Welcome to Saunalover.com. I have been a fan of using the sauna for many years now, and I thought it would be a fun project to start exploring my thoughts on these ancient, but awesome inventions. So I wanted to start with a Sauna 101 primer for those of you who aren’t familiar with what a sauna is, how it’s used, etc.
sauna 101
So, what exactly is a sauna? What does the word sauna even mean? The word sauna is Finnish in origin, although the actual birthplace of the sauna is up for debate.
Definition of Sauna
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a small room used as a hot-air or steam bath for cleaning and refreshing the body.
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a session in a sauna.
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used in reference to a very hot, humid place.“by 10 a.m., the city is a sauna”
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The concept of sauna or sweat baths goes back many thousands of years, with many cultures having their own unique version of the sauna. In their native Finland, nearly every home constructed has its own sauna and oftentimes the sauna is constructed prior to the actual house! A sauna can be heated in a multitude of ways, via fire and burning wood, but most commonly you’ll see them today using electric heaters that take the place of a wood burning stove. Rocks are placed on the heater and heated to high temperatures, and water can be added to them to create a steam inside of the sauna. Temperatures in a sauna can often reach 160° F, and sometimes even hotter depending on the type of sauna you are visiting.
Generally it will take about 30 minutes to heat up a sauna room, and many users will enjoy a shower or hot bath before they enter into to start their sauna session. The most important part of Sauna 101 is that you are in the sauna to relax, and unwind – so enjoy it! I learning the benefits of sauna after I began to sit in one at my local gymnasium. It’s now become an every day routine for me, to the point that I purchased my own sauna for home use! With time and understanding of the multitude of health & mental benefits of these small wooden rooms, you’ll become a sauna lover too!