What temperature should be in a Russian bath, humidity in the steam room

02/19/201702/24/2017 Maria Ivanova 1 Comment

Hygiene procedures occupy an essential place in the life of every person. It would seem that the usual process of putting the body in order after centuries has already been transformed into a whole ritual.

Any woman has a whole arsenal of cleaning products in her bathroom or shower. There are dozens of types of products for hair care alone: shampoos, conditioners, various masks, conditioners, etc.

In addition to traditional remedies, we vitally need penza for the heels, a massage sponge for the face, a nail brush, body peeling, foam for the bath... It’s hard to imagine that our ancestors got by with one bar of soap and a hemp sponge for the whole family!

Coupled with the need to mechanically wash away dirt from the body, the hygienic process can bring great pleasure and undoubted health benefits. First of all, this concerns washing in a special magical place - a Russian bathhouse. But, first of all, you need to think not about physical pleasure, but about how to wash properly in a bathhouse so as not to harm the body.

Temperature and humidity in different baths

Baths are different. They differ not only in the traditions of their use, culture or ethnic characteristics. The difference, first of all, is in the presence of high temperatures, at which the body is warmed up, the skin is steamed, and its pores are opened. The structure of the steam rooms is also different. In Russian baths and Finnish saunas, steam rooms are organized according to a tiered type - the higher the bench, the hotter the air. In a Turkish hammam or in an infrared bath, the body is heated at the same level.

On tiers of beds in the steam room of a Russian bath, the body is warmed up at different temperatures Source russkaya-skazka.su

All benches are located on the same level, the temperature is maintained the same Source siyaniekrasoti.ru

Russian traditions: sauna on weekends

To maintain the required humidity and temperature in the steam room, water is poured from a ladle onto a traditional stone stove. Many people value the Russian bath precisely for its effectiveness: all the conditions in the steam room are created in order to cleanse the pores throughout the body and expel toxins from the body through sweat. The cultural aspect cannot be ignored: the bathhouse has always been a gathering place for people not only to cleanse the body, but also for spiritual conversations.

The stove is made of natural stones, the pipe is also lined with stones - water is poured on them Source tepliepol.ru

The average stable temperature in a Russian bath is 70-75℃. Humidity – 60-70%. The average time for one visit to the steam room is 15-20 minutes. In total, you can make such passes from 2 to 4, and then the person will not feel much stress on the heart and the entire body as a whole.

The healing properties of the Russian bath cannot be overestimated. Hot, humid air with the addition of eucalyptus or pine essential oils strengthens the immune system, improves blood flow, normalizes the respiratory system, and removes toxins. Visiting such baths helps protect the body from colds and viral diseases.

Natural aromatization with herbs and aromatherapy in a traditional Russian bath Source vk.tula.su

A special feature of using the steam room is traditional massage with brooms. It is believed that such healing procedures can tone the entire body, cure some skin diseases, and strengthen muscles. Brooms are knitted from birch, oak, fir and other tree branches.

The tradition of steaming with brooms soaked in hot water is inherent in Russian baths Source irkutsk.bonodono.ru

When visiting public Russian baths, it is important to be prepared for different temperature conditions. There are steam rooms with a weak positive temperature level - 60-50℃. They are usually visited by beginners, people with contraindications to extremely hot air, or adults with children.

You can enter the steam room with children if the air is not very hot - the norm is 70-75 degrees Source tylohelo.com

The temperature in the steam rooms, where avid bath attendants gather, is always significantly higher than the optimal temperature for beginners. Not lower than 90 degrees. The highest temperature a person can withstand in a bathhouse is 120 degrees Celsius.

The bathhouse attendant maintains the air temperature, humidity level, and correctly performs massage with brooms Source kupeliru.ru

Comfortable Finnish sauna

The peculiarity of the Finnish sauna is dry and soft hot air. This is what distinguishes it from a damp, highly heated Russian bath. But the average temperature threshold is higher than in a Russian steam room - 70-110℃. The optimal temperature for good steaming is 90-100℃. Air humidity – 5-15%. One session includes 2 visits of 5-10 minutes each. It is advisable to take a 30-minute break between visits.

