Bath or sauna?
Sauna is an exclusively Finnish name. This is a bath in which steam is generated from the contact of water and hot stones, or a dry heat bath.
Interesting to know! Saunas play an important role in the celebration of some Finnish holidays. It is part of the holiday traditions during midsummer and Christmas celebrations. And only after the Christmas bath do the festivities begin!
The oldest Finnish saunas were designed as holes in the ground several thousand years ago. There are several so-called “stone saunas” that were used back in the Stone Age. The first decent “ground” saunas consisted of four walls, an entrance, a roof made of turf or animal skins and stones heated by fire.
Since then, the Finnish sauna has naturally improved and turned into a modern sauna. Wood stoves became the norm and the quality of construction improved.
As in the Russian tradition, the bathhouse occupied an important place in the daily life of the Finns. In addition to its direct purpose, it was also used as a place for births, deaths and care for the sick.
In the 18th century, wood-burning saunas with chimneys began to gradually gain popularity around the world. This was due to the great migration to the USA. Then the Finnish bathhouse was a square, squat log house, which stood almost half in the ground, with a wide door and a “blind” window.
After World War II, a revolutionary invention was released: the electric sauna. Such rooms quickly warmed up without the need to burn a bundle of wood.
Expert opinion
Lovkachev Boris Petrovich
Bath master who knows everything about steaming
Nowadays, smoke saunas are the oldest types of Finnish saunas and are generally the most respected among Finns. Among foreigners, on the contrary, electric and wood-burning ones are more revered, followed by smoke ones.
What it is?
Historically, a Finnish sauna is a low, enclosed, small space from 2 to 6–8 square meters. m, designed for 2–3 people. Previously, such baths were heated by a hearth placed in the center of the room with hot stones. There was no chimney as such; ventilation was carried out through an open door and an inlet near the floor. The room was very dry and hot.
Instead of a washing room, there was a barrel with cold water or there was a natural pond nearby.
Modern technologies have made it possible to get rid of suffocating smoke and soot using ventilation systems and new modifications of stoves with chimneys. A barrel of water has been replaced by a font, pool or shower. The absence of windows is compensated for by electric lighting.
Features of Finnish baths
To understand the features of the Finnish bath, it is necessary to consider the differences in all popular types.
Wooden
This is a traditional Finnish sauna. The air is heated to 80-110°C by burning wood in the stove. It usually takes about 45 minutes to warm up a small room and continue to burn wood while vaping. There is a special pipe for the smoke to escape.
Steam is created by applying water to stones (lyoyls), which are located and heated on the top of the sauna stove.
Interesting to know! The Finns believe that after a certain number of saunas, the visitor will learn to recognize the correct hissing sound that water makes when it hits the stones.
The heat in wooden saunas depends greatly on the size and shape of the sauna, but therefore the rooms are usually kept small. The warmth combined with the burning wood is very relaxing.
Electric
Electric saunas have been available to everyone since the 1950s and are very common in apartments and houses. It’s easy to heat up such saunas - just flip the switch, and the sauna will be ready in about 40-45 minutes. It is very easy to use, safe and generates so-called dry heat.
These can be found in almost all Finnish apartments, even small ones. By the way, they also place lays in the same way as in a wooden sauna. The heat produced by an electric sauna can sometimes be described as harsh due to the small area of the room and the dry air. It feels much hotter on the skin than wet.
Advice! If too dry air is causing discomfort, a good way to remedy this is to water the seats and walls of the sauna with a shower head (all saunas usually have a shower attached).
Smoke
The oldest type of bathhouse, which is similar to the Russian black bathhouse. This sauna heats up in a few hours and does not have a chimney. When wood is burned inside the sauna, smoke fills the room, covering the walls with black soot and a woody aroma. When the sauna warms up (about 4-6 hours), the fire is extinguished.
By that time, the smoke comes out through a specially designed hole in the roof, and the sauna is open for work.
In such a sauna it is customary to place “Kiua” - stones that heat up, usually more than the walls of a wooden sauna, and give off soft heat during the steaming process. Despite the fact that smoke saunas are quite dangerous and, according to statistics, they burn down approximately every 10 years, they are still valued most by Finns.
Another feature
If visitors are lucky enough to visit a real sauna in Finland, they should know a few nuances:
- Finns usually go to the sauna completely naked; for them there is nothing awkward or unnatural about this.
- Although in public mixed saunas, for example, in the black bath, swimsuits are required.
- In public saunas, which are separated by gender, everyone bathes naked. In mixed saunas, where you go with family and friends, swimsuits are also not provided.
