Health Steam wisely: What you need to know about the bathhouse, sauna and hammam

Why do people go to the sauna? By yourself, wash yourself, sit in the steam room. The sauna is a great way to sweat, improve the internal and external condition of the body, and feel a surge of strength. But this, so to speak, is the physical part of visiting the sauna. For many Russians, visiting a Finnish bathhouse has become a unique place of relaxation, healing, communication and even entertainment. And we consider it useful to remind you how to behave in a sauna and how to steam properly.

In every house?

So, the second name of the sauna is “Finnish bath”. Scientists believe that the Finns borrowed this method of washing from the Scythians. And they liked it so much that they even gave birth in the sauna and performed the last ablution of the deceased before sending him on his final journey - burying him.

In modern Finland there is a sauna in every second house or apartment. And there are more than 2 million public baths in Suomi. In Russia, saunas have acquired a broader concept - they are no longer just rooms with dry air and high temperatures, but entire complexes that include Jacuzzis, swimming pools, steam rooms of various types, relaxation rooms, and massage. Additional services are also provided: hookah, dance floor, karaoke, bar, satellite TV, Internet access, games.

Fragrant steam, essential oils and natural soap

The bathhouse replaces a visit to the doctor, cosmetologists and massage therapists in a beauty salon. Very fashionable aromatherapy in the bath has a double effect:

1. Skillfully selected essential substances affect the body;
2. After a steam bath, the skin cleanses and opens the pores, now it’s time to nourish it with oils and masks.

Essential oils are fragrant, very concentrated extracts from the depths of plants. The dark bottles of the Aromatherapy collection contain viscous and delicate oils that are necessary in the bath for health and beauty.

• Coniferous series: Atlas cedar, juniper, Siberian fir.
• Spicy aromas: lemon balm, peppermint.
• Citrus fruits: grapefruit, orange.
• Exotic: eucalyptus.

Essential oils are dissolved in water: a few drops per ladle. To get a homogeneous solution, it is useful to add a little honey or sea salt to the water. This scented water is used to water wood walls or shelves, and soak brooms in it. But drops of undiluted ether burn on hot stones; this is one of the gross mistakes of using oils in a steam room.

Try to breathe through your mouth in the steam room: this way the steam, saturated with the resinous aroma of wood and essential oils, will warm the body from the inside. This method of heating is especially beneficial for respiratory diseases, colds and depressed mood.

Visiting rules

Visiting the sauna requires compliance with simple rules. You should enter the steam room with a sheet wrapped around your naked body to avoid skin contact with hot surfaces. Some people wear swimming trunks and swimsuits, but from a hygiene point of view this is not acceptable, and in Finland it is bad manners. If natural modesty or religion does not allow, then no one can forbid wrapping oneself in a sheet from head to toe or visiting the sauna on “one’s” day—women’s or men’s, or at hours when there are few visitors.

The steam room is hot - the temperature reaches 80-130 degrees, so you can’t stand: you need to sit or lie down. Inexperienced steamers do not necessarily have to settle down “under the ceiling” of the steam room. The first or intermediate level is suitable for them. It's better to start with the first one and gradually move higher.

Sitting in a sauna with your legs down is unacceptable. And this is explained by the fact that the temperature at the bottom of the room is lower than in its upper part, which means that the head and legs of the steamer will heat up unevenly, which threatens heat stroke. You need to sit down with your legs raised on the shelves so that they are at the same level as your butt, but at the same time keep them relaxed and bent. When taking a horizontal position, it is permissible for the legs to be slightly above the head, but not lower.

You need to breathe evenly, through your nose. You can cover it with your palm so that it doesn’t seem too hot. It is better not to talk in the sauna, but to “immerse yourself” in your feelings and relax. There is no need to make any rapid movements. There is no need to rise sharply from a lying position. You must first sit down, and after getting used to it a little, get up and go out.

The maximum amount of time that is recommended to stay in the sauna is 10 minutes. The heating temperature in the room matters. If it has reached 80° and this is the first “entry”, then after 5 minutes it is better to leave the sauna. At 100° you should sit down/lie down on a shelf for just 3 minutes and then go out to cool down. No one should lie on bare boards; shelves should be covered with a towel.

How to dress for a bath?

Someone will laugh that it is more correct to undress in a bathhouse. A noble bathhouse attendant recognizes steam room lovers among all visitors by the correct form of clothing - comfortable, loose and natural.