Traditional Finnish sauna with a stone stove and tiers of bench seats Source ivsbor.ru

Dry air is not for everyone. Therefore, to begin with, it is best to try sitting in the sauna for 5 minutes and observe how you feel. If you suspect that the body cannot cope with hot dry air, then it is better to leave the sauna. In this case, the best option may be a Russian steam room without extreme high temperatures or a hammam.

The Finnish sauna is decorated from the inside with natural wood - oak Source 39turov.ru

Exotic Turkish hammam

The most comfortable temperatures in a Turkish hammam. The halls most often have beautiful oriental-style tiles. The humidity is highest here! Higher than the previous two baths - up to 100%. These conditions are also not suitable for all people. For example, not every skin will benefit from dense, humid air.

Turkish Ham, located in Turkey Source legkovmeste.ru

It's worth trying to visit the hammam! After all, it does not have high air temperatures, which in itself is comfort. The minimum heating reaches up to 40 degrees Celsius. Maximum – up to 50℃. The duration of stay in the hammam is not strictly limited. You can sit there all day!

You can wash, the body is not exposed, covered with a bath towel or sheet Source o-krohe.ru

Specific infrared bath

Infrared baths are cabins equipped with special equipment that emits infrared waves with a length of 0.76-3 microns to 7-14 microns. This radiation is completely safe for health. The range of its wave frequencies is identical to the wavelength that emanates from the human body. The average temperature is 45-50 degrees, the minimum is 35 degrees, and the highest is 55 degrees Celsius.

This is an innovation in the field of wellness recreation. When visiting an infrared bath, a person sweats in the same way, but the temperature is felt differently. What happens here is not the heating of the air, but the heating of the body itself. The temperature is perceived as soft, pleasant warmth, penetrating inside to a depth of 3-4 cm. In terms of load, visiting an infrared sauna is similar to the effect after light gymnastics or physical exercise.

The cabins are lined with natural wood panels inside and out. They are designed for one or two people to stay inside. Therefore, the device is oversized, and they can be installed even in an apartment. The most comfortable models are a sauna cabin combined with a shower stall. Everything (heating, lighting) is controlled via an electronic panel.

The heating equipment is clearly visible inside the infrared sauna. Source dnepropetrovsk.bodo.ua

The maximum time for one session is 20-30 minutes. But it is recommended to make several short-term visits instead of one half-hour. The body will gradually get used to the heat. After such a sauna, the blood vessels will expand, become more elastic, blood will circulate better, and all waste and toxins will be released through sweat.

What to do with a broom: bath massage technique

Use a broom as follows:

They are waved in the direction of the person’s body in order to generate more heat.
Stroke the body with a broom (from head to toe and back to the feet).
They beat with a broom (light “blows” from a short distance - 10-20 cm).
They whip with a broom (“hits” from a distance of 60-70 cm).
Make a compress (press the broom with your hand to your back, buttocks, thighs, shoulders).

Brooms from different tree species differ in their healing properties. Birch brooms are used for pulmonary diseases, oak brooms for skin inflammation, and linden brooms for colds and viral infections.

Birch broom for a bath

Birch brooms are the most traditional attributes of a Russian steam room. They are harvested from young shoots, the size of the leaves on which does not exceed a ruble coin (Soviet period).

Who benefits from birch brooms:

For smokers (birch tar vapors cleanse the lungs of a smoker).
Athletes (birch relieves muscle pain after intense training).
For those who have a lot of pimples, acne, or who often develop ulcers and boils.
Patients with bronchitis and chronic cough. Birch steam expands the small passages of the bronchi, improves sputum discharge and coughing.

Oak broom

Oak brooms are used many times. The leaves are held on the branches even after the fourth or fifth visit to the steam room. Having been scalded more than once, they retain their healing properties throughout the entire steam room. You can determine that a broom has served its purpose by looking at the leaves. They become sticky and unpleasant to the touch, and the pleasant oak aroma disappears.

