Part of the joy of taking a sauna is its simplicity and lack of rules — just get in the sauna and enjoy yourself. That said, there are a few accepted procedures that are wise to follow, especially in a public sauna. Observing some basic guidelines will show respect for your fellow bathers and assure you of a good sauna experience.

Local Customs

If you are using a public sauna, you must abide by their regulations. Some require bathing suits, while others prohibit them. If bathing suits are not allowed and you don’t feel comfortable being nude, you can wrap a towel around yourself. In either case, you should bring a towel into the sauna to sit on.

Always take a shower before entering the sauna, but do not use soap or shampoo. The perfumes in soap and shampoo will fill the air in the sauna and be unpleasant for other bathers.

Some Like It Hot

In a public sauna you can’t control the temperature, but if you are using a private sauna and are new to the experience, you should begin with a lower heat. Some sauna aficionados will heat the sauna up to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, but for your first few sessions you should set the temperature between 160 and 175. That’s still plenty hot!

On entering the sauna you can sit on the upper or lower benches. The upper benches are hotter, so move to the lower benches if you find it too hot. After 5 or 10 minutes pour some water on the rocks to create a cloud of steam. This raises the temperature and humidity, which will cause you to sweat even more.

Don’t stay too long, especially when you are starting out. 10 or 15 minutes is plenty — you can always go back for more. After each session take a cold shower or quick swim and relax for a while before going back in.

Relaxation Is Key

Relaxation is central to taking a sauna. The sauna can clear your mind, refresh your body, and leave you feeling rejuvenated. Keeping this in mind, avoid talking about business or controversial subjects in the sauna. It’s a place to get away from the stresses of the world, and any conversation should be light and friendly.

In Finland it is traditional to use leafy branches from birch trees to gently beat the skin. This produces a tingling sensation and is quite invigorating. Your local health club isn’t likely to have a supply of birch branches, but if you can take a sauna in the countryside, you might be able to experience this old tradition.

A Roll In The Snow, Anyone?

Another Finnish tradition is rolling in the snow after a sauna. “Those crazy Finns!” you may be thinking, but this can be very revitalizing after a sauna session. Whether you take a shower, a swim, or a roll in the snow, the effect is quickly cooling off to feel refreshed and relaxed.

The cycle of heating in the sauna and cooling off can be repeated as many times as you like. Most sauna experiences last about 30 minutes to 1 hour, including 2 or 3 cycles of heating up and cooling off. But if you have the time, you can continue for hours.

Do It, But Don’t Overdo It

Saunas are a time-proven method of bathing, and are quite safe for just about everybody. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, leave the sauna right away. Taking a sauna should not be a contest to see who can take the most heat. There can be dangers if you overdo it.

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The use of the term ” Sauna ” as it has been referred in most of North America has truly been abused and over-used to such an extent that it has lost its true meaning. When a person mentions the word ” sauna ” in North America, visions of seedy bathhouses and steam rooms come to mind. The home sauna is in most instances a pleasant enough enclosure heated by various devices that range from electric sauna heaters to far infrared units. These saunas are what have interestingly enough been called a ” dry sauna “. There is no steam .The one thing these home saunas have in common with a traditional Finnish sauna is the generated heat because there really is no such thing as a dry sauna.

The true ” sauna ” has lasted for well over a thousand years. It has been tweaked and minutely altered over all those years but in its true essence, very little has actually been changed. Any changes that have occurred have been mostly health improvements like better ventilation and heating units. The form and function of a traditional Finnish sauna remain intact.

Another term that has taken a pounding in North America is the ” sauna session ” or ” sauna ritual “. A sauna session has come to mean nothing more than a naked or semi-naked individual or individuals sitting in a nice wooden cubicle and just plain sweating. This of course is followed by the occasional dip in the pool or a nice invigorating shower. Although this is so-called sauna session is better than no session at all (at least you clean out and purify your skin pores a little), it is hardly worthy of the term.

The original Finnish sauna incorporates several elements that make up the actual sauna session or sauna ritual. The primary difference between the Finns and most North Americans is the abundance of time that they lavish on the experience. In a Finnish sauna, time is not of the essence. The pleasure of the ever-evolving moment is.

The different elements of the true sauna are the Preparation, Perspiration, Lowly (does not quite translate the right characters here, but it means the hot steam of the sauna), Whisking, Cooling, Washing and finally, Relaxation. There is no schedule or timetable whatsoever and a watch is definitely an optional attachment. Plenty of time is allotted for a true sauna session and many of the actual elements are repeated more than once.

The sauna was introduced to North America in the 1960čs as a status symbol for those that had it all and wanted something different. Even today it is considered to be something of a symbol of wealth, or at least of being well off. Considering that the Finns had a 2000-year head start, it is little wonder that here in North America there is little or no tradition attached to the use of a sauna.

The one true driving force in North America is commerce, and commerce drives the evolution of products to be bigger, better or best. There is no in between. Perhaps in this light, the sauna is evolving into something different and unique to this marketplace. The actual sauna ritual as it pertains to Americans is something that will just have to take more time to develop.

Perhaps we need a new term to describe the North American Sauna Culture. Let the Finns keep their sauna and their sauna ritual. Here we will develop and enjoy our own rituals. Maybe we can use the Native American sweat lodges as a starting point. Or not. I would just like to have the term sauna mean one distinct thing. Then again, I would have to change the name of my site and start from scratch. Never mind. If you can affored it just get the best North American built sauna you can and start your own personal sauna ritual.

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There is no one right way to take a sauna. Above all you should be in good company, so that you can enjoy the experience in peace. Beginning users should use the sauna judiciously to start. As long as you feel comfortable, you may stay in the sauna, or repeat a hot-cold cycle as often as you wish. Avoid using a sauna if you have a fever or an inflammatory disease or injury, if you are pregnant, or if you have been drinking. You may want to consult your physician if you have a disease, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma or skin disease.

To get the most of the sauna, you will need:

Ř At least half an hour of time, preferably more, so you have ample time to relax.
Ř A large towel to dry yourself
Ř A smaller towel to sit on
Ř A bathrobe to wear while cooling down

Try this first, and once you’ve tried it out, you can change it to suit your taste:

Disrobe completely. It is also important to remove watches, rings and all other jewelry because the heat of the sauna may distort the metal and burn the flesh that wears it. Contact lenses and glasses should also be removed. Let’s face it, modesty is a universal trait - or is it vanity, and the suspicion that we look rather better clothed than we do disrobed? The first-time sauna bather often finds this casual intimacy in the company of new acquaintances, if not total strangers, a little daunting. The only way to deal with this is to simply take the plunge.

The chances are you’ll discover your beer gut or your birth marks are in good company, and any self-consciousness is soon dispelled by the camaraderie of the visit. Bathing suits or towels don’t really belong into the sauna, but I feel everyone has a right to experience the sauna in comfort. If a towel makes the sauna less intimidating, by all means use one.

Start by taking a shower. This helps to keep the hot room clean.
Enter the sauna and sit on the upper bench. You may want to use a small towel to sit on.

Sit back for a few minutes and let the heat permeate your body and open the pores of the skin. You may adjust the air moisture by throwing water on the stones of the heater. The steam will make the room feel hotter.
It is good to meditate, take a small nap or ponder over days events.

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