Nerdy Science Blog

Sauna is a ‘sweat bathing’ facility that has been widely used today. Stones are often used to exert high temperature in a room by pouring water over hot stone to produce steam. The heat accumulates in the room making it humid or hot. This promotes sweating, hence relax a person. There are many psychological and physical benefits for using sauna.

The sauna session can improve a person’s social affair. People can talk to each other disrobing themselves in the sauna, and this definitely gives them a special bonding between each other.

Relaxation can also be achieved through sweating cause by the heat in the sauna. This further leads to mind cleansing of a person. Studies (Kukkonen-Harjula & Kauppinen, 2006) showed that sauna is suitable for people of all age, and it does not post any health risks to pregnant women, and patients with high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure (provided they are medicated). It was also found that sauna can help musculoskeletal disorders patient to relieve pain.

It should be reminded that people suffering from toxaemia might not be suitable to use sauna. For those who are taking antihypertensive medication may cause hypotension after bathing.

The earliest sauna known was a pit dug in a slope in the ground as bathroom in winter, and it is not Finnish invention. There are many types of sauna available these days, such as using a metal woodstove, or kiuas with a chimney instead of using hot stones.

Reference:
Kukkonen-Harjula, K. and Kauppinen, K. (2006), Health Effects and Risks of Sauna Bathing, Int J Circumpolar Health, vol. 65, no. 3, pp. 195 - 205.

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