Oak branches are used:

For vascular diseases.
For skin diseases, as well as for those with oily skin.
For those who have hypertension or a tendency to increase blood pressure (oak ether does not allow it to rise excessively).
For neurasthenics and people with increased excitability.

Eucalyptus bath broom

Eucalyptus brooms are more exotic than traditional. They saturate the sauna space with healing ether, which heals the nasopharynx. Eucalyptus shoots are taken to the bathhouse for ENT diseases (runny nose, sinusitis, throat cough). They don't have to be steamed. You can put fragrant branches with leaves on the top shelf or hang them on the wall of the steam room.

Whip with a eucalyptus broom is difficult. Its shoots are too flexible, they do not generate heat enough and do not massage the body well.

People with eucolyptus brooms in a public bath always look strange

Fir bath broom

Fir is the queen of Siberia. Fir brooms bring a mortally tired person back to life and drive away terrible illnesses. How does fir work?

Like all conifers, fir releases phytoncides and disinfects the surrounding space. In addition, its massage effect increases blood circulation not only in the muscles, but also in the internal organs.

The richness of fir allows the effective use of brooms for a variety of diseases. Complex coniferous therapy is indispensable for pulmonary and bronchitis inflammations, neurology, spinal pain, and osteochondrosis.

Bamboo bath broom

A bamboo broom is another type of unusual, non-traditional broom for a steam room. It is convenient because it does not litter with leaves, at the same time it has a cosmetic effect and provides good relaxation. In addition, bamboo massage significantly increases blood flow, resulting in reduced inflammation and weight loss.

A massage with a bamboo broom is performed very carefully and effortlessly (traditional for a birch or oak broom). His technique uses Japanese techniques for working with bamboo - gentle tapping with chopsticks on the back, shoulders and feet, as well as on areas of cellulite.

Steaming with a bamboo broom is also different. Unlike traditional oak or birch steaming techniques, it is virtually impossible to generate heat with bamo.

How to dry a broom after a bath

Reusable brooms (made from oak branches, pine shoots) are rinsed in water and left on a shelf to dry. The dried broom is hung under the roof in a dry place. It should not get wet or hang inside a damp room (damp cellar or barn).

If the broom is stored outdoors under a canopy, put a net or bag over it (protect it from the wind). If the broom is thoroughly worn out, throw it away and take a new one for the next visit.

Another flyer:

The effect of hot air on the body

A well-heated Russian bathhouse produces hot steam, otherwise called “fiery heat.” Under its influence, the body experiences a slight pleasant trembling. All systems and organs begin to work intensively, pushing out accumulated harmful substances (toxins, waste, fat) through the pores. Vital forces are mobilized. After bath procedures, relaxation sets in, which together gives a strong healing effect.

Interior of a massage room in a SPA salon with an infrared sauna cabin Source spa-sherbinka.ru

Step-by-step heating of the body in the bath:

first 5-7 minutes the body adapts to high temperatures;
if you continue to stay in the steam room for up to 10-15 minutes. (total) – then the skin warms up;
next 10 min. – internal organs are gently warmed up.

If in a Russian or Finnish bath there are serious deviations in temperature or air humidity, then instead of vigor and renewal of strength, you may experience discomfort in the form of burning and dryness. The body has to fight to keep the internal processes of different systems (breathing, heartbeat) normal. Then they leave the bathhouse not with ease, but with a feeling of exhaustion, weariness, loss of strength and energy.

Methods for treating pneumonia

If pneumonia is bacterial in nature, antibiotics are prescribed. Their effectiveness can be assessed after 48-72 hours. If the temperature subsides, the cough becomes less frequent, and the patient begins to feel better, the treatment continues. You cannot interrupt the course of medications, and it is important to take them correctly as prescribed by your doctor. If antibiotics do not help, another treatment is prescribed or changed to a drug from another group.

