a frozen lake and run back in. If there is no lake, they roll around on snow. This I don't do. The sharp change in temperatures make me sneeze. I only take a cold shower and cool off and head back in.





My suggestion

I see lot of Indian's are now traveling to Finland which is great!.
While here, Try a Sauna. Read about it, Learn about it, prepare for it and Experience it.
It is a memorable experience.

Most hotels have one with the exception of a few budget properties. if not, there are public Sauna's in several parts of the country. The most popular Public Sauna I have visited in Helsinki with business partners is Löyly. Love the place.









Incidentally, Löyly is a word for the sound when water is thrown on the hot stones of the stove.


If you have already tried a Sauna, do add your experience to this thread.

I used tomtravel to Helsinki quite frequently in the 90s.

All my Finnish colleagues would go on about their saunas. Also, a number of our office had staff saunas as well.

Although I don’t consider myself particularly modest, I must admit I always thought it was a bit odd to go into the sauna with your, also nude, female colleagues.

It was good fun, and I sort of enjoyed it, but I never got into this sauna thing they way the Finnish do.

Jeroen

Finn's take Sauna culture as an obsession which most non-Finn's can never ever take to. A Finnish friend of mine has a Sauna stove that always maintains 70 Deg C inside 24/7 just so he can find it hot whenever he feels like using it. He's got a Solar energy setup just to run his Sauna. Madness.

Our Sauna usage at home depends on the power price. I am on what is called a spot Market pricing which means the electricity price varies throughout the day. We use Sauna on the timeslots where electricity is cheap. Not all the time.

As for female colleagues in Sauna- Yes. I'd find it oddly uncomfortable too despite trying to blend in.

Well, the Americans have taken the sauna culture and thrown out the socializing part of it since many places have these individual pods instead of a big room.

Oh that's unfortunate that it does not suit you. The mental as well as physical health benefits of alternating between deliberate hot and cold exposure have been very well documented.

Dr. Susanna Søberg: How to Use Cold & Heat Exposure to Improve Your Health

Here in the north eastern part of the US where it can get very cold, I take a cold shower throughout the year. Been eyeing some products that offer a sauna and an ice pod combo for a while. Maybe this thanksgiving if there are some good discounts, I might take the plunge ;)

Excellent thread, thank you 14000rpm!

I loved steams and saunas even back home in Mumbai where you certainly don't need them to feel any warmer, but I'd never experienced the social aspect of them until I started regularly visiting a local thermal spa here in Northern Ireland. They also have something called a sanarium (which feels like a more comfortable sauna room) apart from the steam, sauna, and jacuzzi.

However, I truly appreciated the exercise only once I was able to try their cold plunge pool immediately after the steam - the feeling is inexplicable!

I do wish to try a proper Finnish sauna, hopefully soon enough :)

On a lighter note: Blessed to have sauna free of cost for the whole city 365 days a year. Welcome to Chennai. clap:

Cool. I'd seen American Sauna's in some Mn Dollar property tour videos like Ryan Serhant, Erik Conover etc. where they show Sauna as a key feature but not Pods.

Are they like a 1 person thing?

Indeed. My wife and daughter are ok with it and do enjoy a dip in the cold pool (water Temp 5-8 Deg C) when we are in the Swimming pool every week. It's just me. I'll have to make do with Cold Showers only.


Awesome. Hope you find one soon. Some American acquaintances of mine, who have lived in Finland and moved back, have built outdoor Sauna's in their yards in the traditional Finnish design.

You're half way there in that case. Hope you get to try it out soon.

lol. Add a cold shower at the end of the day and it is almost a Sauna experience.

Oh I love a sauna! Our old apartment building had a sauna but the whole time we lived there was during COVID so unfortunately it was off limits.

The allure of a sauna is so strong, after a stint in Scandinavia a family member came back to the UK and immediately installed a sauna in the garden. It's become quite a draw now for relatives!
Closer to home in India however our contractors didn't quite get the memo with the point of the sauna because they added an AC in too paradoxically!

While I dunno if I could hack a dip in frozen water I do enjoy going from a cool dip in a pool and then back into a sauna to sweat it out. We were at a farmhouse with a pool complex for a stag do and we spent the morning going between a quick swim in the pool and then back into the sauna to sweat out the previous nights excesses. It's delightful.

I think it's a cultural thing about going into the sauna nude. I don't think it should be a problem, when you play sports or at the gym, folks aren't prudish there, you just automatically go about your business. Having mixed genders in there can be strange but again I think you get used to it and just tune it out. Most of the time you'll be eyes shut and just enjoying getting a sweat on, it's just so satisfyingly zen. I also appreciate the equalising aspect of being able to just zone out and go into a sauna with your fellow men and women to relax.

What I'm less sure about is chatting. If I'm in a sauna with mostly friends I'll have a natter but I tend to play it safe and stay shtum in public saunas. What's the convention in Finland?

Nice.

It sure is catching on globally. My cousin has just purchased a house in Reading and he too, after spending Sauna time with us, is considering building one in his yard.

As it is Finn's speak less. Silence is usually the convention in Finland but, when friends jam in and beverages are involved, it's havoc. you get the drift. :D

Currently number one in Finland and Sweden is the song - Bara bada bastu. It's in Swedish and it literally means "let's just Sauna" . It's from a Finnish band called Kaj.

Swedish is a minority language in Finland.

This song has now become a Sauna anthem these days.

Take a listen :

https://youtu.be/WK3HOMhAeQY?si=C7X2UCKMqHBECV7n

Trust me, even I don't understand a word.