• Let's start with slippers . Comfortable and hygienic shoes for the bathhouse, made from the same felt, sometimes with a waffle top and a bamboo insole! In the warmth and moisture of even the cleanest bathhouse, it is not flowers that bloom, but fungi. Slippers are your protector against mycosis of the feet and nails.
• Take care of your head! The main rule is not to get heatstroke, so it is worth having a felt hat in your bath wardrobe. It will also protect your hair from dryness, which is why it is especially loved by women. Size matters: ideally, the hat fits freely on the head without constricting it. For children, a felt cap or hat is a must! For those who forgot about a hat, I strongly recommend making a comfortable turban from a waffle towel.
• A sheet and a towel are a classic bath couple. You can wrap yourself in a sheet and lay it on the shelves - against burns and fungi. And the towel is already warming up, waiting for the owners in the dressing room. You can't find a better material than cotton. It absorbs moisture, is pleasant to the body, and dries quickly.

• Bathing suit - men's and women's A men's kilt for men and a women's pareo will help you not to feel embarrassed or embarrassed, but to feel at ease and naturally in the bathhouse. They are put on in seconds and removed with an easy movement of the hand thanks to the fastening with elastic and Velcro. After the steam room, sitting in the relaxation area with tea or playing billiards, it’s nice to feel at your best in a wrap-around robe.

And the Noble Bath Attendant prepared a surprise: a branded design of waffle fabric, with funny inscriptions and drawings on a “bath theme”. With such a textile collection you can make an impression in any company!

To wash or not to wash?

Before visiting the sauna, take a shower. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to wash with soap, because this way the natural fatty film will protect the skin from drying out. It is not recommended to apply creams, otherwise they will clog the pores, and the purpose of the sauna is to allow the skin to “sweat” so that everything “unnecessary” comes out with sweat. You should also not get your hair wet before visiting the steam room, otherwise you may overheat and even faint. But it is better to wear a hat and slippers in the sauna.

After a sauna, many people want to cool off in a pool of cold water or take a shower to wash off the sweat. Experienced bath attendants recommend sitting or relaxing, lying in the relaxation room, and washing off the product of sweating after the very last visit to the steam room, and then only with water that is comfortable for the body. Scrubs, peeling and nourishing masks should be applied at the very end of the bath procedure.

By the way, in order to enhance the sweating process, you need to drink half an hour before the steam room, and also drink while resting. Drinks recommended for the sauna: herbal tea, mineral water or kvass. Alcohol and a sauna are incompatible concepts, since alcoholic drinks dilate blood vessels, and a drunk person may feel ill from the heat. For the same reason, you cannot have sex in a sauna. Increased blood circulation during sexual intercourse can lead to a heart attack.

Broom is the best currency for entering the bathhouse

It's a popular truth: the only thing better than a broom in a bathhouse is two brooms! The broom will massage and steam, and release the aroma with beneficial substances. But what kind of broom is a matter of taste; the choice allows you to find an option for your soul and body.

Tip: Individual packaging will give you more natural flavors and preserve the integrity of the leaves. Never throw away the water after steaming the broom; you won’t find a better product for rinsing your body and hair after washing!

• A birch broom caresses the skin, clings to it, absorbs sweat and gives an anti-inflammatory effect.
• An oak broom is stronger and lasts longer. It draws in steam like a fan, ideal for powerful heating.
• Eucalyptus broom is a tropical guest in a Russian bath. Its oils work wonders, relieving colds and coughs, calming nerves and boosting immunity.
• Herbal broom - a pantry of useful properties in one bundle! Flowers and herbs are more tender than tree branches, but they fill the air, the water in which they were soaked, and the skin with aromas.

Secrets of the herbal broom

The most valuable herbs are wormwood and nettle.

Wormwood intoxicates with bitterness, relieves pain, acting as an analgesic, and clarifies memory.

Nettle is a green healer of joints, rheumatism and back pain, your own chiropractor in the bathhouse.

St. John's wort - heals nerves and strengthens the heart, heals the most complex skin diseases, heals wounds and relieves colds.

Currant and lemon balm are a vitamin cocktail for the skin with a fresh, invigorating aroma. They can lift your spirits and fight depression.

It is no coincidence that oregano is included in many cosmetic products. It nourishes the skin and turns on its renewal mechanism. The spicy smell of oregano helps with colds and bronchitis almost from the first steaming. And what an appetite after using it!