For viral pneumonia, antibiotics are not effective, so antiviral drugs are prescribed. Vitamins and immunomodulators can be prescribed as auxiliary substances.

Once the patient's body temperature has returned to normal, physical therapy can be prescribed. It allows you to remove phlegm from the lungs. For this purpose, herbal medicines are often taken, for example, licorice root or complex breast mixtures.

Along with drug treatment, patients need bed rest, meals containing protein and vitamins, and plenty of warm drinks. For the best effect, therapeutic methods are recommended - electrophoresis, inhalation, massage, magnetic therapy, etc.

Safe for the body and extreme temperatures in the bath

The highest temperature in the bathhouse that the human body can withstand is 120℃. And extreme (dangerous threshold for the human body) – 150℃. These temperatures are not used in public baths for restricted visits. They are used in bath attendant competitions. Under normal conditions, it is extremely rare for anyone to steam at a temperature of 120 degrees Celsius. But this is enough for experienced bath attendants. Still, the optimal temperature in the bath is 90-100 degrees.

Bath-sauna under glass with access to the pool - the best solution for contrasting procedures Source weboptimize.ru

Is it possible to take a bath?

At elevated temperatures, you should be careful when swimming. For the sick person, this can be stressful, especially if after washing in the bath or shower it is not possible to provide him with a comfortable temperature. After swimming, the skin quickly releases heat to the external environment, which means a person can quickly become hypothermic. At high temperatures it is not recommended to take a bath, but up to 37.5 it is possible, but not hot, but warm (so that the water is approximately the same temperature as the body) and no longer than 15 minutes. After the bath, quickly get dressed or crawl under a warm blanket.

Gradual increase in air temperature and humidity

It is important not to overheat the oven. For the firebox, 3 types of firewood are taken:

pine;
aspen;
birch

Pine firewood is rich in resins. They allow the stove to heat up, but leave a lot of soot inside the chimneys. Aspen ones will provide little heat and will burn out quickly, but they will clean the chimney perfectly. Birch gives off a lot of heat to the stove and burns longer than pine and aspen.

A fresh or dry broom is soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes before use. Source rys-les.ru

Bath broom: sweeping away dirt from the body

A broom is the number 1 attribute for a bathing holiday. Although you can steam without it, with a broom the whole process takes on a special twist. At the same time, harvesting shoots for a bath is similar to collecting medicinal plants (the correct cutting and drying determines the therapeutic effect).

Young shoots are broken in the first half of summer. It is necessary to take shoots from the sunny side of the tree (the maximum amount of useful substances accumulates in these branches).

For each broom you will need up to 20 twigs. They are tied with natural thread and the end of the broom is wrapped with a cloth or bandage. This bundle can be taken with bare hands. But for a broom without a fabric wrap, it is better to wear mittens (so as not to rub calluses).

The tied brooms are dried in the shade (6-7 days, turning over daily) and stored in plastic bags in a cool place (for example, in a cellar).

To take a steam bath with a broom, you prepare it by pouring hot water over it and letting it stand.

Rules for visiting the steam room

To ensure that the temperature in the steam room does not harm the skin, you must follow a number of visiting rules:

Do not visit the steam room on an empty stomach. It is enough to eat something 1.5-2 hours before going to the bathhouse.
First remove all metal jewelry. The heat can burn the metal.
It is best to enter the steam room dry.
Be sure to wear a special headdress that protects your ears.
Hair should not be wet.
On the first visit, they don’t immediately go to the top shelf.
To improve sweating, beads of sweat should be wiped away. Therefore, a towel or sheet is needed in the steam room.
In order for the body to warm up well, periodically change the position of the body.
You shouldn't get up suddenly. Otherwise, you may feel dizzy and there is a risk of falling.
It is better to use massage with brooms on the second pass.
Contrast water procedures are taken between visits to the steam room.
It is better not to drink cold drinks during the break.
There is no smoking or drinking alcohol in the steam room.
You can't pour beer on rocks.
The steam room of a public bath is not used as a wash room.

