Americans, Brits and Canadians are starting to pick up on what Europeans, Russians and Scandinavians have known for centuries: Saunas are an integral part of wellness. Driven by trends in self-care and a greater focus on health, boutique sauna experiences are gaining steam.
...Broad Health Benefits
Saunas—defined broadly as any room where a heat treatment occurs—are renowned for their numerous health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, stress reduction, pain relief, muscle recovery, enhanced respiratory function and relaxation.
Spa enthusiast Alisa Priddle says, “With a Finnish mother, I have been bathed in saunas since I was an infant. It is the contrast: repeatedly going from the heat and steam to a jump in a lake or roll in the snow that stimulates the circulation, cleans the pores and makes you feel absolutely amazing and sleep like a baby. If my mom is any example, at 93 she looks like she is in her 70s. Saunas to this day are a key part of my social life.”
Saunas aren’t just for recreational users, either. Athletes use them as part of their training routines, too. Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team osteopath Henry Howe told Newsweek earlier this year that driver Lance Stroll uses saunas to prepare for and recover from races. “You can do a really hard training session and then go and sit in the sauna afterwards, and then there are all kinds of responses from the body there surrounding blood constituents that will give you training benefits,” he said.
Different Traditions
But saunas are not a one-size-fits-all proposition, varying by size and heat source. There are traditional Finnish saunas (dry heat/steam), infrared saunas (radiant heat), Turkish baths/hammams (can include a venik ritual where guests are flogged with branches) and Russian banyas (high-humidity steam). They also come in hybrid varieties, as well as low-tech wooden barrel saunas (just what it sounds like!) and bio-saunas (lower temperature dry heat). And South Korean jjimjilbangs offer a variety of rooms and experiences centered around relaxation and healing.
These different offerings result in different biological reactions. High-heat Finnish saunas cause deep sweating. Infrared ones are a touch cooler, allowing for longer sessions. The humidity in a banya or bath makes the heat feel hotter.
...Check the Etiquette
Often separated by gender, sauna culture varies by region. In most areas, sauna users shower before entering, bring a towel to sit on and keep conversations to a minimum. Don’t bring your phone!
In emerging sauna markets, the experience is more communal, and curated experiences—like DJs performing at “sauna raves”—are offered to appeal to diverse crowds.
Swimwear is appropriate in many facilities, though naked is usually the norm in Europe, Asia and Scandinavia. If you’re not comfortable being nude, wrapping yourself in a towel is traditionally permissible. Some Turkish baths provide a pestemal (wrap) for guests.
Be sure to check with the sauna website or registration desk ahead of arrival to ensure you’re dressed (or undressed) appropriately for the occasion.
...Home Comforts
Many of the world’s most extraordinary spas have saunas. But, if you want to stay in rather than go out to one, there are a number of home sauna options on the market today. Infrared saunas are generally the cheapest to install and relatively plug-and-play, requiring minimal electrical or ventilation work.
An electric sauna is more costly and requires some installation work. Prefabricated kits for indoor saunas can require professional installation. A custom-built one is at the top end of the price range and can cost upward of $20,000.
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