Chamomile is a modest field beauty and the queen of the home medicine cabinet! Calms the nerves and helps to forget about insomnia, relieves headaches and helps with women's ailments. Gently heals wounds and burns, psoriasis and neurodermatitis. Chamomile decoction and gentle stroking of the head with a broom is the first remedy for strengthening hair.

Mint – tender, refreshing soft. The menthol in mint gives it a bactericidal effect, relieving inflammation and eliminating acne. A mint broom relieves swelling in tired legs and energizes you. Mint in a steam room is very useful for colds, digestive problems, headaches and tense nerves.

Tip from a Noble Bath Attendant : when doing a massage with a broom, we move from the feet to the head, then back.

Working on mistakes in a steam room with brooms

What can’t you do when going to a bathhouse with brooms?

1. It is wrong to steam alone; you can strain relaxed muscles and joints. That’s why they call an experienced bathhouse attendant for help or take turns steaming each other.
2. The broom should not dry out: it is first steamed and then moistened in warm water. When the broom leaves dry out, they curl and fall off.
3. They do not whip with a broom with all their might; this is not punishment with rods. Learn broom massage techniques. Sometimes it’s enough to blow hot air towards the body; I regulate it with gentle movements.
4. Do not wave a broom zealously in a hot bath; the risk of getting burned by steam or drops of water is too great.

In skillful hands, a broom turns into a magic wand that gives health and pleasure.

What not to do in the sauna and who should not use it

In the steam room it is strictly forbidden to:

• Smoking;
• Drink alcohol;
• Have sex;
• Water the glow stones unnecessarily;
• Lie with your legs thrown up.

People should also not visit the sauna on an empty stomach, with cardiovascular disorders, cancer patients, epileptics, hypertensive patients, asthmatics, pregnant women, if there are complications, those with infectious diseases or severe headaches.

Positive aspects of visiting a sauna:

• Removing waste and toxins from the body;
• Calming effect on the nervous system;
• Elimination of insomnia;
• Relieving stress and internal tension;
• Increasing the body's resistance to colds and external negative influences;
• Improving blood circulation and breathing;
• Strengthening the immune system.

By the way, regular visits to the sauna promote weight loss and rejuvenation. It has been noticed that up to 2 kg of fat is lost in one bath procedure. Intense sweating and cleansing of pores leads to elasticity of the skin. If there is no allergy, then in the steam room they use aromatic agents that have a beneficial effect on health: mint, pine needles, eucalyptus. They help cope with stress, improve your mood and feel a surge of strength. A visit to the sauna is a powerful “recharge” of the body and mind, which is why it is so loved in Finland and other European countries, including Russia.

Contraindications

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The steam room is dangerous for people with hypertension and other problems with the heart and blood vessels. Those who have severe chronic diseases should visit steam rooms with special caution: diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, a history of cancer, neurological pathologies. If you have health problems, visit the steam room only after consulting a doctor.

Contraindications are also considered inflammatory skin diseases, exacerbation of acne and rosacea, wounds and fresh scars. Refrain from visiting the steam room during the recovery period after aggressive cosmetic procedures that result in damage to the integrity of the skin: chemical peels, laser resurfacing, injections. If you plan to visit the steam room, check with your cosmetologist about the duration of the rehabilitation period in your case.

Sauna as a preventive measure against a number of diseases

Visits to saunas and baths can be planned in order to prevent the manifestation of certain types of diseases. Taking into account research, it has been confirmed that the sauna has a beneficial effect on the human body. Properly organized activities help to reduce blood pressure in people prone to hypertension, have a positive effect on the condition of metabolic abnormalities, and alleviate kidney problems.

The effect is improved by combining exposure to hot air and massage techniques, which is most important for problems in the peripheral nervous system, treatment of the central nervous system, chronic polyarthritis, osteochondrosis, and radiculitis.

What is the effect of a sauna on the body's metabolic processes?

With hot air in a steam room, there is an effect on metabolic processes. He becomes faster after being placed in a new environment, but gradually the condition returns to normal. At the same time, oxygen consumption returns to normal levels, and the creation of carbon dioxide in excess of the norm continues for quite a long time after the completion of the warming up process.

Repeating bathing events will no longer have an impact on the processes responsible for exchange. This indicates that frequent visits to saunas and steam baths in order to get rid of excess body weight will not be effective in most cases.