You cannot stand in the bathhouse. Sitting or reclining improves lymphatic drainage. The recommended body position is lying with your legs elevated. This makes it easier to reduce the load on the heart. Immediately after bathing procedures, people do not go outside. It is necessary to allow the body to cool down.

Compliance with the rules of a public steam room is the key to a comfortable visit to it Source kazan.spravka.ru

What will we drink or tea for the bath?

The process of sweating is accompanied by loss of fluid. During one visit to the steam room, a person loses up to 1.5 liters of water. That's why you want to drink in the bathhouse. It is important to drink only healthy drinks between visits to the steam room and after.

It is better to brew tea from medicinal herbs (according to individual preferences). The herb whose taste you like best will bring maximum benefits.

In addition, you can replace tea with dried fruit compote or lemon water (lemon poured into boiling water). Use natural honey as a sweetener.

Do not drink beer, wine, cognac before visiting a bathhouse, sauna or between visits to the steam room. This is detrimental and dangerous not only to your health, but also to your life.

More information about bath tea: Bath tea.

Contraindications to bath procedures

The warning that the temperature in a Russian steam bath is not suitable for everyone applies to those who are contraindicated to breathe hot, humid air.

You should not visit the bathhouse:

hypertensive patients;
those suffering from cardiovascular diseases (ischemia);
persons with exacerbations of various diseases;
those with ulcerative skin disorders;
cancer patients;
asthmatics;
epileptics;
suffering from diseases associated with the central nervous system and brain.

Bath procedures make the heart beat faster and pump blood. The pressure changes and there is a load on the diseased heart. Also, women should not visit the bathhouse during the menstrual cycle, so as not to develop poorly controlled bleeding. After drinking alcohol, it is also not recommended to visit the bathhouse.

You should only visit a steam room or sauna if you are feeling well Source sauni-moskva.ru

Exposure to heat

When taking bath procedures, an increase in blood pressure is observed. As a result, congestion in the limb area is eliminated. People who have been diagnosed with the following ailments should refrain from health procedures:

epileptic seizures; hypertension; ischemia; brain pathologies; oncological diseases; bronchitis occurring in acute form; abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Avid steamers should be wary if they notice symptoms of overheating. These include:

severe dizziness; the occurrence of nausea; poor coordination of movements.

If you follow certain rules when visiting the steam room, you can get rid of problems with blood circulation, colds, and allergic reactions. It is also effective for overweight people. Wellness treatments provide a rejuvenating effect. They prevent premature skin aging and normalize metabolism. Under the influence of hot air, resistance to viral infections increases, tension is eliminated, and heart rate is normalized.

Recommendations for beginners

For beginners, the optimal temperature in the steam room should not exceed 70-90 degrees Celsius, humidity – 30-40%. The duration of one visit is no more than 5-8 minutes. The duration of the next few runs should be increased by a couple of minutes. Frequency - after a 20 or 15 minute break, you can make 2-3 passes in total. Essential oil must be used with great care. This is especially true for public steam rooms. The best option is to dilute the ether with water and simply leave it on the bench, allowing natural evaporation.

If you pour essential oil on stones, there will be soot, it is better to use a bowl with aromas Source vodniy.amazonia-fitnes.ru

Bath - a means for losing weight

How to take a steam bath to lose weight?

Use brooms, preferably two at a time. Whips and massage help increase blood flow, sweating and lose more weight.
If you cannot sit in the bathhouse for a long time, you can go into the steam room for a short time (up to 5 minutes) several times (5-8 times). The process of sweating continues after leaving the steam room, so frequent visits provide high-quality sweating for the body and noticeable weight loss.
To increase sweating, rub your skin with honey and salt. Increased sweat leads to greater weight loss.
In order for sweating to continue, after the steam room, take a warm shower, not a cold one. Cold water tightens pores and stops sweating. Warm or hot water flushes away toxins and continues the sweating process.
Drink hot tea. It is necessary to restore water balance even when you are losing weight. Therefore, you need to drink tea during the bath, but in smaller quantities (up to 0.5 liters per visit). To quench your thirst, drink the healthy drink in small sips.
The composition of tea for quick weight loss should include diaphoretic and diuretics: rosehip decoction, chamomile, horsetail, juniper berries, lingonberry leaves.
Do not eat after the bath. If your visit to the steam room is scheduled for the evening, limit yourself to a light snack (salad or baked vegetables) or a dairy dinner (cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk).