As you can see, these are rather subtle features, so true connoisseurs of Finnish baths simply advise following the example of Finns you know.
Initial stage of construction
When constructing a bathhouse yourself, you must adhere to a clear sequence. Compliance with technology serves as the basis for the proper functioning of such a complex as a Finnish sauna. A bathhouse built incorrectly will cause discomfort to its visitors from the very first minutes, and the healing effect will be reduced to zero.
Even the little things matter. The construction procedure is carried out according to a certain scheme.
Initially, the floor of the steam room is arranged. It is allowed to use wood for this. However, this is not the best material for a sauna floor. It cannot be varnished. And without treatment, the durability of wood in humid conditions is reduced.
The best flooring for a bathhouse is tile. It will be durable and practical, as well as meeting all sanitary and hygienic requirements.
After this, the frame is assembled.
The box is installed according to the diagram calculated in accordance with the dimensions of the bathhouse. To do this, use wooden combs, nylon dowels, and screws.
The ceiling frame is assembled by connecting timber.
A place is provided for installing doors.
How to use it correctly?
So, after the sauna has warmed up, the fun part comes.
The vaping process occurs according to the following scheme:
- To begin with, you should take a quick and hot shower before entering the room itself.
- Inside, it is better to sit down for a moment to adjust to the temperature in the room and pour water on the lyoyla stones, which will create steam and release heat.
- Then you just need to get comfortable and relax.
- Be sure to take enough breaks during the sauna. During the break, you can go outside to cool down, or go for a swim if this is possible and there is a pool or something similar in the adjacent premises.
- Sweating always increases in a Finnish sauna, so you need to drink enough water.
- After the break, you need to go back inside and repeat the procedure with the leilas again. The cycle can be repeated as many times as your health allows. It's important to listen to your body.
- In addition, in the Finnish sauna it is customary to use bunches of fresh birch or juniper branches, called vihta or vasta. They are used in the same way as usual Russian bath brooms.
- When the time comes to leave the sauna, you need to take a shower, wash your face with cool water, and it is advisable not to strain yourself that day, devoting it to relaxation.
“It’s okay to eat crickets.”
Finns are also being encouraged to eat less meat to help protect the environment. In stores and catering outlets there are many products for vegetarians, vegans, fruitarians and others. In response to accusations about the lack of protein food, Finland began to eat insects.
“The topic is usually promoted through all sorts of progressive sections of the population that are open to new things. Well, through students, for example. And now you can buy a bag of crickets in the student canteen, inexpensively,” writes Varvara.
Stores sell bread with dried crickets. It is expensive, but people buy it. For many, it has become a common product. “Whoever wants to eat crickets eats them, this is now normal,” sums up the Russian woman.
Tips for visiting
Finns especially like to visit the sauna in winter and combine it with ice bathing. Immersion in ice water improves mood and energy balance, cold tolerance, lowers blood pressure and relieves stress. The contrast between cold and heat also helps maintain skin elasticity, slowing down the cellular aging process.
And if there are snowdrifts with snow, then they do not install containers with ice water, preferring to dive straight into the snowdrift.
Although the Finnish community recommends using a sauna with a temperature range of 80 to 100 degrees, it can be unbearable the first time. Therefore, you can start with a more gentle temperature. Many people feel comfortable in a room with a temperature of 70 degrees.
It is recommended to mix a little tar, pine or birch aromatic oil with water in the sauna to create a soft and relaxing scent when applied to the lays.
But other scents are not recommended. It is customary that a Finnish sauna should smell exclusively of tar and wood.
Be sure to take a small towel to the sauna to place on the bench. This is necessary not so much for hygienic reasons, but because the bench can be quite hot. Competing to see who can withstand the most heat and cycles is stupid and unhealthy. For an excellent effect, two occurrences are enough.
A few more tips:
- Washing with soap or shampoo is usually part of the sauna, but usually only towards the end of the entire procedure.
- You should get dressed only after your body temperature returns to normal and sweating stops.
- Large meals and alcohol should be avoided before the sauna. But afterward you should drink refreshing drinks to quench your thirst and restore water balance in the body.
On a note! Finns usually drink low strength beer - amber and cold.
SaunaHermanni
Photo: saunahermanni.fi
This sauna was opened in the Hermanni district of the same name in 1953. It is heated by modern electric stoves, and has sections for men and women. Owner Mika Ahonen strives to maintain a '50s aesthetic - vintage wood-paneled walls and rooms where photographs and magazines are displayed, DJ parties, poetry readings and barbecues are held. Visitors of all ages relax outdoors near the sauna with beer and herring sandwiches. You can bring your own food and drinks or buy it all in the sauna. Towels are provided for an additional fee of 2 euros. Some hang out here for hours, since there is no time limit for visiting.