Is a sauna good for the respiratory system?

High temperatures promote faster breathing. The mechanism is approximately the following: heated air affects the blood vessels, causing them to reflexively become narrower, as the body tries to protect itself from overheating. This process leads to a reflex increase in the speed of contractions characteristic of breathing. This is required to enhance the level of heat transfer.

At elevated environmental levels, the central nervous system is responsible for the strength and amplitude of inhalations and exhalations. This circumstance is partially influenced by the composition of the air mass, as well as the type of bath. When entering a sauna, the depth of inhalation increases, on average by 100 ml, and the volume of the lungs also increases. Active sweating occurs, for which the activity of the skin doubles.

Men don't float anymore

Western European travelers who visited our country in the 16th-18th centuries were also surprised by the presence of bathhouse attendants in the steam rooms, who helped both women and men cleanse themselves of dirt. These girls were called rubers or wavers because they rubbed the bodies of bathhouse visitors and waved brooms. The Dutch politician Nicolaas Witsen, who visited Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod in 1664-1665, wrote the ethnographic work “Journey to Muscovy.” It says that pretty serf girls often worked as polishers, bathing the family and guests of their landowner. At the same time, Andrei Dachnik claims that wavers also worked in public baths. A researcher of Russian antiquity did not find any reliable historical evidence that these women could provide intimate services to their clients, writes Andrei Dachnik. But after the division of these public institutions into male and female representatives of the stronger sex, exclusively strong guys - bathhouse attendants - began to soar.

What types of brooms are there?

Usually people go to the bathhouse with birch brooms, which are an all-time classic. They are believed to help relieve tension and pain in weakened joints and muscles, clear the skin and strengthen the respiratory tract.

A linden broom will help induce profuse sweating. Massage with pine brooms has a general strengthening property and is a good prevention of radiculitis and osteochondrosis.

A maple broom is taken to disperse toxins, a rowan broom gives vigor and has a tonic effect, eucalyptus brooms help relieve cold symptoms, and an oak broom cleanses the skin well.

Be that as it may, diseases cannot be treated with brooms, and all of the above properties relate to the advice of traditional medicine. Therefore, you can choose any broom for yourself and calmly go to the steam room. The main thing is that it consists of natural ingredients.

How to quench your thirst in the bathhouse?

Oh, how I want to drink in the bathhouse! This is because in the steam room the body critically loses water. If you want to lose weight, it would be good to limit yourself to drinking for two hours after the bath. Under no circumstances, even if you are overheated, do not grab cold drinks, especially with ice!

Before steaming, many connoisseurs drink warm or hot tea, a decoction of herbs and berries in small sips. In between visits to the steam room or during rest, when you have steamed and washed, you can drink, but in moderation. Alcoholic drinks are not popular in the bathhouse: they are insidious and dangerous when combined with hot steam. The body is not always ready to endure such extreme loads: they greatly increase blood pressure and significantly increase heart rate. So caution is in order here, take care of yourself.

Hit parade of bath drinks

• Tea - the head of all drinks in the bathhouse Before tea was brought to Russia from China and India, people drank herbal infusions. And the most respected were fireweed (fireweed) and linden blossom. They loved to treat themselves to sbitny - hot honey drinks with added spices. Teas were always accompanied by healthy (raspberry) and sour jams - from gooseberries and currants. Herbal decoctions contain a lot of useful substances and esters.

• Kvass is an original Russian drink. The bready and intoxicating spirit of kvass is created for the bathhouse. It invigorates and cheers, but is not harmful, which is typical for beer.

• Berry fruit drinks and natural juices No one will argue about the benefits of fresh juices; they are a storehouse of vitamins. Fruit drinks are the same juices diluted with sweet water. Maximum benefits from fruit drink with honey, mint leaves and a slice of lemon.

It is not particularly customary to eat in the bathhouse, although fruit on the table is welcome. Apples and pears, grapes and watermelon (in season) will quench your thirst and lift your spirits.

The noble Bath Attendant wishes you light steam, a bright mood, health and purity in body and heart!

Step-by-step bath procedures

A total of 3 or 4 passes are allowed. Beginners are advised to limit themselves to 2-3 visits to the steam room. They begin to steam in a lying position on the lower bench. After a few minutes, if you feel well, you can move to a higher bench. After warming up the body, when sweat has already begun, you can begin massage with a broom.

