For humans, sweating is vital: that’s why visiting the 85 to 100 °C hot sauna is more popular than ever in this country. But serious mistakes are made again and again with the natural healing method from the far north, which affect the success of the “healthy action”. We explain what to consider when going to the sauna – from showering to the best position in the sauna to cooling down properly.
What to consider when taking a shower?
Since the escaping sweat also builds up the so-called protective acid mantle of the skin, medical experts recommend that you clean yourself thoroughly with soap before visiting the sweat cabin under the shower, but afterwards only rinse off the sweat with bare water.
Rules for going to the sauna
In the sweat cabin, the visitor should spend, if possible, in a lying position on the middle or higher level for at least eight, but preferably twelve, but no more than 15 minutes. Lying down because this provides uniform heating of the whole body. One to two minutes before leaving the sauna, a sitting position should be adopted.
Cooling down properly after the sauna session.
Cooling down is important after each sauna session. The process is best started with a cool air bath of two to five minutes. This is followed by cold hose showers or dousing showers, always starting with the hands and feet and gradually progressing to the center of the body. This promotes the training of blood vessels in the skin.
The cooling process can be accelerated by warm foot baths (up to 40 °C, only ankle high). This is because footbaths widen the skin vessels constricted by the cold water and thus promote the removal of excess heat via the capillaries of the skin. Afterwards the sauna visitor should rest for twelve to 15 minutes on a couch.
Contrary to popular belief, the sauna does not place an excessive burden on the heart and circulation when used correctly, despite the strong effect of the heat. Sauna is even explicitly recommended to hypertensive patients in early stages.
9 Mistakes to avoid
- Never rushed or immediately after strenuous exercise into the sauna heat; there is a risk of circulatory problems.
- Always well dried into the sweat cabin, then you sweat better.
- Avoid physical exertion in the heat. Even talking can overstrain.
- Never during an acute viral infection in the sauna.
- Drink only after the sauna bath, otherwise the detoxification effect is nullified.
- Do not take a warm shower after the sweat bath, but always cold pours. This supports the cooling effect.
- Absolutely avoid “post-sweating”, even if warm pools or post-sweat rooms are available. There is a risk of circulatory overload and infections.
- Cold foot baths after the sweat bath can cause vascular spasms.
- Gymnastics or swimming after the sauna delays cooling and promotes infections.