Advice for those who have their own sauna

It is better to make the thresholds high and the doors low in order to retain the heat inside the steam room as much as possible. The walls and floor are finished with special thermal insulation material. It is generally better to make flooring in several layers. Ventilation allows you to equalize air pressure and release excess steam. The stove is placed near the door so that the steam room can heat up evenly. After each use of the wet bath, wipe it dry, dry it and ventilate it.

A high threshold, a low door - typical of a Russian bathhouse and the entrance to its steam room Source birzhaplus.ru

The oven must be real stone or brick-lined. The finishing can be made of metal. But the top is left open to pour water on the stones. Getting on the upper stones, the water flows onto the hot internal cobblestones. As a result, you get normal healthy steam. It’s a big mistake to completely “sew up” the furnace with metal and pour water on the hot iron. Then you will have to inhale harmful fumes or too dry hot air.

Where to go to steam and wash: types of baths

Russian bath. As major experts in this field say, the Russian bath is considered the most beneficial for the body due to the average temperature and high humidity in the steam room. A typical Russian bathhouse is built entirely of wood and consists of two rooms: a steam room with a stove and a dressing room. Various infusions brewed from medicinal herbs are poured onto the hot stones. To enhance the healing effect of the Russian bath, brooms made from certain types of wood and various forms of massage are used.
The Roman bath is the place most suitable for pleasure and communication. No wonder it consists of three main rooms, where each has its own purpose and temperature. In our understanding, you won’t be able to take a steam bath in such a bathhouse.
According to the Turks themselves, you can take a proper steam bath in a Turkish bath called “hamam”. A standard Turkish bath has several rooms, the temperature in which increases by an average of 5 °C in each room. This sauna is distinguished by its low temperature, starting from 35 °C.
The Irish bathhouse is a kind of hybrid of Russian and Roman bathhouses. From the Russian bath she got steam and humidity, and from the Roman bath she got the fact that steam enters the steam room from cracks in the floor. It is not difficult to steam in such a bath, since the main difference between the Irish bath and its prototypes is the very low temperature, about 55 °C.
A Japanese bathhouse cannot even be called a bathhouse, or it can be, but with great stretch. In a typical Japanese bath there are no steam rooms, dressing rooms or pools with cool water, but there is a barrel of salt water (almost boiling water), in which the Japanese warm themselves and massage themselves with brushes. There is also a group version of this procedure, where several people warm up at once. Warm up - please, but it is simply impossible to steam in such a bathhouse.
Sauna - more precisely, a Finnish bath. Thanks to the love of many for extreme temperatures, it has taken root in our country. Most sauna adherents say that you can only steam properly in it, bringing a broom into the procedure and watering the stove with herbal infusions. Although the main difference between a sauna and a Russian bath is the lack of humidity in the steam room. A traditional sauna consists of three rooms: a steam room, a room with a pool and a relaxation room.

Advantages of bath procedures

When the temperature and humidity in a Russian bath (or any other) are well regulated, the human body can be properly cleansed and healed. The general advantages of baths include a positive effect on the body:

The body steams well, the pores open.
Blood microcirculation increases.
Ensures normal transport of nutrients to the joints and skeletal system.
Sweating removes waste, toxins, salts, and white fat.

The bathhouse is indicated for those who suffer from obesity, some pulmonary and respiratory diseases, who have joint pain and have been diagnosed with mild non-infectious skin dermatitis. It will be useful to visit the steam room for people with blood stagnation in the musculoskeletal system, joints, and in the body as a whole. Allergy sufferers and those prone to frequent colds are allowed to visit.