Adaptation of the body to high temperatures

You shouldn't rush into the steam room right away. A sharp change in temperature can cause your body to become covered in spots and your head to spin. Therefore, to begin with, the body is heated under a warm shower. At the same time, the hair does not get wet. You cannot sit in the steam room with wet hair. This is bad for the head. If you are going to enter a Finnish sauna, you need to wipe your body dry, and only then enter the heated room.

Before entering the steam room of a Russian bath for the first time, you need to take a warm shower Source hansgrohe.ru

First run

As soon as you enter the steam room, you need to sit or lie on the lowest bench for 3-5 minutes. After this, you can go to the bench above and lie there for another 3 minutes. For the initial entry, it is recommended to maintain the temperature in the steam room no higher than 60℃. You can lie down by alternating body position - on your stomach, on your back. It is not recommended to steam while standing, because the muscle tissue is tense and the blood circulation is uneven. Leave the steam room as soon as sweating begins.

They are placed on the lower bench when you first visit the steam room to get used to it Source meditsina-online.ru

Short break

After leaving the steam room, you can wrap yourself in a sheet and sit quietly for a while. You will have to cool down in the dressing room for 5-7 minutes. Only after this can you enter the steam room again. If you want to take a dip in cool water, you can do it, but not for long. It is enough to stay in the pool or font for 7-10 seconds. Before the second run, you should not eat or get drunk. Eating food, heavy snacks or alcoholic drinks is extremely undesirable during bath procedures.

After visiting the steam room, they are tempered with a short immersion in the font Source 3.bp.blogspot.com

Preparing a bath broom

A freshly cut broom should be rinsed immediately and then used. A dry broom is dipped into a tub of hot water and allowed to steam for 5 minutes. If the branches are thin, then you won’t have to keep them in boiling water for long. The main thing is that the broom becomes soft. In a wet steam room (Russian bath), it is enough to place a broom on the very top shelf, where it will quickly steam. You can enhance the aroma of a wet broom by placing it on the heater for a couple of minutes.

You only need to soak a dry broom in a tub; you only need to rinse a fresh one Source crimeapress.mirtesen.ru

Second approach and park with a broom

For a guy, the second step is to spread a towel or dry medicinal herbs on the benches. A tub of warm water, a ladle and a massage broom or mitten are also prepared. The temperature may already be higher - up to 80-90℃, duration of stay - 10-12 minutes. The steamed body is wiped with a massage glove, if there is no desire to steam with brooms.

Cleansing and at the same time massage mitten for wiping the body in the steam room Source i2.rozetka.ua

A broom is rotated over the body in the steam room, pumping hot air towards the body. Then they press the broom, starting from the legs and moving higher to the head, and then down to the feet. Only after this can the body be lightly whipped, but so that the foliage sticks to the body. If the broom dries out, periodically dip it in a tub of water. From time to time it is necessary to change the position of the body. This will reduce the load on the heart.

First, hot air is pumped into the body with brooms to warm it up. Source polarspa.ru

After a massage with a broom, they do not get up from the bench. You need to lie down for a while, then sit down and only then get up. This way blood circulation will be normalized gently without stressing the body. Only now can you go under the cool showers or into the font. Spending 3-5 seconds in the shower is enough. Then sit for 10-15 minutes, cool down.

After the procedures of the guy with the brooms, it is better not to get up from the bench abruptly Source sunny-valley.su

Last call

As soon as you enter, you can immediately increase the steam and heat. To do this, take 150-300 grams of water with a scoop and splash it onto hot stones. The increase in temperature and humidity should not be excessive, otherwise it will be difficult to breathe. The optimal indicators of a thermohygrometer are the ratio of 25 ÷ 40% and 65 ÷ 80℃.

In a Russian steam bath, you can pour water on the stones only when dry air appears Source spalanya.com

Complete the procedure with a warm shower. You need to wash with soap or gel to remove beads of sweat from your body. After washing, the body is rubbed with a towel. Put on a terry robe and put on warm slippers. Then you need to sit quietly for 15-25 minutes. During this time, you can slowly sip hot tea made with herbs.

Having steamed, sitting in a robe, after hot tea, they again take a warm shower. They again rub the body with a towel, wrap themselves in a warm sheet and again sit in a calm position for 25-35 minutes.

After taking a shower with soap, you need to wrap yourself in a robe and drink hot herbal tea Source i3.wp.com