- Address: Hameentie 63.
- Ticket price is 12 euros, children under 15 years old are free.
What's the benefit?
The sauna, like any bathhouse, is good for everyone, from young to old. Most sauna complications occur due to heart problems. Therefore, if you have such problems, you should visit the bathhouse only after your doctor’s permission. Especially during exacerbations.
Also, people with high blood pressure should not get carried away by sudden alternations of temperatures and plunge into ice water after serious warming up.
The advantages of a sauna include the following:
- Sweating cleanses the skin and body of toxins.
- Heat relieves muscle pain and improves sleep quality.
- The sauna helps you relax and relieve stress.
- Blood circulation improves and metabolic processes accelerate.
- Skin condition improves.
- Immunity is strengthened.
Dependence of the digestive system on bath procedures
The influence of increased temperature conditions leads to the outflow of blood from the internal organs, but at an insignificant level. This is reflected in a reduction in the level of gastric juice, while its concentration increases. Due to this effect on the body, it is not recommended to eat while warming up in bathhouse conditions. In this situation, protein products are absorbed worse than others, while fats are absorbed well. This principle of absorption can negatively affect the condition of the liver and stomach. The influence of fats and their harm can be minimized, for which it is advised to drink more water and other liquids. A dry sauna has a positive effect when you need to lose weight, the reason is greater consumption of moisture and energy.
The process of getting rid of excess mass is affected by the following:
- level of humidity and temperature indicators;
- duration of exposure;
- level of fitness of the body;
- individual characteristics, health status.
The level of weight loss can be adjusted by drinking fluids while visiting the sauna.
Questions and answers
What is special about the Finnish barrel sauna?
This is an ordinary wooden bathhouse, simply made in the shape of a large barrel, making it very easy to transport.
Some sources contain information that you cannot use brooms in a Finnish bathhouse, is this true?
No, as mentioned above, Finns enjoy using brooms. Another thing is that you should not whip yourself with them too much, since in a dry room this can lead to injury. It is also not customary to use rough oak brooms.
Do I need to wear a cap in a Finnish sauna?
Yes, a hat is a must due to the increased air temperature.
Will a Finnish sauna worsen varicose veins?
For any problems with the heart and blood vessels, a preliminary consultation with a doctor is necessary.
Is it true that refusing an invitation to a Finnish sauna is considered bad manners?
By refusing to visit the bathhouse, you can offend a Finn, since for them it is a national treasure.
Kotiharjunsauna
Photo: delfi.ee
This is one of the city's oldest public saunas with a relaxing atmosphere. Heated by wood stoves, there are sections for men and women, as well as families and groups. You can bring your own brooms here and stay as long as you wish. In this sauna you can use the services of a bath attendant, and also combine the washing process with massage, skin cleansing, manicure and pedicure. During breaks between visits to the steam room, visitors, wrapped in towels, relax with mugs of beer right on the street, and this does not bother anyone.
- Address: Harjutorinkatu, 1.
- Ticket price: 13 euros, discounts for groups.
Kuusijarvi
Photo: cafekuusijarvi.fi
Guides in Helsinki call this sauna one of the best versions of the traditional savusauna, which is heated without a chimney. It is located in the large Kuusijarvi Outdoor Center complex, and is next to a large lake. One of the few saunas where swimming is available daily and in winter. This sauna is mixed for men and women, so it's worth bringing a swimsuit.
- Address: Vantaa, Kuursiarventie 3.
- Ticket price: adults – 10 euros, children 6 euros.
Natalia Grigorieva
Kulttuurisauna
Photo: pinterest.com
Built in 2013 by Japanese designer Nene Tsuba and Finnish architect Thomas Toivanen near the Hakanieme Bridge, this sauna bears stylistic similarities to the work of architect Alvar Aalto, who was a big fan of the sauna. This sauna is heated by wood stoves and has sections for men and women. The establishment has several rules: no reservations, no private parties, no large groups, no alcoholic beverages and no swimsuits. The latter are prohibited because Finns do not like it when chlorine evaporates in the steam room. But in other rooms you can put your swimsuit back on. The entrance ticket includes a mat for visiting the steam room, but visitors must take care of towels themselves. Bringing drinks and food is prohibited.
- Address: Hakaniemenranta 17.
- Ticket price – 15 euros, discounts for groups.
