Sitting still as sweat drips from your nose, sitting still as sweat drips from pretty much everything… I must admit that the prospect of sauna bathing never quite caught my interest. In fact, my knowledge of sauna culture is limited to that they’re a place where old, hairy Italian Americans like to congregate and that they are often quite hot (the saunas, not the Italians). However, having spent the last five weeks living in Finland – exposing myself to anything and everything ‘Finnish’ – I have started to develop a new found love for all things sauna.
Saunas are synonymous with relaxation, however the Finnish proverb “the sauna is a poor man’s pharmacy” (or for those interested in its original translation “Sauna on köyhän miehen apteekki”) encapsulates a historical belief in its additional health benefits. Sauna certainly holds a considerable cultural and spiritual significance to Finnish people, but just how beneficial to our health and wellbeing can it be getting all sweaty? Are we missing a trick here in the UK?
Although examples of saunas can be found globally, it is in Finland where their traditional use has become completely ingrained within modern society. Indeed, in my short time living in Joensuu I have made several ‘life-long’ friends just from uttering the word sauna during conversation – a Finns love of sauna is by no means a passing fancy, but an integral part of Finnish life handed from generation to generation. The fundamental principles of sauna bathing are quite simple – an enclosed space is heated up causing its occupants to sweat and breathe in moist air – yet a good sauna experience is dependent on so much more. For example, the rudimental look of a traditional sauna, with its wooden benches and paneled walls, may appear twee and there to improve ambiance; however, it is this design which helps achieve the required balance between heat, humidity and ventilation. The hot air temperatures within a sauna, ranging from 70-100°C, can only be withstood due to the low levels of humidity, more than half that experienced in a normal home environment. So I hear you asking, how does this all go about improving my health?
Simply put, by exposing our bodies to the extreme heat we increase the temperature of our skin, which results in profuse sweating. In addition to being a naked sweaty mess – yes, it is important to be naked – the increased temperatures raise the heart rate of the sauna user. An intense sauna session can result in the heart rate increasing as high as 150 beats per minute, which is comparable to undertaking moderate physical activity. As a result, getting all hot and flustered in a sauna regularly can have similar benefits to exercising!
Those benefits have been extensively researched, with the American Medical Association publishing a study earlier this year on the relationship between sauna use and the occurrence of heart attacks and other heart related deaths. Although the subjects sampled within the study were predominantly male, the results showed that an increased frequency of sauna bathing coincided with a decreased risk of dying from sudden heart attacks or heart disease, as well lowering blood pressure. Although this latest research provides evidence that sauna can be a protective factor against heart related problems (well for men at least), previous studies have also highlighted potentially harmful effects. People who suffer from low blood pressure are recommended to be cautious with sauna bathing and, although I’m quite sure you don’t want to read this, alcohol consumption before and during sauna use can be dangerous and is very much frowned upon. Perhaps best to save the beers till after!
My experiences of sauna in Finland most certainly took me by surprise. I have listened to and marveled at stories, ranging from makeshift saunas made from old tents to a 100 year old smoke sauna that provided refuge after the Second World War and is now on its fourth generation of user. I have gained an appreciation of what sauna means to Finland as a nation, but most importantly, I have been able to experience sauna for myself. Although I can’t comment on improvements to my physical health, the non-physical benefits I’ve experienced were almost immediate. I’ve found it to be the perfect way to unwind on an evening, with the post-sauna ice cold shower and cooling-down period leaving me completely relaxed and stress free. So much so I would certainly recommend it to anybody feeling under pressures and stressed, and as a cheeky bonus it also helps quite a bit with a hangover too! Finland’s love and long history of sauna use is well documented and, as its health benefits become better understood, perhaps it will become a romance that the UK itself may embark on.
Dougie Phillips
Image: Courtesy of Aino Karvo