Sauna
A sauna, the wet version also called steam bath, is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet/dry heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities, or the act of using a sauna. Taking a sauna is usually a social affair in which the participants disrobe and sit or recline in temperatures of over 40 °C or 100 °F. This induces relaxation and promotes sweating. In some styles of sauna water is periodically trickled over hot stones to generate a rush of steam. Sometimes fragrant branches and leaves are lightly slapped on the skin, to promote better circulation and provide additional stimulation. It is believed by some that heavy sweating helps to remove 'toxins' from the body. It is also believed that exposure of the skin to heat stimulates the production of white blood cells and strengthens the immune system.
The Finnish sauna (generally 70-90 degrees Celsius, but can vary from 60 to 110 degrees) is the most widely known, but many cultures have close equivalents, such as the North American First Nations sweat lodge, the Turkish hammam, Roman thermae, Maya temescal and Russian bania or banya. Public bathhouses that often contained a steam room were common in the 1700's, 1800's and early 1900's and were inexpensive places to go to wash when private facilities were not generally available. Most North American college/university physical education complexes and many public sports centers include sauna facilities. They may also be present in a public swimming pool. This may be a separate area where swimming wear is taken off or a smaller facility in the swimming pool area where one should keep the swimming wear on.
Under many circumstances, temperatures approaching and exceeding 100 degrees Celsius would be completely intolerable. Saunas overcome this problem by controlling the humidity. The hottest Finnish and Swedish saunas have very low humidity levels, which allows temperatures that could boil water to be tolerated and even enjoyed for short periods of time. Other types of sauna, such as the hammam where the humidity approaches 100%, will be set to a much lower temperature of around 40 degrees to compensate. The "wet heat" would cause scalding if the temperature were set much higher. Finer control over the temperature experienced can be achieved by choosing a higher level bench for those wishing a hotter experience or a lower level bench for a more moderate temperature. Good manners requires that the door to a sauna is not kept open long enough to cool the sauna for those that are already in it. A draft, even if at 100°, may still be unwelcome.
The sauna can be so soothing that heat prostration or the even more serious hyperthermia (heat stroke) can result. The cool shower or plunge afterwards always results in a great increase in blood pressure, so careful moderation is advised for those with a history of stroke or hypertension (high blood pressure). In Finland sauna is thought as a healing refreshment and has been used to cure people from many diseases through the times. There is even a saying: "Jos ei viina, terva tai sauna auta, tauti on kuolemaksi." (If booze, tar or sauna does not help, disease is fatal)
Alcoholic drinks are usually not used in the sauna, as the effects of heat and alcohol are cumulative, although in the Finnish sauna culture a beer afterwards is thought to be refreshing and relaxing. Some also throw pure grain alcohol on the heated stones, to induce extreme intoxication through inhalation.
Social and mixed gender nudity with adults and children is quite common in the conventional sauna, with a strict prohibition of any form of sexual activity. In fact the sauna is considered not only a sex-free, but also almost a gender-free zone. In the dry sauna and on chairs one sits on a towel for hygiene; in the steam bath the towel is left outside. Sometimes draping the towel around the waist is required in the restaurant area.
As an additional facility a sauna may have one or more jacuzzis.
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Finnish sauna customs
Saunas are these days an intergral part of the way of life in Finland. They are found everywhere: in private apartments, corporate hedquaters and even in the Parliament. The best saunas, however, are located on the shores of Finland's numerous lakes.
Taking a sauna begins by sitting in the hot room for some time. Water is thrown on the stones topping the kiuas, a special stove used to warm up the sauna. This produces steam that makes the sauna feel even hotter. Occasionally one uses leafy, fragrant boughs of silver birch to gently beat oneself. This has a relaxing effect on the muscles. When the heat begins to feel uncomfortable it is customary to jump into a lake, sea, or a swimming pool. In the winter rolling in the snow is sometimes used as a substitute. Then one usually sits down in the dressing room or the porch of the sauna to enjoy beer or soft drinks.
