TYPES OF SAUNA
The word sauna comes from Finland and translated literally means “bathhouse”. It is the only Finnish word used in the English speaking language.
Saunas come in all shapes and sizes, as well as with different heating systems. If you are interested in improving your overall health and wellness any type of sauna would be a great asset in your healthy living plan.
While a sauna is great for your body, it can also be good for your mind. They are relaxing, rejuvenating, and have an extensive list of health benefits.
The sauna can rid your body of toxins that you accumulate on a day to day basis. It can improve circulation, decrease blood pressure, relieve aches and pains, and reduce your levels of stress helping to relax you. This in turn can help you sleep better and we all know how great we feel after getting a good nights sleep!
There are many different types of saunas on the market today and choosing the one that is right for you can be a daunting task. But rest assured which ever you choose the benefits to your overall health and wellness will vastly improve.
FINNISH SAUNA
The most common saunas are finnish saunas. In a typical Finnish sauna, the temperature of the air, the room and the benches is above the dew point even when water is thrown on the hot stones and vaporized. Thus, they remain dry. In contrast, the sauna bathers are at about 38 °C (100 °F), which is below the dew point, so that water is condensed on the bathers’ skin. This process releases heat and makes the steam feel hot.
The biggest benefit that people enjoy about electrically heated finnish sauna is that they allow you more control over the temperature of the room. It can be a bit more difficult to control the temperature of the room when using a wood-burning sauna heater. You can be very precise when using electrical heat, as it will have buttons for you to push, and you can program the desired temperature manually. You will also find that many of these units will come with a remote control so that you don’t have to get up just to adjust the temperature.
These electrically heated saunas are quite energy-efficient as well. You won’t have to worry about them negatively impacting your power bill too much, as they are made to adhere to strict energy standards.
STEAM SAUNA
The origins of the steam sauna come from the Roman steam baths which began at the height of the Roman Empire. The Roman baths served many community and social functions.
Everyone in ancient Rome used public baths regardless of their social standings, the baths were supplied by natural hot springs from beneath the ground.
The Romans spread their love of bathhouses throughout the Empire and most Roman towns had a least one public bathhouse. They were also an important building in the garrisons.
Public bathhouses were comprised of three principal rooms: The Caldarium (the hottest of the three), The Tepidarium (warm bath) and The Frigidarium (cold bath).
The caldarium was built right on top of the furnace or ‘hypocaust’ and the walls were hollow to allow the the hot air coming from below to heat the bath.
Sweat bathing has been popular in many cultures through out the world. The Finns have laid claim to the sweat bathing as their personal method of hygiene.
Native Americans also liked the idea and built sweat lodges that were being used around this time. They believed they not only cleansed the body but also the mind.
The modern steam sauna uses a lower temperature and higher humidity and produces moist heat. They are built using tile or plastic and are heated by a device called a steam generator. The generator boils water into steam and the steam is released into the air.
Unlike a sauna, a steam room needs to be airtight so the humidity can build. The high humidity in a steam room will keep your sweat from evaporating, making you feel much hotter, and the more you sweat the more health benefits you will receive.
INFRARED SAUNA
By far the most popular selling portable saunas on the market today is the far infrared portable sauna. The reason these types of saunas have become so popular is in part due to their portability. Health benefits and price also play a role.
The infrared saunas use heat and light to help relax and detoxify the body. These saunas omit infrared light waves that create heat in the body, causing you to sweat and release stored toxins.
Infrared heaters warm the body in much the same way as natural sunlight. Infrared heat therapy uses the wavelength of the visible and non-visible light spectrum of sunlight to heat the body normally.
This makes the infrared portable saunas different than traditional saunas that raise the temperature of the air around you to very high level within the chamber to warm the body.
Infrared rays are one of the suns rays and are the healthiest. They penetrate into your skin deeply and they dissolve harmful substances accumulated in your body. The infrared rays vitalize your cells and metabolism.
The sweat glands offer one of only a few mechanisms that the body has to release toxins, and since the skin is the largest organ in the human body, it’s a very good means for elimination.
Today many healthcare professionals use Far infrared heaters to treat a variety of diseases throughout the world. It is believed that Far infrared waves help improve blood circulation and recovery from fatigue.
Other health benefits are pain relief, weight loss, skin purification, increased circulation and relaxation. Also some studies have shown an infrared sauna can help people with high blood pressure poor digestion and depression as well as anger.