After cooling one goes back to the hot room and begins the cycle again. One cycle usually has no noticeable effect. Usually one takes at least two or three cycles, taking one or two hours. In Finlands numerous summer cottages having sauna might go on well into the night if company is good. This is especially true in the summer when there is virtually no darkness. For a Finn sauna is almost a sacred place. Thorough washing will end the session of sauna. Conversation should be relaxed and arguments and controversial topics should be avoided. Also it is rare to use titles or other honorifics in Sauna.
Sometimes men and women go to sauna together, sometimes not. For a finn the rules are instictive but they are difficult to put into words. Depending on the size, composition, relationships, and the age structure of the group three basic patterns can emerge: Everyone can go to sauna at the same time, men and women may take sauna separately, or each family can go to sauna separately. Mixed saunas with non-familymembers are most common with young people and are quite rare with older people and in more formal occasions.
In sauna it is a faux pas to wear clothing in the hot room. While cooling of it is quite common to wrap a towel around your waist. Tough mixed saunas are quite common, sauna for a Finn is a completely non-sexual place. In Finland "sauna" means only sauna, not a brothel, sex club, or such.
Foreign visitors in Finland often get invited into sauna. This may even happen aften business negotiations and other such events. In these occasions it is possible to refuse, altough it will not impress your Finnish hosts. In private homes or summer residences sauna is usually warmed to honour the guest and refusal may be more difficult.
"Smoke sauna" is a special type of Sauna without a chimney. Wood is burned on a particularly large stove and the smoke fills the room. When the sauna is hot enaugh the fire is allowed to die and the smoke is ventilated out. The residual heat of the stove is enaugh for the duration of the sauna. This represent the ancestral type of sauna, since chimneys are a later addition. Smoke saunas have experienced great revival in the recent years since they are concidered superior by the conosseurs. They are not, however, likely to replace all or even most of the regular saunas because more skill and effort is needed for the heating process.
Sauna in Finland is such an old phenomenon that it is impossible to trace its roots. Hundreds of years ago when bathing was something to be done only rarely or never at all Finns where cleansing themselves in saunas at least once a week. Sauna is an important part of the national identity and those who have the opportunity usually take a sauna at least once a week.
Saunas and sex
In some countries there are adult-only saunas that have different rules and customs, the term "sauna" being used for a bath-house or "health club", sometimes with facilities like a standard sauna, but where people go to find sexual partners and have sex on the premises (however not in the sauna itself!). Some such saunas rent out small rooms for this purpose: others are disguised brothels. This euphemistic usage generally applies to establishments that advertise themselves as being a sauna rather than those that have a sauna on the premises. This generally happens more frequently in the US and the UK than in Continental Europe and Finland where a sauna is generally seen as a family or social event.
See also Safe sex party, gay bathhouse
Modern sauna culture around the world
Public perception of saunas, sauna "etiquette" and sauna customs vary hugely from country to country. In many countries sauna going is a recent fashion and attitudes towards saunas are changing, while in others traditions have survived over generations.
In Finland and Russia sauna going plays a central social role. These countries boast the hottest saunas and the tradition of beating fellow sauna goers with birch branches. In Russia public saunas are strictly single sex while in Finland both types occur.
Benelux and Scandinavian countries, where public saunas have been around for a long time too, generally have a moderate, "live and let live" attitude towards sauna going with few traditions to speak of. Levels of nudity vary, single sex saunas are as common as mixed sex saunas and people tend to socialise.
In Germany and Austria on the other hand nudity is strictly enforced in public saunas, as is the covering of benches with towels. Single sex saunas are rare. Loud conversation is not usually tolerated as the sauna is seen as a place of healing rather than socialising. Cold showers or baths shortly after a sauna are considered a must.
In much of southern Europe, France and the UK nudity is strictly forbidden, a cause of confusion and argument when nationals of these nations cross the border to Germany and Austria or vice versa. Sauna sessions tend to be shorter and cold showers are shunned by most. In the UK, where public saunas are becoming increasingly fashionable, the practice of alternating between the sauna and the jacuzzi in short seatings (considered a faux pas in Northern Europe) has emerged.
Hungarians see the sauna a part of a wider spa culture. Here too attidudes are less liberal and single sex is the norm.
In South America saunas are an exclusively upper class affair. Temperatures are lower than in Europe and nudity is forbidden.
References
- The Finnish Sauna - [1] (http://cankar.org/sauna/)
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